A Place So Wicked by Patrick Reuman (life books to read txt) 📕

she imagined it, the two of them walking down an aisle, her in a lavish white dress, him, her handsome oldest son, in a black, stunning tux. It was silly, obviously, given that they had just met, but as a mother, she couldn’t help but think ahead.

Paisley had left as well. She wasn’t sure where her daughter had gone, but she just barely saw her as she’d walked out the door. It was probably for the best. She and Richard had things to do anyway, taking Trevor to the doctor being the primary one, and she knew Paisley probably wouldn’t want to accompany them there. It was good for them to get out of the house at times, especially now, and maybe make some new friends. She knew how hard to was to meet new people, recalling the multiple times she had to move to a new school as a child. It already felt like they had been there forever, though.

She was excited to get out as well, even if only to go to the doctor’s. She wasn’t sure if it was all in her head, but she was almost certain the smell from the basement was beginning to leak out into the rest of the house. She couldn’t imagine what it would be like to go down there now, but she was sure she would find out through Richard and Robbie when they got home and went down there again.

She was so relieved at the doctor’s kindness on the telephone. She knew before even calling that she must have been nuts to hope a doctor would see them on such short notice, but she had to try. She recalled the last time she had made an appointment before they moved. The doctor had told her the nearest date that she could get them in had been three months in the future. She hadn’t expected anything different here, especially given that the doctors in the area weren’t her primary and none of them knew her.

But to her surprise, the doctor, Dr. Ricketson, agreed to see them. This would save them a stressful, and likely expensive, visit to the ER. Initially, he hadn’t agreed, telling her he had no openings for patients or available dates in the near future. He told her all about how over-scheduled they were and how it would likely be months before they would be able to get them in. Until she let it slip that they were new in town and didn’t have a doctor set up yet. She was amazed at how hospitable the people here were. He even asked where in town she had moved and knew the street. The doctor had explained how he too, had moved to Black Falls years back and how kind and welcoming everybody had been and he just wanted to return the favor.

They were scheduled to go see the doctor that morning, in less than an hour. She wanted to let Trevor get as much sleep as he could get before they left. She had heard him moaning and groaning the night before, all the way from her bedroom. She recalled waking up to the sound, but before she could get up and check on him, it disappeared. She figured he had fallen back to sleep. And if he was up late in pain, she wanted him to get what sleep he could now.

She heard a noise by the front door and turned. She stood and waited, expecting Paisley or Toby to come walking in. But nobody came. That was strange, she thought, as she walked over to the door. It was silent now, even as she took a quick peek through the peep hole. There was nobody outside, but she thought she saw something outside the door. It was on the ground right outside the door, but she still couldn’t tell what it was.

She pulled open the door and laid her eyes on what appeared to be a casserole of some sort. It was in a long glass dish with layers of transparent wrapping over the top. But there was nobody there accompanying it. She stepped over it and walked briskly to the edge of the driveway. Up the road, she saw a car reach the end of the street, its blinker turn on, and then she watched as it rounded the corner out of sight.

She sighed and turned around. That was the third time people had left food by their door but didn’t stop by to say hello. It was a free-food drive by. Not only did she find it a bit rude, but she thought it was equally as strange. They hadn’t eaten any of the food left behind because she had no idea how long any of it had been sitting out there. This was the first time she had gotten to the door right after the food was left there.

She wasn’t sure she would keep this meal either, she thought, as she bent to pick up the dish. God only knew what these people may have put in it. Poison, maybe. She couldn’t know. She knew it was a wicked thought, but how could she possibly trust people who randomly showed up, left food, then took off without a word?

Inside, she set the food on the counter and glanced at the time on her phone. It was finally time to wake up Trevor. If she waited much longer, they may end up late to the appointment. Then she had to go get Richard and Robbie, who were taking care of things out back. She could hear the lawnmower roaring at it cut down the grass in the backyard.

She walked up the stairs and turned into the hallway. Things were just so quiet in there, for the first time. It used to be so loud all the time when the kids were little, and no matter what she told herself, she missed those