It had been nearly three weeks since our old neighbors, Nora and Tony, a young couple, moved away. They had sold their house a few days before the departure and now the new neighbors, a typical family, were finally moving in. I hadn't cared much, but met them briefly as they loaded furniture out of a moving truck and into their new home.
There was a man and a woman. I hadn't caught their first names and two teenagers around my age. The girl had long brunette locks and they called her Ariel. Her brother was a bleached blonde, with short spiked hair and he introduced himself as Len. Short for Leonard, I assumed. My dad had been over to their house every day since they moved in, helping them unload and sometimes even staying for dinner, which I found odd. I hadn't much time to poke my nose in the business of my parents though, so I didn't think too much into it.
I watched Ariel from my window as she went about sketching pictures of some sort. She dressed like every other fifteen-year old girl, but kept mostly to herself. I considered going outside to talk to her, but didn't want to intrude.
"Your father is always with those damned neighbors!" My mom screamed with aggravation from the other room.
"What do you mean?" I asked curiously.
"He's missed dinner three nights in a row and he's yet to fix the leaky faucet in the bathroom... I'm sure the Harrisons, or Hendersons…"
"Harrimans," I interrupted.
"Yeah, Harrimans," she continued. "They're very nice, but your dad also has an obligation to this family! It’s not like the Harrimans are incapable of handling anything themselves."
"Breathe, Mom!" I smiled.
"I'm sorry, sweetie," she frowned. "I didn't mean to lose it, I'm just… I want the sink fixed... and I'm tired of his supper going to waste."
She hugged me apologetically and that was the end of it.
The next day, I jumped out of the school bus and headed home. As I turned down our street, I could see that my dad was once again with the Harrimans. This time he was sitting on the porch sipping at a can of beer. I could care less the brand. He doesn't even drink! I rolled my eyes and hurried into the kitchen where my mom was frantically frying chicken breasts and grunting with frustration.
"He's invited them over for dinner now. It’s like they're a new addition to our family or something! This is the first AND last time that I will prepare a meal for seven at such short notice!"
I smiled, hoping that she wouldn't notice my sneaking away. I dropped my backpack on the floor of my bedroom and took a seat by the window again. Ariel sat sketching again as Len tossed pebbles into the road, bored.
"I just don't understand them." My mom's voice sounded from behind me. "It’s like… They're strange. Your dad has changed in these past few days. He told me 'If I can't dine with the Harrimans than the Harrimans will dine with us.’”
Usually my dad was an understanding man and even I knew it was out of character for him to invite anybody... an entire family, nonetheless, over for dinner without talking to my mom about it first.
That evening, the Harrimans joined us as planned. Ariel and Len sat silently while their parents rambled on about the downfall of mortals, or some other weird thing. They weren't the type of people that would attract my dad, yet he seemed fascinated every time they'd open their mouths to speak another sentence. My mom picked at her dinner and seemed bored. At the end of the night, Mr. and Mrs. Harriman kindly exited, but Ariel and Len left without a word.
"Don't mind them, dear." My dad smiled towards my mom. "They never say a word."
I didn't wait for the Harrimans to leave before I made a rude departure as well.
"Excuse you!" My dad called to me as I continued up the steps and to my room.
"Freaks," I said loudly, trying to understand their family.
I lay down on my bed and thought about my dad's changes in behavior, and drifted off to sleep.
I woke up in the morning. It was finally the weekend, dad and I would be heading out to the library as we usually did on Saturdays. He didn't speak a word the entire way and we separated as we entered the building. I hurried up the stairs and to a magazine rack on the second level where they kept different teen issues dating all the way back to the late seventies. I enjoyed reading them and seeing the change of trends.
I picked out three, then rushed back down the stairs. My dad was still looking at books. That's when I noticed Ariel sitting alone in the corner, pencil and sketchbook in hand.
"Hey Ariel!" I smiled.
She looked up at me, then continued with her work.
"I see you with that thing every day. What exactly are you drawing?"
"The truth," she answered.
I glanced at the picture. Three grave-like mounds of dirt with a brick wall behind them covered the previously white sheet of paper.
"What truth?" I asked, pulling up a chair.
"It shouldn't happen, but it will." She had tears in her eyes.
"Don't cry." I hoped to comfort her.
"Almost everybody has to die.... Your dad," she pointed.
"What about him?" I asked, concerned.
"He's checking out," she smiled.
"Oh, thank you for telling me..." I stood up and hurried through the check-out line. He wasn't even going to tell me that he was leaving!
