Nine

Kate walks down her street towards her house after school.  “Thanks for the ride, Mrs. Lawson! See you tomorrow.” She shouts as she walks away. Kate gets a ride home from her neighbor every day after school, but she doesn’t like Kate’s driveway, so she drops her off at the top of the street. Kate doesn’t mind, though, because if she took the bus she’d have to walk even further; and there’s something about Mrs. Lawson that gives Kate the chills. Although she is very grateful for the ride, she still hates having to walk down her street alone. You see, her street was very friendly; all the houses were very well kept and treated except for one. House number nine. The house had been abandoned for several years; never sold, never taken care of, nothing. Kate never believed in ghosts or anything silly like that, just the house itself creeped her out a bit.
“Mom! I’m home! I’m gonna hang outside and read for a while.” Kate heard no reply, so assumed her mother was still at work or sleeping or something. She grabs her book off the kitchen table, takes a bite off an apple and throws it in the garbage, “Ew, this is old. When is mom going to go grocery shopping again…?” She walks outside and sits on the patio swing.
About three sentences into her book, she hears footsteps coming toward her. She looks up and sees her neighbor Gabe. “Hey, Gabe! What’s up?” She says.
“Hey Kate, I just came by to see if you were okay. I didn’t see you in school today, I missed my lab partner.” Kate slips Gabe a little smile and blushes.
“Sorry, I spent most of my day in guidance… It really wasn’t such a great day for me. But I’m fine.” Looking kind of worried, Gabe replies, “Are you sure? What were you doing in guidance?”
“Apparently my sister wasn’t in school today. They called me up to the office and were all serious… Asking me things like ‘Did you see your sister leave the house this morning?’ and ‘Do you know what she was wearing?’ I honestly wasn’t too worried because Kimmy’s always skipping class and getting into trouble. I told them I didn’t see her leave because I have to leave earlier than her, and didn’t notice what she was wearing because she’s constantly changing her outfit.” Looking really worried now, Gabe continues to question Kate about the situation.
“Well? What happened? Is she okay?”
“Yes, they called me up again later and told me that my mother had called the school and said she found her at home. I guess she brought her back to my dad’s because when I got home from school neither of them was here.” With a sigh of relief Gabe sits down next to Kate.
“Well I’m glad everyone’s okay. I was worried about you for a while. It always makes my heart beat a bit faster at the thought that something may have happened to you.” Kate blushes again but turns her head away to smile so Gabe wouldn’t see. She invites him inside for a snack and he follows.
            As Gabe closes the door behind her she lets out a loud shriek. As she entered the kitchen she saw on the table an old, moldy, worm-infested apple with only one bite into it.
“What’s wrong with you!?” Gabe cries jumping in front of her and grabbing onto her shoulders.
“You don’t see how disgusting that is!?” She cries in return. Gabe walks towards the kitchen table and picks up the apple, “It’s only a half-eaten apple, Kate. What’s the matter?” As she clears her eyes, she notices that it was just the simple apple she had bitten into earlier; no worms, no mold, just a bit stale.
“Nothing, I’m sorry. I thought I saw something… And I know I threw that apple in the garbage before. Maybe I just thought I did, I’m sorry I just…” Gabe loosens his grip on Kate’s shoulders and sits her down at the kitchen table. He throws the apple into the garbage and walks back over to Kate.
“Relax, Kate. You’re probably just a little on edge from what happened at school today. Maybe you should take a nap.” Kate breaks her blank stare by looking into Gabe’s eyes.
“I’m sorry, Gabe. Maybe you’re right.” As Gabe goes to leave, he gives Kate a pat on the back and walks towards the door.
“Gabe, wait! I just remembered, my mom told me this morning to bring this package to the new neighbors, and I really don’t want to go alone, would you go with me?” Gabe smiles and walks towards Kate.
“Of course I will, let’s go.”
            As they’re walking down the street, Gabe turns to Kate and asks, “So, where is this new house we have to go to anyway?” Kate looks at the package’s address and stops walking. Gabe notices and takes a look at the package. “Is… Is this real?” is all he can choke out of his mouth. Kate nods her head and looks at Gabe. The unfortunate address written so clearly on the Package is ‘9 Sunny Side Lane’.
