Chapter-8

I Kept thinking about it the whole time inside the auditorium, I could hear the kids singing on the stage they were dressed as bees, honey and trees, Brad was dressed up as a bee and was in the front row, the audience were mostly parents and it was a little bit awkward being the only kid, Some parents were looking at me and whispering to themselves, I wanted to say something to them but I didn't, the kids were singing for a very long time it almost felt like forever and the parents were all clapping and making so much noises, I didn't know what was so good about the song, the kids were all singing very bad and all I could think about was the story Silas had told, it was a little bit hard for me to believe him but the thought that all the things happening made it seem real, I wonder what happened to the little girl Emily and her brother did they die and if they were really living in our house, will the same thing happen to me as well, thinking about this gave me chills. The parents suddenly started to clap all together, the kids were finally finished with their song, I too joined them and started to clap, I saw Brad jumping up and down as he went back to the backstage, after the curtains were closed, a lady came out from the curtains she said something about the kids and the Bees and every one began to laugh, the lady was thin and she had a very sharp cheek bone rubbed with red blush, it seemed as if she were looking at me as she said all those words which I cannot hear properly, the parents on the auditorium continued to laugh, every single one of them were laughing, I didn't get it what was so funny about it and where did all the kids disappear? The parents wouldn't stop laughing in fact some of them were looking all tried from laughing but they still kept on laughing.

"How about we all give a round of applause." The lady said raising her hands in the air, all the parents stood up at once and Started to clap even more, all the noises of Clapping and laughing made my ears to bleed. I quietly stood up from my chair and tried to sneak out of the room, but my legs were so heavy it took almost forever to reach the door, I finally got out of the door and Brad was standing in front of me he looked like a girl.

"Brad what are you doing here?" I said grabbing him by his shoulder, "are you done, can we go home?"

"Let's play Pokémon." He said.

"What the heck are you saying Brad, let's go home."

I hold his hand and started making my way towards the exit door but as I opened it there was another room and it was filled with lots of people walking around, they all stopped and stared at me, hundreds of eyes looking at me. I stood there frozen in fear, I didn't know what to do, all the people kept their stare at me and would not look away, I quickly went back inside the school

"What is happening?"

The exit door slowly opened and an old woman came out,

"who are you?" I said

She just stood there, her face was all wrinkled and her lips were matted red she slowly approached towards me, grabbed my hand and said, " To be or not to be."

I quickly pushed her away and ran towards the nearest door I could find,

"Brad quick!" I said and Brad quickly went inside, I locked the door and pulled out my cell phone and punched mom's number, it took a while for her to pick up but she finally did.

"Mom!!" I cried, "Where are you?"

"Brooke? What happened." She replied, her voice cracked over the phone.

"Mom I don't know what's going on but everyone here is acting so weird."

"...."

"Hello!? Mom?" The phone remained silent for awhile before it started making cracking noises..

"Brooke! Where is Brad" mom said

I looked over at Brad, he was standing beside the door.

"Brad, what are you doing?" I said, " come here, don't stand there." He slowly turned towards me and just stood there staring at me.

"Brad? What's wrong come here."

"Brooke! Where is Brad?"

My heart started to beat very fast and I began to feel dizzy, Brad was just staring at me.

"I don't know mom." I replied, "he's just staring at me."

"What do you mean, you are suppose to take care of each other-"

"Mom, Iam scared!!"

"...…."

The phone suddenly started to crack

"Tejnwnsjwjk"

"Mom? Hello? Mom!?"

The phone signal was gone, I could not hear anything from the phone, I tried switching off the phone and turning it on but the signal was still not there, I sat there on the floor hugging myself with Brad just looking at me.

"Brad.." I called him out but he didn't move, I got up on my feet and tried to walk towards him but stopped when I saw the same old woman across the window….

"Hey! Sweetheart."

I slowly opened my eyes, my vision was all blurry I couldn't see clearly but next to me was a lady and she was holding my hand and gently shaking me.

"Oh! Your awake now." She said, "the shows over, it's time to go home."

I quickly became fresh, the auditorium was almost empty and the curtains were closed, "oOo.. thank you so much." I said, the lady smiled at me and said, " did you come here alone."

"Yes," I replied, " my little brother was singing, so I came for him."

"Oh! That's so sweet, well then go on your little brother must be waiting for you then."

It was a hard day for me, having a nightmare inside the auditorium did not feel good, we took a taxi back home and Brad's bag was filled with candies he got for performing on the stage.

"Your not eating all of them." I said

"Then who is going to eat them if not me."

"Me"

The taxi stopped right in front of our house,

"Go on, get out," I said

Brad jumped down from the car and rushed towards the front door,

"Here, is that enough." I said as I handed cash to the taxi driver, he took it from my hand and was looking at our house,

"I didn't know you live here." He said

"Of course you wouldn't, we don't know each other." I replied

As I walked towards my house, I saw Silas coming towards me. "What do you want?" I said.

"Oh! Nothing" he replied

"Then bug off!"

