IT31 || 31 days of IT

4- Black Sheep

Mike sighed heavily as he continued pedaling along toward his farmhouse. His hands barely rested on the handlebar as he let his mind wander. Leaves were changing due to the seasons ending and beginning. The crunch of the fallen leaves under his wheels felt as pleasing as therapy. Maybe even better than therapy.

He slowed his bike to a stop at the very end of his driveway. The driveway was almost long enough to be considered a road. With the endless amount of yards for their farm, and their farmhouse being a few yards in, the driveway felt never-ending. 

....Crunch...

Mike turned his head toward the sound and inspected the area. His eyebrows lowered and his face scrunched with confusion when a single soul couldn't be found. 

"Hello?" Mike muttered. "hm.." he added after a few seconds of silence. He lifted his foot from the ground and placed it on the pedal of his bike. Just as he went to kick off with his other foot, he heard it again.

...Crunch!...

Mike turned his head again but to find nothing. "Seriously, who's there?" he called out. Only silence filed the area. Mike groaned gently at his own paranoid mind and finally kicked off to ride his bike up the driveway. 

Once he was finally at his house, he leaned his bike carefully up against the side and walked toward the front door. "I'm home!" he called out as he opened then shut the door once he was inside. He listened for a few minutes before coming to the conclusion his family was out to town or working on the farm. He walked to the kitchen and made himself a quick snack before he had to start his afterschool chores. 

Time passed and Mike was almost done his chores. Just as he was closing up the shed that the tools were kept in, he could hear rustling in the bushes. Mike's jaw tensed and he looked out into the brush. The sun showed nothing and the shadows hid everything. He sighed heavily and turned toward the house. 

He walked up onto the back porch, wiped his hands on his dirty overalls, then walked inside. The floor creaked under his feet and the door did the same as he closed it. A gentle hum erupted from Mike's throat and he nodded his head slowly to his own melody. He walked in to the living room and toward the stairs. 

A creak from the ceiling caused him to stop just as his foot rested on the bottom stair. He looked up at the ceiling and listened closer. Light footsteps crossed the floor. Mike slowly walked up the stairs and leaned around each corner to get a look first. 

"Granddad?" He called out. There was no response. Mike stopped at the top of the stairs and looked around. He slowly walked to each room and checked inside. After a thorough check and nothing to be found, he let his mind be at ease. "I really need a shower and some sleep" he sighed to himself.

He walked to his room and closed his bedroom door lightly. He made his way to his closet and picked out a pair of sweatpants and a baggy white t-shirt. He then walked to the bathroom and got the water ready. He set the folded towels on the counter that he'd use to dry off. He then got undressed and got in the shower.

He was quick in the shower. He grabbed his towels from the hook on the wall and dried off. He then got dressed and tossed his dirty clothes in the hamper. He walked out of the bathroom and to his bedroom. He entered it just as the phone started to ring. 

He walked over to it and picked it up.

"Hello? Hanlon residence" he spoke sweetly into the phone. All he got in return was heavy breathing. He slowly raised an eyebrow. "Hello?" he repeated. But nothing. Just the heavy breathing. He rolled his eyes and hung up. "I swear if that was Richie" he mumbled to the air.