Ring around the rosie
This evil thing it knows me
Lost ghosts surround me
I can't fall down
Most kids I knew lived in suburban houses with small green lawns, not old orphanages. Their mothers drove SUVs, not broken down Jeeps from thirty years ago. Their mothers dyed their hair natural colors to hide aging, they didn't dye their hair bright pinks and purples.
I stared up at the house while Sarah and mom got out of the car. It was an old house made of stone and it was surrounded by an old cast iron fence. Rundown and decrepit, weeds grew through the cracks in the cement and an iron sign sat in the yard with rust bleeding from the letters, New Hope Orphanage. The few trees in the yard were barren with piles of leaves surrounding the bases. Coming out from behind the house was an old man with an scowl permanently etched into his face. He glared at me as he began raking up the leaves. I glanced at the window again and I could've sworn I saw one of the curtains move.
"Nicky, help your sister take those boxes to her room." Mom said, tying her hair in a bun. Groaning, I tugged off my hoodie and picked up a box of books. I trailed after her as she went room to room, trying to pick which room would be hers. After over five minutes of her going through each room multiple times, I dropped the box in the one she was currently
in. She began grumbling as I walked away and I could feel her staring daggers into my back.
Mom and I carried the rest of the boxes in while Sarah organized her room. The sun was setting so mom suggested we worry about unpacking everything tomorrow. She pulled out her phone and ordered takeout and then set Sarah and I to work unpacking air mattresses, blankets, and pillows. We finished right before the doorbell rang and Sarah rushed past me to be the first to eat.
We ate at the dining room table that had been left along with the furniture in the living room. Dinner at was quiet except for the sounds of slurping from Sarah and the occasional comment from mom about how beautiful the house was or how lucky we were great-aunt Margie included us in her will. We even had a groundskeeper to help us! Sarah and I locked eyes and exchanged a look; great-aunt Margie had been a strict old woman with a bad temper, she never liked us. Mom had made us visit her for as long as I could remember and no one thought she would actually die. We weren't even sure how old she was until she had died and her obituary said she'd been a whopping 104 years old.
Afterward dinner, I excused myself to my room, which was mostly empty except for boxes stacked against the walls. I dug through a box and pulled out a thick book and curled up on the air mattress. A light knock on the door made me look up and Sarah stood in the doorway, holding a box.
"Nicky, could you fix my music box?" She asked, holding it out to me.
"Sure, set it on the desk." She gently placed it on the desk and left, closing the door behind her. I settled back under the blanket, reading my book again and was soon engrossed in it. Before I knew it, my eyes slipped close and I fell asleep with the book on my chest.
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A/N: I found this in my notes from a few years ago so I apologize for any grammatical errors😓 Quick question: do you like 'Lurking in the Shadows' or 'Something Watches' for the title?
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Lurking in the Shadows
ParanormalNew Hope Orphanage. It was supposed to be a safe place for children waiting for a family to love them. They were entrusted in the care of the matrons, older women who were expected to care for them and love them. What happened instead was horrifying...
