SWNOVELS Chapter The First Night
“What are you doing up at this time?” I say loudly, sitting up in the bed.
“What?” Rene muffles, lying down next to me.
“Rene! Rene! Wake up! There’s someone in the house” I shake him.
“Where?” He jumps out of bed and gets the baseball bat under the bed.
“I don’t know. I heard them walk in the hallway! I thought it was you” I say, scared.
“Okay stay here. I’m going to go check!” He says quietly, going slowly in the hallway.
“Don’t go!” I say.
“Shhhhh. Call the police” he says, leaving my sight.
I take my phone from the dresser and dial 911 right away. They pick up after the second ring.
“911, what’s your emergency?” The dispatcher says.
“There’s someone in my house” I whisper.
“What’s your address ma’am?” He asks.
“3340 wolfs street” I answer, bitting my nails.
“Okay, ma’am do you know how many people there are?” He asks. Typing on his keyboard.
“One! Omg!” I say as I see someone from the corner of my eye run into my room.
“Whats happening? The police should be there in any minutes” he says. I’m frozen in bed, terrified, with my eyes closed.
“The persons in my room” I cry. I hear the police sirens. I keep my eyes closed, I’m too scared to open them. What if the person has a gun pointed at me?
“Honey the police are here” Rene walks in the room. I open my eyes. No one here except for my husband.
“The police are there. They will search the house. Thank you for your patience ma’am” the dispatcher says, I totally forgot I was on the phone for a split second.
“Thank you” I hang up.
My husband comes hug me in bed. We hear the police coming in. We see the lights of their flashlights flash through our windows. This is so scary. This is the first time in 10 years that we’ve been living here that someone has broken in. Maybe they came for the painting. It would make sense that’s why it keeps getting auctioned off by the same people.
“Do you think someone from the auction send them here to get the painting?” I ask Rene.
“What?” He asks. Confused, like always. I swear this man never understands anything without an explanation.
“The auctioneer said they keep auctioning the painting. Maybe that’s how they make their money, they sell the painting and they rob it from the people's address and auction it again at their next location?” I explain.
“Make sense. I never thought of that! If that’s the case.. that’s pretty crazy” he says.
“Yeah” I say, thinking.
“I’m going to pass by in the morning to talk to the guy” he adds.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea” I express.
“No! I won’t cause them of anything. I just want to know how come the painting keeps coming back to them” he says. That makes more sense. We get interrupted by the two police officers.
“Hi Mr and Mrs Buck, we searched the whole premises and there is no one to be found” he informs us.
“Are you sure?” I ask, confused.
“Yes ma’am, everything is safe and sound” he adds.
“I’m not going crazy! There was someone in my house!” I say, frustrated.
“We’re not saying you’re crazy ma’am. Maybe they got scared when they heard the sirens so they fled the seen” he makes me feel better.
“Yeah” I take a deep breath.
“Thank you very much for your help” my husband shakes their hands.
Rene walks them out. I lay down in bed and think. Did they take anything? I get up. I go see in the guest rooms, nope nothing was token. I go downstairs; I look in the kitchen, nope nothing was token. I go into the living room, nothing again. I go in the dining room, and nothing. I look at my sweet boy and smile.
“How’s your night going?” I ask him. As if he was going to answer.
“Who are you talking to?” Rene startles me. I jump.
“No one! I wasn’t talking!” I answer quickly.
“I heard you Kathleen! I hope you’re not talking to a goddamn painting!” He says, aggressively.
“I was just kidding!” Is all I can say. What’s his problem?
“Your starting to freak me out with this painting…. Calling it ‘him’ and now talking to it…” he says, walking away.
“Stop it! I was only kidding I said!” I say, following him. Looking back at my sweet boy, giving him a sweet smile before leaving the dining room.
“This better stop because if this continues you’ll see how fast I’m going to throw it in the garbage! I don’t care ow much money I paid for it! Hell with it.. it was probably him walking around the house!” he laughs.
Was it? Could it have been? Maybe it was him! I feel a rush of excitement run through my body. Ohh my sweet boy wanted to come see me. I shake my head to take the thought out of my mind. What’s happening to me?
I close the light and get back into bed, ignoring Rene’s last comment. I cover myself and turn around, facing the opposite way from my husband. I don’t want to see him right now. I sigh. It’s a painting. It can’t be alive. That’s nonsense. I stare into the dark and I open my eyes bigger to try to make out what I see and lift my head up to see straight. That’s when I see… my sweet by standing in my door frame. I smile, put my head back down and close my eyes, falling asleep with happiness in my heart.