G.U.A.R.D. Book #2: Aberrations

-3-

    After a terrible, long night of turning and tossing on my mattress worrying about my sister, thinking about what I would say to the parents if they found her missing, and doubting if I had actually seen Lee Slade, or if it was just some weird hallucination, I finally fell asleep in the early morning. The others didn't wake me up when they took a very tired Winter back to the hospital to get her checked out. I guessed Max explained that I couldn't sleep during the night. I honestly didn't mind. My brain felt too clogged to wake up before noon.

Breakfast was cereal—as usual—and as I downed the last of the milk, I thought about what Lee said. Hey, even if he wasn't real, and just a pigment of my imagination, it was still better to be prepared. Besides... Ally's the one that the imagination. But me? I prefer to stay on Earth.

If I was assuming he was telling the truth, Slade had roughly said the boxes in the basement of my house explained everything he was saying—or, more, it proved that what he was saying was true. Could I really just trust him with that though? He could've easily planted something in them, something that would bring me onto his side.

But... I never thought to look in the boxes. I got the Christmas decorations from the basement every year, but there were other boxes down there. We stored winter clothes in there, and a few Thanksgiving decorations, but there were more than necessary. I never thought about it. I mean, but really, boxes? Why would they keep the incriminating stuff in physical form? Why not put it on a computer, where it could be password-locked?

My curiosity got the better of me. I tried to reveal the big secret for too many times; if this was the key, then I was going to take the chance.

Putting my bowl in the sink, I went back to Max's bedroom, pulling on a light green T-shirt, and slipping my phone in my basketball shorts. I debated on taking my backpack, but decided I probably wouldn't need anything in it. So I yanked on my tennis shoes and walked out the house, making sure to lock it behind me with the key that was on the same keychain as the one to the basement. Trying to look inconspicuous, I crossed the street and glanced at my house, where two police officers were stationed on either side of the door. They barely acknowledged me, probably not realizing I lived there—but I obviously didn't mind.

So how to get in? It plainly wasn't up for grabs. Turning the corner in the sidewalk, I speedily walked to next house's fenced backyard, glancing from left to right, I made sure no one was around. Hopefully Miss Sanderson wasn't home.

Taking a few steps back, I ran forward and leapt up the wooden structure, jumping off the top and landing on the grass. Getting down, I crept quickly across the ground, and made it to the fence that separated the Light household from this one. I scaled the new barrier like the previous one, and jumped down on the dirt. Wincing at the sound, I dived to the back of the house just in case one of the officers heard it. I tried to still my breath as I waited a few painful moments. Then I glanced around the corner and decided it was safe. I kept my back to the wall and crept along the yard. So far, so good.

The basement door was on the side of the house, elevated a few feet from the ground, with the doors closed and padlocked. I ducked behind it went through my pockets hurriedly before finally coming out with the keys. Sneaking a glance above the doors, I saw no one was in the area. Without thinking further, I stood up and quickly leaned down to the lock, fitting the key in and turning. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up, and on instinct, I dived back behind the door, grasping the key with wide eyes and fast-beating heart. A police officer poked his head around the corner of the house, and I stayed put in the same position as he walked up.

"What the-?" he asked himself. Then he leaned down and put the padlock back into its locked place. The man took a quick glance around again, then walked back to his station at the front of the house. Sighing in annoyance, I got back up and undid the lock again, slipping both it and the key in my pocket. I made sure no one else was watching as I opened the doors wide open, stepping inside and closing them again.