The next couple of weeks, the family got used to their new surroundings. They unpacked, put their pictures on the walls, began the laborious project of weeding their yard and explored their neighborhood. Mom did most of her work after putting in a full eight hours at the grocery store. Otherwise, she left a list of things to be done by the kids before she got home. Aaron was pretty good about having everything taken care of, despite his lack of enthusiasm in doing yard work. Aiesha and Jackie did their parts as well.
In their free time, the children made new friends of the neighbor kids. Aaron spent most of his free time with two brothers shooting hoops. Aiesha found five kids her age across the street, and Jackie made friends with the older sister of those five kids.
One night at the dinner table, Aaron began reporting some neighborhood gossip he had learned while playing hoops, “Hey, mom, you know that house next door?”
His mother nodded at him.
“The guys were telling me that it’s haunted.”
“Stop it, Aaron. You’ll scare Aiesha.”
“No he won’t. I’m grown up now.”
Aaron took a sip of milk, “Anyway, they say that some guy moved in about five years ago, and no one has seen him since.” He took a bite of the T.V. dinner’s Salisbury steak, chewed and swallowed. “They think he probably killed someone and is wanted by the law.”
“Don’t be ridiculous, Aaron. He probably just works nights.”
“Besides, how can a house be haunted if someone is living there?” Aiesha felt safer knowing that it wasn’t a true haunted house.
“Well, the other story is that he died in the house, and that’s why no one has seen him since he moved in.”
“Oh, Aaron, let’s just drop the subject now. What did you do today, Jackie?”
“Not much. I did finish reading my book.”
“Nerd,” Aaron muttered. This, of course, started an argument between the elder siblings which mom had to put an end to.
After dinner, Aiesha went to the kitchen window and looked at the house with the shiny fence next door. She thought she saw movement in the blinds, but she wasn’t sure.
Everyday thereafter, she looked upon that house with awe and a little fear. More than once, she thought that maybe there was someone looking out the window, but she was never sure.
In their free time, the children made new friends of the neighbor kids. Aaron spent most of his free time with two brothers shooting hoops. Aiesha found five kids her age across the street, and Jackie made friends with the older sister of those five kids.
One night at the dinner table, Aaron began reporting some neighborhood gossip he had learned while playing hoops, “Hey, mom, you know that house next door?”
His mother nodded at him.
“The guys were telling me that it’s haunted.”
“Stop it, Aaron. You’ll scare Aiesha.”
“No he won’t. I’m grown up now.”
Aaron took a sip of milk, “Anyway, they say that some guy moved in about five years ago, and no one has seen him since.” He took a bite of the T.V. dinner’s Salisbury steak, chewed and swallowed. “They think he probably killed someone and is wanted by the law.”
“Don’t be ridiculous, Aaron. He probably just works nights.”
“Besides, how can a house be haunted if someone is living there?” Aiesha felt safer knowing that it wasn’t a true haunted house.
“Well, the other story is that he died in the house, and that’s why no one has seen him since he moved in.”
“Oh, Aaron, let’s just drop the subject now. What did you do today, Jackie?”
“Not much. I did finish reading my book.”
“Nerd,” Aaron muttered. This, of course, started an argument between the elder siblings which mom had to put an end to.
After dinner, Aiesha went to the kitchen window and looked at the house with the shiny fence next door. She thought she saw movement in the blinds, but she wasn’t sure.
Everyday thereafter, she looked upon that house with awe and a little fear. More than once, she thought that maybe there was someone looking out the window, but she was never sure.