The Feeder

Closer Than Usual

Closer Than Usual

I didn't expect the holidays to come so quickly. I found out that Javin and his family do not celebrate Thanksgiving due to their heritage. They believe that their ancestors were scammed. I argued with Javin that if they hadn't, this country would have never come to be. He still doesn't agree with me.

They do, however, celebrate Christmas. Christmas at the Wells household is chaotic but great.

*****

"John, can you go get the ornaments from the basement?" Samantha asked as she helped Javin and Alec put the tree in the corner of the living room. Henry and Derek were still asleep.

"There's a basement?" I asked, not directing the question towards anyone.

"Yeah," John answered, nodding his head for me to follow him down the hallway. "It's hidden away. Come on, I'll show you."

Following John into his room, I was shocked to find it in such neat condition. I was impressed that he'd taken his sister's advice to clean up his room. Now, everything had it's place and refreshing sunlight burst through his small window.

John's bedroom was a bit smaller than Javin's. His bedroom displayed his personality quite well; the wooden floors were old but strong and the walls were painted an off-white. Adjacent to the window was a twin-sized bed made up in a thin cotton bed sheet and a pillow. On the walls were a few photos of him and people he knew, some of who I didn't recognize. Across from his bed an old computer desk that had a laptop, shut and charging, resting on top. Besides it were a few folders and a couple of lingering pens and pencils. To the left of the room was a closet, open. Filled with clothes, they were stored away in a couple of plastic bins and on metal and plastic hangers.

Shoving the clothes to his left, John pulled on a hanging string light that revealed a door in the floor. Bending over, he pulled the little door open and started down.

"I'll head on down first." John said, looking over his shoulder and smiling at me. Slowly, he made his way down the ladder attached to the back of the basement door. When he was half way down, I started my descent into the pitch-black basement.

"Is there a light down here?" I asked as I took step-by-step down the dusty ladder. Though the dust and cobwebs added a creepy look to the basement, I could see (thanks to my awesome eyesight) that the basement wasn't that bad. There were piles of bins and cardboard boxes everywhere. Aside from that, it was spacious and orderly.

"Yeah," John walked a few feet towards the left wall and click! The lights turned on. "There... I think the lights are in the back." He started walking down a path leading across the room.

While I followed John something caught my eye. I stopped following John and walked towards the covered object. What could this be?

Pulling the dusty cover off, I found a polished, classic stand-up piano. I pressed the keys softly and beautiful notes produced from the torso of the instrument. Why is this down here?

"John?" I called out to him.

"Yeah?" He called back.

"Why is this piano down here?"

"What piano?" He asked, sounding like he had no idea what I was talking about. Walking back towards John, I found my way to where he was and grabbed the box of ornaments from him. I wasn't going to let him do all the work.

"I found a piano covered up. I'll show you." I turned around and started walking back towards the piano. John was a few feet behind me, carrying another box of ornaments. I stopped a few feet away from the piano and nodded at it.