             “I can’t go up there, Gabe, I just can’t.” Kate’s brain is scrambling to find the right words to say. “Kate, we have to. Your mother asked you to and you don’t know what this package is. What if it absolutely has to be at this house by today? You will be fine, I am here.” The thought of Gabe being there to protect her makes her feel better about the situation.
“Okay, let’s get this over with.” Kate and Gabe unwillingly walk up the long driveway to the most unwelcoming residence on the street, house number 9.
            They stare at the front door with pale faces until Gabe grabs Kate’s hand, gives her a smile, and rings the unused doorbell. With no answer, Kate suggests leaving the package at the door and leaving but Gabe won’t let her do that. He tried to open the door and it automatically swings open. He sticks his head in and shouts; again, no answer. After a few moments of silence a loud, high-pitched scream is heard from the far end of the house. Kate is frightened and drops the package; she begins to run from the house but Gabe catches up to her and stops her.
“Kate, there’s obviously something weird about this house and we can’t just leave it. I say we take the package and see what’s inside, if it’s weird we call the cops. You know you want to find out.”
Kate, still fussing to get away replies, “No I don’t! I just want to go home and call my mom, I haven’t seen her since this morning and I’m worried.”  She breaks Gabe’s grip and begins to run. She doesn’t stop until she reaches her house where she collapses on the couch completely out of breath. After calming down, she realizes that nobody has yet to return home, and Gabe never came after her. Worried, she takes her cell phone out of her jacket pocket and dials his number. Somebody picks up, but nobody says anything. “Gabe? Gabe? Hello? Please talk to me, please!” She gets up and starts pacing around when she feels a hand grab her shoulder.
            Kate jumps back screaming in fear when she is frightened even further to see Gabe’s face. Shaking in awe, Kate looks Gabe head to toe to see him covered in bruises, blood, and ripped clothing.
“Gabe! Oh my goodness! I’m calling 9-1-1, what happened to you!” Barely able to let out words, he manages to answer her question. “I stayed. I opened the package. You were right. We never should have looked. Call the cops.” Barely able to understand him she obeys his order. After hanging up with the cops, Kate tries to keep Gabe awake. “Gabriel Lucas Wilson, stay awake, do you understand? Tell me what happened. What was in the package?” Drifting in and out, he attempts to answer her.
“Your mom. Isn’t at work. Your sister. Isn’t okay. Run Kate, run.” Kate’s mind begins to race, she begins to ask herself questions that she doesn’t want answered. ‘Where’s my mom? Where’s my sister? Who did this to Gabe? Where should I run? Why?’ She turns and looks Gabe in the eye, “I’m not leaving you here, I won’t. The cops will be here soon and everything will be okay.” Gabe’s weak arm reaches up just to hold the back of Kate’s head, pushes her in close and gives her a kiss. He then holds her hand in his own. “You need to go, Kate, or she’ll get you.”  Kate begins “But, Gabe-” “Gabe interrupts her “I love you.” Gabe’s eyes close and he seems unresponsive. “Gabe! Gabe answer me! Please, I love you too…” Kate runs out of the house with tears in her eyes up to house number nine.
            She slams open the door and walks inside. A bit timid, she calls out “Hello! Who’s in here? Show your face now!” The door slams shut behind her and she lets out a little scream. Trying not to sound scared, she continues to call out for the killer and walk further into the house. Being completely oblivious, she trips over something onto the rotted wooden floor. She looks up to see the package that she had dropped earlier, but this time it was opened. She slowly begins to peek her head to look inside the box when...
         
Thirty years later…
Jennifer walks down her street towards her house after school.  “Thanks for the ride, Mrs. Lawson! See you tomorrow.” She shouts as she walks away. Jennifer gets a ride home from her neighbor every day after school, but she doesn’t like Jennifer’s driveway, so she drops her off at the top of the street. Jennifer doesn’t mind, though, because if she took the bus she’d have to walk even further; and there’s something about Mrs. Lawson that gives her the chills…