Harry was having a difficult time concentrating on writing his novel with all the noise going on next door. He thought renting one side of a duplex would be more quiet than an apartment in a complex. At least he only had one neighbor to put up with. These neighbors made more noise than a firing squad.
He sipped his latte and stared off into the horizon hoping for some quiet. He thought living next door to a dentist would be quiet too, but he was wrong. This particular dentist, who owned the building, had three teenagers and they weren't the type of kids to sit in the basement playing video games. Rainbow was always practicing her cheers and fighting with her athletic brothers, Cactus and Palm. Everyone made fun of poor Palm. He liked basketball.
Harry's horror novel was coming along nicely, but he as at a crucial part of the story where he felt he needed to channel his inner Bram Stoker to continue, which was difficult with all the noise on the other side of the wall. Just when he thought a glimmer of an idea was growing close, an explosion shook the entire house, knocking Harry's framed Nosferatu poster to the floor.
Fear for his safety and anger toward his inconsiderate neighbors sent his heart racing and pounding s though it would burst out of his chest. Smelling something burning, he went to the kitchen to check on the beets he was boiling for dinner, but they were fine. The burning smell must be coming from whatever exploded next door.
Peeking out the curtains, he didn't see anything out of the ordinary at first until he looked out the front window where the smell became stronger and the sound of his neighbors hollering became clear. They were yelling about emergencies and calling 911.
Running outside, he found Rainbow, Cactus and Palm on their front steps soaking wet. When they saw Harry, Rainbow apologized for the noise.
"Where is your father?" Harry asked, guessing he either wasn't home or the explosion killed him.
"He's in Vegas with his girlfriend."
"He left you home alone?" Harry was surprised and alarmed knowing what troublemakers they were.
"We're adults," Palm said defensively.
"Really?" Harry challenged, "then what was that explosion and why are firetrucks turning onto our road?"
"What!" Palm whirled around to find that what Harry said was true and a look of alarm and panic showed on all three wet faces.
"I told you someone would call 911," Rainbow yelled at cactus.
"Was it you?" Cactus angrily accused Harry.
"Why would that anger you?" Harry asked. "Are you hiding from the law? Why didn't you call 911? That burning smell is obviously coming from your house."
"It's under control," Rainbow said. "We don't need any emergencey people here."
This made Harry very suspicious, not to mention curious. By now the police were there and approaching the house. Two fire trucks were at the curb waiting for the police to inform them of the situation.
"Someone put in a call about an explosion coming from this house," The officer spoke to harry.
"The explosion came from their side of the duplex, Officer," Harry explained. "I live on the other side."
"You kids OK?" the officer addressed them noticing their wet, nervous appearance. "Mind if I take a look inside? Nothing seems to be burning now."
"Yes, " Rainbow answered sullenly. "Come on in."
Palm and Cactus went in first while Rainbow stayed with the policeman as he inspected the living room. Harry stood on the front porch straining to see inside. He wanted to know what was going on as much as the officer did. All was quiet for a few minutes and Harry considered going back to his apartment, when he heard some commotion inside and peered in through the screen door.
The commotion became louder with a lot of thumping and the kids yelling and calling to someone or something. Harry started to move away from the door but it was too late. A new explosion shook the porch under his feet and a burst of flames raced toward him, singeing his eyebrows through the screen door. Harry screamed and ran back to his apartment and slammed the door.
Two gun shots were fired and the kids all screamed in despair. Harry, his hands shaking, peered out from behind his curtains and saw the dragon that had blown flames at him stagger out into the front yard, smoke rising from its nostrils, and die on the front lawn. The firemen rushed toward it with their hoses as the officer put in a call to animal control.
"We were just trying to give her a bath," Rainbow sobbed. "You didn't have to kill her."
"Where did you get that thing?" The policeman asked.
"My dad found her in a Scottish loch. He thought she was a salamander," Palm cried.
"But she kept on growing," wailed Cactus.
Harry realized things would be a a lot more quiet from now on.
No comments:
Post a Comment