The Beast Under the House

Part 1

A large New England style family home with two stories, dormer windows, a grand entry way, and two sets of screened porches sits at the top of a curved driveway. The home stands as a grandeur of the past, its black shutters dress the front, and overgrown shrubbery lines the sidewalk to the front door. Tall pines and oak trees surround the property.

A man wearing a brown sweater, patchy blue jeans, and a work belt slung low around his waist stand beside a white work van in the driveway. Finishing off the last swing of his canned beer, he set it down by the van's tire and walks up to the house. The contractor has been working on this home over the last few months. Piles of discarded floors and packaging are on the lawn and piles of tools, a saw, and the crews' lunch boxes crowd the front step.

Today dragged on like any other day in the home, but as the contractor entered the house, he knew today would be a desperate turning point for the renovation project. It is time to let his crew go, despite the renovations not being complete in the kitchen and basement yet.

Stepping through the front door, the contractor enters a large marble-lined foyer and walks through the home to the kitchen in the back. Two men are working on nailing in the crown molding around the cabinets while a third comes in from the other end with a bucket of scraps in his hands from removing the old caulking around a bathroom's shower.

"Hey boss, what's shakin'?" the man coming from the bathroom asks. He sets down his bucket and wipes his hands on his pants. "I'm getting ready to sand the bathroom wall and prep it for the plaster. Are the tiles in yet for the shower wall?"

"They'll be coming in tomorrow," the contractor answers. He wipes his thumb across his nose and sniffles. He should have had another beer. "But don't worry about it, I'll handle it when the delivery comes."

"No way, you already have too much on your hands," the man responds.

A nail gun in one of the workers hands snaps as it sends a nail into the cabinet's molding. "You said you were working on the flooring tomorrow, boss," one of the cabinet workers says.

"I'll get that done too," the contractor says. "Actually, guys, the owner is going to be here in a few minutes, and he wants the house cleared out before he arrives."

"Sure thing."

"I'll go dump this trash. Are we taking a break, then?"

"I don't mean on a break... he actually wants you all gone. Renon called me this morning and said he's running out of money for the renovations and wants the house's showing date pushed up to rush the sale," the contractor explains. His throat burns as he speaks, and he curls his hands into fists. The three workers look at him with a mix of disbelief and flickers of anger on their faces. "He wants me to finish up the project myself which I think is a hell of a thing to do."

"You said we had a few more weeks of work for this gig!" one of the cabinet workers snap.

"Are you firing us?"

"I'm not firing anyone—we are just trying to cut back on expenses. I swear, the next project I get, you'll be the first ones I call to hire," the contractor answers.

The man who came from the bathroom hacks and spits on the floor with a look of disgust. "Fine, but good luck getting this heap of trash ready for the market." The two other men set down their nail guns and let a piece of the molding hang loosely from the wall, with only one staple holding it secure.

"Good luck, man."

Everyone heads outside. The contractor follows last, rubbing his temple as he wonders how he will get everything done himself. Outside, a black BMW is pulling up the drive. It's Renon. The car pulls over and Renon, unseen behind the tinted windows, watches as the three workers pick up their tools, lunch boxes, and then get into their trucks and leave. When the contractor is the only one left outside, the BMV starts up, pulls around, and leaves the property. Renon was just making sure he stuck to his word and fired the other men on his crew. Some idiot. If he wants his renovations to be done well, he should be willing to fork over a little extra cash for it.