Chasing My Reflection

Chapter 2: The Sounds

Liams' dad looked at the note and frowned. He looked at the thing that was in Liams' closet too.

"What is it?" Liam's mother asked. "Do you think it belongs to the people who lived here before us, dear?"

Nelson shook his head and looked at the note. "No one has lived here for over eighty years. You should have seen this place before I got it redone. Broken glass and dust everywhere. I don't remember this being here." He said studying the note. "Must be some kind of prank. What do think, Liam?"

Liam shrugged. "Don't know."

Nelson put the note in his back pocket. "Come on, help me carry this to, the basement, Liam."

"Wait you don't want to know what it is?" Liam said staring at the wrapped desk like object with an oval shape at the top. He couldn't see through the bag but he assumed it was an old desk or something by its shape.

"No. I'm going to call Max, the guy who showed me this house, and ask him about it, as of now don't unwrap it. Got it?" Nelson said looking at the object.

Liam and his mother nodded.

Nelson and Liam had a difficult time getting it into the basement but they finally managed.

"Wow this place is huge." Liam said looking around.

Their basement was pretty big. There was a small window on the wall letting in enough sunlight for them to see around. Nelson already had a black punching bag hanging from the ceiling. There were also a few jump ropes on the wooden floor. A normal light bulb hung from the ceiling with a string attached to it for turning it on and off. The room kind of smelled like dirt and old wood. There was a small doorway in the corner leading to the smallest bathroom Liam has ever seen. Lastly there was a bookshelf against the wall with two bean bag chairs next to a small glass table.

Liam loved it. Although with that wrapped object against the wall, Giving Liam a weird feeling. He was eager to unwrap it. He felt like the wrapped thing was a magnet, pulling it towards him. However, the note that was attached to it gave him the creeps. Maybe it was just a prank. He thought. Just then his mom called them both upstairs to finish unpacking.

*

Later that night, Liam finished unpacking. He now sat in his room eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. His mom said he could either help them finish unpacking or watch Timmy. Being as clumsy as he is, Liam decided to watch Timmy to avoid breaking anything his mother and father owned. Timmy sat up in Liam's bed looking up at the ceiling, making sounds with his hand in his mouth with drool dripping all around his hand.

Liam turned on the air conditioner that hung on the wall with a remote attached to it wrapped in plastic. He then laid down next to Timmy and closed his eyes. Liam loved the humming sound of the air conditioner. He almost fell asleep when his closet door creaked. Liam looked at it and noticed it opened a little.

Timmy looked over in that direction and started to cry.

Liam picked Timmy up and bounced him around to stop him from crying but Timmy only got louder.

"Hey hey hey what's wrong?" Liam said holding Timmy into the air.

Timmy's small pointer finger pointed towards Liam's closet then plopped down quickly. Liam looked over to his closet. He sat Timmy down on the bed and walked to the closet then closed it. As Liam was walking to Timmy the closet door opened wide and then shut back by itself, sending a whoosh of air against Liam's back.

Liam jumped and turned around quickly. Timmy was hollering now. His mom came running upstairs.

"Liam what are...Liam! The door!" She picked up Timmy and hushed him up.

The mother frowned as she walked towards the closet door. "I told you a million times not to slam doors. Now there's a crack in the closet door. Your dad won't be so happy about this."

Liam's heart was still pounding in his chest. He could hear it. "No-no it, the door slammed itself shut, mom!" He shouted.

"Oh don't be silly Liam. Now. Come down and eat. You can explain to your father about the door." She said.

Liam watched her as she left the room. The air conditioner started making a huffing sound as some dust came out of it.

Hehehe

Liam backed away as he heard the sound of strange laughter coming from it.

No way. What was that? Laughter? Liam thought.

Liam's dad came upstairs. He saw Liam starring at the air conditioner with wide eyes. The huffing noise started again and more dust came out.

"Did you break that too, Liam?" His dad said snatching the remote from Liam's bed and turning it off. Liam stood still looking at his dads with his mouth open.

"No dad I didn't! Or the door!"

His dad went over to the closet door to examine the crack that started from the top all the way down the middle ending at the bottom.

"Anything like this again and you're grounded. Be more careful Liam." His dad sighed. "Come on. Lets have dinner. After that head to bed because we have stuff to do early in the morning."

***

After dinner, Liam showered and changed into some pajamas. He went into his room, and looked around. This place is creepy. He thought. Creepy notes. Random door slams. And giggling air conditioners? Weird.

Liam turned off the light and switched on his lava lamp. He was deathly afraid of the dark. He always has been. Liam looked around still creeped out. He wanted to sleep but he was bothered by something. Why has no one lived here lived here for eighty years? Did something happen here a long time ago?