The Uninvited by CJ Wells (best summer reads .txt) 📕

The Uninvited
By
CJ Wells

Dusk was slowly creeping over the typical, middle class, suburban neighborhood. A roll of two-story, cookie cutter houses arranged in a semi-circle on a large cul-de-sac. The houses sat close together on small lots with their backyards sharing six foot wooden fences. Most of the residents are young families fitting the scenario of the proverbial white picket fence, two point five children, and a pet or two. The early summer, Saturday night air was filled with the smell of newly cut grass and backyard barbecuing.

Joey and Katy, the Thomas twins, had spent the afternoon playing at the Stewart’s house two doors down. At nine years old, Daniel Stewart was one year older than his little sister, Patsy, and the twins. The boys had been playing soccer while the girls watched a movie in the basement playroom. Joey poked his head in the playroom.

“Come on Katy, it’s time to go home. Mom said not to be late for dinner.”

Joey added the last bit to stop the argument he knew Katy would make about not getting to see the end of the movie. She frowned, but slugged off the comfortable, overstuffed couch to head home with her brother.

#

Joey opened the front door calling, “We’re home.” Not getting a response, they bypassed the staircase and headed to the kitchen. The centrally located double staircase allowed access to the second floor from the entry or the kitchen. Just before entering the kitchen Joey turned around to see the front door standing wide open.

“Katy, you didn’t get the door shut, again.”

Katy could hear her dad’s repeated reprimand ringing in her ears, “Katy, we cannot afford to cool the entire neighborhood,” as she retraced her steps and closed the door hard.

She entered the kitchen to find Joey with a hand and mouth full of potato chips.

“Mom’s going to kill you, for ruining your dinner.” Katy said as she took three chips from Joey, popping one in her mouth with a sly smile.

Joey stopped in mid-chew and asks “Did you hear that?”

Just as Katy was about to say no, the sound of a deep, guttural growl echoed through the house.

Katy whispered, “Where did that come from?”

“Not sure.” Joey whispered as an ear piercing screech joined the now louder growling.
Joey grabbed Katy’s arm to pull her up the stairs, but before their feet left the first step they heard glass shattering and wood splintering. They both screamed for their parents as they raced up the stairs. When they reached the upstairs landing, without any response, Joey pulled Katy through their parent’s empty bedroom and into their walk-in closet. He slammed the slatted double doors shut, hoping to keep out whatever had invaded their home.

Katy let out a shriek and jumped sideways. “Joey, something brushed my leg.”

Joey didn’t turn around, but said, “It’s just clothes or shoes or something. Hand me one of dad’s belts.”

“Uh belt, what for?” Katy asks indignantly. She was scared to death and he wanted her to find a belt!

“Crap, Katy, just find me a belt!” Joey yelled as he reached one of his hands backwards while holding the doors shut with the other.

She grabbed the only belt she could find in the dark closet and shoved it in his hand. He slid it through the slats and secured it as best he could to anchor the door closed. Together they inched their way backwards until they felt the wall at their backs. They Slid down the wall and huddled together. Their terror, widened eyes riveted on the slivers of pale light showing in between the slats of the door.

The guttural growl was getting closer and they could hear the unmistakable pat, pat, pat of something trotting up the stairs.

Katy thought her fear was close to unbearable before she saw the pale golden light change as the pile of clothes in front of her began to move. Her fingers dug into Joey’s arm as she pointed to the clothes. Neither of them could breathe as their hearts pounded in their chest.

A shadow fell across the closet door as devilish howls blared from both sides.

Joey and Katy’s eyes were frozen on the shifting pile of clothes when suddenly a long, white, furry tail sprang out.

Joey’s eyes narrowed as he took a closer look at the beast on the other side of the closet door and burst out laughing. Startled, Katy looked at him, trying to wrap her mind around the craziness inside and outside this closet. She finally got out “What is wrong with you?”

Joey stopped laughing, but with a big grin he said, “Katy, forget how scared you are and look closer at the door and at the wiggling clothes. We have just been scared out of our wits by a cat fight! A stray cat must have come in the house when the door was left open and started a fight with our cat, Snugs. That’s who was making all the noise and breaking stuff in the living-room. Snugs must have dashed up the front stairs and into the closet with us.”

At the same time the twins figured out what had happened, their parents returned from the neighbors. They walked through the door and came face to face with a large orange cat slinking down their stairs.

The uninvited guest was swiftly dispatched out the door and Snugs thoroughly checked for any damage. The living room was cleared of the large broken vase and its small wooden stand, before the family sat down for dinner, all having a good laugh about the unexpected adventure.

Text: CJ wells
Publication Date: 02-15-2013

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