The sharp lightening ripped across the sky, causing Emma Hoover to flinch and lean into her brother, Dean, as she watched the impending storm out of the large bay window. Dean shrugged her off and scoffed at the fear on her face from the simple storm. They stood on the bottom step of the staircase watching their mother as she dashed back and forth between the living room and the kitchen, mumbling things to herself and digging through her purse as she did so.
"I know I have my phone here some-" She stopped mid step and spun around to face her children. "You know what, we don't have to go out tonight. It's Halloween for god sake!"
"Yes we do. We live so far away from civilization that there is absolutely no way we'll get any trick-or-treaters." Their father joked, rubbing her shoulders lightly. "Dean here is fifteen years old, he can handle things for one night. I doubt Emma is going to be that much trouble."
"Hey!" Emma exclaimed as her brother burst out laughing . " I am not trouble, and I do not need a babysitter! Mom knows how responsible I am, the only reason she insists on making Dean stay here with me is because the neighbors would think leaving a thirteen year old unattended would be bad parenting."
Her parents both chuckled at her obvious sarcasm, her mother leaning forward to kiss her on her forehead. "Yes, I think you are one of the most responsible people I know, even more so than your brother." She whispered the last part, earning a giggle from her daughter, before raising her voice again and leaning back. "But I just dont think we should go out tonight."
"Honey, it'll be fine. I've made sure everything will go smoothly." Their dad nodded and gave their mother a pointed look that made Emma frown to herself at not understanding the point of it.
Dean seemed to have either not seen or not been fazed by it as he rolled his eyes and sighed. "Yeah mom, i've been alive for fifteen years and you have never once left us alone here."
"You're right." She sighed after a short pause. "Okay, come on, before I change my mind."
"Have fun you guys." Dean smiled, accepting a crisp twenty- dollar bill from his father who claimed it was pizza money.
"Thank you sweetheart. We're going to go straight to the office party and then come home, we shouldn't be longer that a few hours. I'll keep my phone on vibrate the entire time, and I left all the numbers on the fridge."
"Okay mom, got it." The siblings stood in the doorway watching their parents run to the car as the rain began to pour down. "Well, Happy Halloween kid." Dean started once the car was out of the driveway and was a safe distance away. "I'll be back about twenty minutes before they will be. Have a good night."
"Wait, what?" Emma cried. "You can't leave, your promised mom and dad you would watch me- er- I mean, stay here."
"What's the matter Mrs. Responsibility? I thought you could handle things even better than I, " He made a dramatic hand gesture in the air in front of her face. "Myself, could. By the way, why didn't you just go trick-or-treating with your friends? If you had we could've avoided this conversation."
"Because, i'm too old to go." Emma raised her head and jutted her chin out, earning a scoff from her brother.
"You're not- okay, sure, whatever. Why not invite a friend over here?" He leaned impatiently against the door frame and tapped his fingers on his black skinny jeans, glancing at the road periodically.
"Apparently im the only one my age who's mature, and it's too late now, nobody's going to drive them here this late."
"Its eight thirty." Dean rolled his eyes and stood up abruptly.
YOU ARE READING
creepshow (wattys2018)
TerrorHe's watching me. That's all he ever does. He stands on the other side of the glass and stares at me. He brings his friends and they join him in the pointing. They tap their fingers against the glass at me, the noise filling my ears, causing my worl...
