The Emerald Death

Chapter 2

When they reach 161 Brown Drive it looks like it's been abandoned for years except for the package on the front doorstep. The package is small and wrapped in brown paper and twine. Scott is picks it up but has trouble with its weight. It's heavier than it should be for a box that small. He hears a small ticking sound. It's out of place with where they are.

He opens the box and sees a note that says; "I figured you get here just in time to find my little present. Meet the time bomb. I recently discovered how to make these lovely devices. I figured it would take you a few days to get to this "safe house" of yours and factor in the time it would take you to read this note I'd say you have about ten seconds left I'd throw this if I were you otherwise say good bye to your arm. Sincerely, The Jaded Dragon" Scott takes the notes advice and throws it at the rotted front door of the house and knocks everyone behind him down on to the cracked pavement of the driveway of the house across the street. He looks back over his shoulder just in time to see the house explode into smithereens.

Scott attempts to sit up but is knocked out as a timber hits his head. He falls on top of Victor and Victoria who worm their way out from under him.

"Is he going to be okay?" Victor asks beginning to panic. "What happened to him?"

Nat remains calm while Victoria and Victor continue to panic. She flips him over and checks his pulse. It's there. Steady but faint. The only thing wrong with him is the broken nose from hitting his head on the concrete.

"He'll be fine." Nat says "We just need to get inside of this house." She walks up to the door and opens the door. It slides open on silent hinges. "Jennifer, can you try to pull my brother into the house? Victor? Victoria?" Jennifer nods that she can. Victor and Victoria look up at Nat with scared wide eyes. "Can you find the kitchen in this house and tell me what all you find?" She gets down on one knee while asking them this. Victoria nods quickly runs to the open door with Victor in tow.

Nat goes to help Jennifer with her brother. "Thanks." She says grabbing Scotts arms. "Your brother's a big fellow, isn't he?" "Yeah he is. Always has been since he was little." They carry him in and set him on the couch in the living room.

"I sent the kids to the kitchen, by the way." Nat tells Jennifer as she closes the door behind them, careful not to slam it. "Okay, I'll go check on them. Hopefully they haven't eatten it all yet." They share a nervous chuckle. "I'm going to explore the rest of this place. We're probably going to be here for a while." Jennifer has already gone into the kitchen.

Nat heads down the hall opposite of where she hears Victor and Victoria arguing over some Cherrios. She smiles . It's good to have something similar to normal. She finds a staircase and climbs up it looking at the pictures on the wall as she goes up. The pictures are of a family of five living a life full of happiness and love, wedding pictures start to show up from several different marigges with all the kids.

She can't look anymore. It hurts to see a family that is most assuredly dead. She speeds up the remaining stairs almost running into a the wall at the top. She continues to look through the house. She finds four bedrooms, one all pink and girly, another blue and gray, the third almost completly black, the fourth and final holds the master bedroom, a big room with walls that look like they have been painted so many colors they became brown and stayed that way, upon further inspection almost nothing has been touched.

She can't stay in the room much longer, it reminds her of her old home and when her husband came home with his hospital gown still on and when he grabbed their children and took them to the.

"NO!" She screams knocking over a lamp that shatters into several pieces. A squeak comes from the closet along with lots of shushing. I slowly approach the closet and stand to one side of the door and open it as fast as I can. Several people fall out. Two boys about the same age, a man and two women. "Ow!" says one of the boys. "That fuckin' hurt."