The ride home was awkward and tension-filled. More so than earlier.
"Dad..." I started. "You've been acting weird... You want nothing to do with us anymore."
We sat in a moment of silence.
"It makes everything easier," my dad finally spoke.
"Makes what easier?" I sounded nervous.
"The less you know, the better my chances." He pulled over. "I'm not sorry for any of this." He turned to me.
"What?" I unbuckled my seat belt.
My dad wrapped a fat, sweaty palm around my neck and squeezed. He tried to pull me closer.
"D-dad. What are you doing?"
I pulled away. He reached out to me again, but I swung open the car door and bolted. I headed towards home.
Three blocks passed and there was still no sign of my dad's car stalking me. Finally, I reached home and ran inside.
"Mom, please help me! It’s dad!"
She stood up quickly and rushed over. "What's wrong baby? Did he hurt you?"
"How did you know?" I cried.
"He… He hit me earlier."
Tears began to stream down her face. His car pulled into the driveway.
"Go to the Harrimans! Jump the fence and sneak through their backyard." She shoved me towards the arcadia door.
"The Harrimans? Call the police!"
"They came over earlier concerned about your father. I'll call, now go!"
I did as she instructed and jumped the fence into the Harrimans’ backyard. My dad's voice sounded from the other side, calling my name. I hurried, trying to keep my footsteps quiet. I tapped on the nearest window, soon to realize that Len was sitting on his bed reading a comic book.
"Len!" I whispered, frantic.
He jumped up and opened the window. "What's wrong?" he whispered.
"It’s my dad. Tell your parents. Please, get help!"
He nodded and ran out of the room. Before long, Mr. Harriman motioned for me to come inside. I did so.
"You don't belong here." He grabbed my arm. "You've got to go home."
He pulled me out of his house and to the doorstep of my own.
"You don't understand! Please!" I screamed, fighting to slip out of his grip. He knocked on the door, and it swung open. Standing in the doorway was my infuriated father.
"Take her to the room in the back and lock the door." Mr. Harriman tightened his grip and dragged me to the room. I wouldn't go in without a fight. I fell to the floor as he released me, and with the click of a key, I was locked in.
"I tried to kill her, but forgot to lock the car door." my dad's voice boomed.
"Can we afford to make a mistake like that? Do you know what would happen if she went to the police?" Mr. Harriman was unsympathetic.
"I knew she would run if I just let him in," a woman spoke. No, my mom! "I sent her to you, because she trusts me. Otherwise, she would have gotten away. I just know it."
My heart raced.
"To be one of us, you kill the child."
"And we will!" my mom argued.
"Only the strong can be a part of our race. If you don't kill her, then you will never be welcome with us."
I didn't sit to hear anymore. I opened the window and kicked the screen until it fell off. I jumped out and started to run, without hesitation of any sort. I turned the corner, where we kept our garbage cans and my dad's tool shelf, and despite my disbelief, there lay the graves from Ariel's picture.
Only, the holes were freshly dug and shallow. I turned to run the other way, but changed my mind at the last second. I stood staring into the graves. I could hear footsteps nearing, but remained frozen. To my left was the tool shelf, I grabbed the nearest tool -- a screwdriver.
"I can work with this." I thought and swung around.
My dad grew closer, I jolted forward and shoved it into his stomach. I pulled it out, then stabbed him several more times.
"I'm so sorry, Daddy." I WAS sorry, but shed no tears.
My mom turned the corner. "Oh my god! Baby, are you okay?" She wrapped her arms around me, and I shoved the screwdriver into her back. She fell to the ground in pain, hitting her head a good one in the landing. I started to panic. I rolled their bodies into the graves, one at a time and filled the graves with dirt, collapsing against the wall afterwards. I buried my face in my hands, before remembering that the Harrimans would soon be looking to kill me.
I slowly looked up, but it was already too late. There stood Len before me, wearing a long black cloak and holding a silly staff in hand.
"You were listening... and you know that only the strongest can ever be one of us."
I jumped to the side falling into the only unoccupied grave.
"You have a choice," he smiled, his face seemingly colder than ever before. "You want to be immortal, and you are superior. You've proven yourself. Join us." He pointed the staff to me. "Your destiny lies in your own hands. Take it."
I slowly balanced back onto my feet and reached out for it. Len pulled me out of the hole, then began kicking the dirt back in until it was filled. He took my hand and all emotion seemed to fade from my body. He put his other hand on my face and stared into my eyes.
"Then there is one less a grave consuming space on this day."
* * *
Chapter 5: The White Room