He laughed at this, " wow don't be so rude." He said.

I ignored him and unlocked the front door,

"He likes you." Brad said.

I quickly slapped the top of Brad's head, " shut up! What If he heard."

"And what if I did." Silas said he was standing right next to me

"Why do you always come here." Brad said, Silas kneeled down before Brad and ruffled his hair, "to see your sister of course, can I have her?"

I quickly pushed Brad inside the house before he could say anything,

"GO HOME!" I said to Silas before shutting the door on his face.

I wanted to strangle both Silas and Brad.

"Brad don't you dare say anything to Silas, you understand!"

"No!" He replied, " Iam hungry can I have the candy."

"No! You can't have them Iam going to make some snacks and your going to only eat them."

"But you can't even cook!?"

It was already noon and I was trying to make donuts, Brad was up in his room so it was quite and peaceful alone in the kitchen but the thought about the nightmare I had was still haunting me.

I measured the flour and added it into a bowl, beat two eggs and added a scoop of baking powder, I really don't know how to bake so I was following the cook book that I found while arranging the bookshelf, it said to add half cup of flour and two eggs, then a tablespoon of baking powder and I didn't know what tablespoon meant so I just added a scoop of baking powder then I began to read the following ingredients:

1,Flour

2,Egg

3, Baking powder

4,Yeast

5,Sugar

6,Butter

7, Vanilla extract

8,Nutmeg

9,Milk

I paused for a minute, I didn't know what most of the ingredients were, what the heck is a yeast? And vanilla extract? Is it some kind of sauce. I opened the fridge and rummaged through it hoping if at least there were those things written in a bottle but our fridge was almost empty and the only sauce available was oyster sauce and tomato sauce. Do we add oyster sauce while making donuts? Whatever, I started to add all the ingredients into the bowl; the milk, butter, sugar,

Oyster sauce I didn't know what a yeast is so I skipped it then I added some random nuts because nutmeg must mean some nuts. I added all the milk and it turned into a batter, I was stirring it when I noticed in the cook book that we have to prepare a dough, "I've ruined it" I said

"I just have to eat Brad's candy for snacks."

I was about to throw away the batter when something struck my mind, ' I could make pancakes' I thought, yeah that's it I'll make pancakes, I kept the batter aside then took a frying pan and placed it in the stove and turned on the knob but no spark or fire appeared, I tried again but it was still the same, I turned on the knob again and again but it won't give out a spark.

Did the gas run out? I thought for a second but I could hear the hissing sound of the gas coming out from the stove, I pushed the knob and tried turning on again but the fire wouldn't come out.

"Stupid stove." I said and started to slap the stove, the stove not working made my blood to boil.

I stopped for sometime took a deep breath and slowly turned on the knob.

'Poof!'

The fire came out, "Finally!!" I shouted, I placed the frying pan on the stove and was able to make the pancakes, it took a while for me to finish making it, though it turned out better than I expected the appearance at least, I took a small bite of it and it was pretty bland.

"I better add some syrup." It was quite good to be honest, I don't usually make dessert, so that's a plus point for me, I placed the pancakes on the table I was already hungry.

"Brad! Come down and have some pancakes."

I started to eat without waiting for him and have already finished a piece.

"Brad come down fast or else Iam finishing everything."

The pancakes were soft and it taste better with the syrup, it was taking a long time for Brad to come down, so I stood up and went upstairs

"Brad what are you doing didn't you hear me?"

As I reached the corridor I could hear his voice talking with someone else, his door was slightly open and there was a soccer ball lying outside his room, I picked up the soccer ball and slowly opened his door.

"Brad who are you talking to-"

I froze when I saw what I shouldn't have seen.

Brad was sitting in front of the mirror he quickly turned his head around when he heard the door opening, "Brooke, Robbie's here." He said, even though he moved his head his reflection did not move, it was looking at me, my heart started to beat very fast and my body started to shake.

"Brooke, come and talk with Robbie didn't you say you wanted to talk with him." Brad said as he stood up and walked towards me, but his reflection stayed stilled without moving and just staring at me.

I slowly stretched out my arms and grabbed Brad,

" Brad" I said my voice was quavering in fear, " come here.."

"But Brooke."

"Come fast!" I yelled and pulled him away, Brad's reflection was still there staring at me, I tighten my grip on the soccer ball that I was holding and raised my arms slowly in the air then I screamed.

"Stop! Staring at me." and without a second thought I flung the ball straight to the mirror smashing it into pieces then I ran down the stairs dragging Brad along with me, I ran as fast as I could, Brad was saying something but I didn't hear him all I kept thinking was to get out of here as fast as I can, the house felt as if it were moving because I was running so fast, my head began to feel dizzy as I was reaching the front door, I don't know if it was because I was feeling dizzy or because I was running very fast but I think I saw a woman up on the ceiling while I was passing the corridor. After getting out of the house I ran directly to Mrs. Rose house, I didn't know why but I just did and Started to knock at the door.

Silas opened the door at once and without second thoughts I just entered their house along with Brad and shut the door.