I gazed out the window of our dark blue SUV. I watched the Rednow sign pass by as we continued to drive at a steady pace. “Welcome to Rednow, enjoy your stay” it read. And there was a picture of a white rabbit waving. I raised my eyebrow at its pocket watch in its waistcoat pocket. I stuck my head out the window to get a better look at it, but by that time, it was gone.
“Is something wrong, sweetie?” my mom asked.
I sat back in my chair. “No. I just thought I…saw something…it’s nothing.”
~***~
My mom pulled up to a large beige house.
“Here it is.” My mother stated after a deep breath.
“Okay. Let’s go in.” I said after a moment of sitting in the car in silence. I pushed my door open and pulled my backpack along with me. I slammed the door shut and walked up to the door with my mom.
She unlocked the door and we stepped inside. I flipped the switch, but no light came on. I flipped it a couple more times, but nothing changed.
“Oh, well, it’s been a while since your grandmother was here.” My mom remarked.
“Great-great-great-gr-“
“Okay, I get it. You know what I mean.”
“Do you have a torch?” I asked, changing the subject.
“A TORCH? Why would I have a TORCH?”
“It’s what the British say instead of flashlight.”
“…Oh…yes, I think so. In the car.”
“Alright I’ll start taking in some boxes and you get the flashlight and let Dina out of her cage, she doesn’t like being in there very long.” I started to walk out but grabbed the doorframe and poked my head back in the house. “Oh, and she probably needs to pee, so give her a chance.” And after saying that, I walked down the steps and to the U-Haul attached to our car. I pulled the door up and grabbed a few medium-sized boxes and walked back to the house, trying to watch my feet, but also where I was going.
I put the boxes in the room just outside of the hallway from the front door. By the time I brought up the last boxes, it was nearly dark. I stepped out once more to close the door and check to see that the car was locked as well. I walked inside the house and shut the door. I heard thumping on the second floor, and black Schipperke came running down the stairs.
“Hello, Dinah!” I greeted my dog, petting her when she came up to me. I smiled down at Dinah as I pet her, until my mom came down the stairs holding her phone. “Is pizza okay, for dinner?”
“Yeah, that’s fine.” I assured her.
“Alright.” She walked back up to order the pizza.
***
While we waited for the pizza to be delivered to our house, I searched the boxes for lightbulbs. After about ten minutes of searching, I finally found a box that was unopened. I grabbed the flashlight and a footstool from one of the boxes. I put the lightbulbs in and flipped the switch. After so much darkness, it seemed really bright, although there were only two lightbulbs working.
Most of the other lights had lightbulbs already in them, so I only had to put in a few more.
***
We ate dinner and unpacked most of the boxes. At the end of the night, I settled in my sleeping bag in the corner of the room, facing the doorway. I had school the next day, and I was going to try and get a good night’s rest before then.
