Chapter 1: New Neighbor

Music from the radio filled inside the car, tall trees aligned along the road. Rolled my eyes, Dad and Mom don't have a good taste in music. A sudden notification alarmed my phone, I pulled it out. It was a message.

"Can't wait to see you, lilyyy!"

It's my childhood best friend, Ivy Inri. I smiled and stared at the message, couldn't think of a reply. I plugged my earphone and scroll to my playlist and find music that suits my mood. I shove my phone back to the pocket. Too bad, my earphone isn't noised-canceling, I can hear my Dad singing along the music that was played on the radio.

"From town to town. Get around round round, I get aroundddd"

I get Around by Beach boys was played. The radio's music and his voice is loud enough to fill inside the car. "Honey, about the new school that I told you.." Mom said as she turned around and look at me.

"I already did register and enroll thru online, Mom." This is what I hate about moving into a new home. I have to adjust to another school and get used to its environment. Dad looked at me in the rear-view mirror. "You excited to see our new home?"

I gave Dad a subtle smile. Moving into a new home in a suburban area isn't my idea, it's theirs. I looked into the distance and watch the trees that we sped past. Nearing, I noticed a two-storey house. Its dirty white paint faded, its glass window was covered with dust evidence that the house is old enough made it appear like an abandoned house. It has a distance to other houses. As I saw it, it reminded me of the houses that I've read on any unsolved and solved cases. As a person who loves to read solved and unsolved cases, not knowing the mysteries behind it makes me excited.

The car slowed and stopped. "We're here!"

I stepped out of the car and before us were a light mint green color and its white trim house with a small porch. "Nice, eh?"

Dad said as he took all the luggage out of the car trunk. I looked around. Dogs bonding with their owners on their lawn, girls jogging. A provincial quiet neighborhood. My parent's ideal neighborhood. Even though we just moved, I'm missing my life in the city already where the excitement lives. I looked at the abandoned house in the distance. Huh. It's one of our neighborhood. I snapped back when Mom called out to get the rest of the luggage. I grabbed the luggage and looked at the abandoned house one more time before I went inside.

The furniture were covered with cloth. Mom and Dad starts unpacking the contents inside of the boxes that just sent before we arrived. "Mom, can I go upstairs?"

"Sure"

I went upstairs and went inside of every room, choosing what the best room for me is. Among all rooms, I decided to stay in a white painted wall with a wooden big brown cabinet and a window bench room where you can see the neighborhood outside. Not bad for a new home, I decided to sit on the bench and looked outside. I fish out my phone and took a picture of my room and send it to Ivy.

"Helloooooo, neighbooooor!" Enthusiastic as ever huh, Ivy?

I grinned and put my phone back into my pocket. I was busy looking outside when a sudden knock was heard in the door. "Honey? Do you like it here?" Mom asked as she entered herself in. "Yeah, it's great."

"Guess this is your room now," she said as she examined the whole room." I should go now and help your Dad and oh, by the way, invite Ivy over." I gave her a confused look. "For dinner, honey" she said as she shut the door behind.

I gave her a thumbs-up and fish my phone out to invite Ivy over.

"So, you'll be in the same school?" Mom asked as she bites another food into her mouth. I quietly ate my food and let Ivy talk. I looked at her since she has the habit to talk when her mouth is full. I eyed her to chew slowly and swallow. Ivy slowly chewed her food looked at Mom and nod.

"I'm glad you decided to move here, Mrs. And Mr. Barkley" Ivy said, smiling at Mom and Dad. "It's great here. Quiet, very ideal" Dad said and took another bite.

As a disagreement with the statement, I shook my head slightly as I took another bite. Very ideal? Uh, it's a NO to me. As we finished eating dinner, Dad set himself on the couch, watching a television. I helped Mom and Ivy to clean up when a sudden bang was heard outside. Alarmed with the noise, I hurriedly looked through the window. Cries echoed in the neighborhood. People circling around the corpse. Few minutes later, police and investigators arrived. I went out and was being followed by Ivy.

As we are getting nearer, a body of a man around his thirties was found in the lawn, a shotgun in his hand. Part of his face is blown off.

"He just hurriedly went out with the gun and this happens" cried of a woman as she is being asked by a police. Presumably the wife of the victim. Police and investigators were circling the area, investigating and discussing. A lot of people looked at the corpse, disgusted, terrified. Investigators were further investigating and search the area for evidence. Staring at the corpse, I'm theorizing that he killed himself and put the gun under his chin.

As I looked at the police and investigators, in my peripheral vision, I felt someone is looking at me. The moon's light illuminating across the neighborhood, I looked and squinted my eyes, wandering. Body tensed, I saw a girl. I noticed that they were looking at me through the window in the abandoned house. A girl with its completely black eyes and its uniform has bloodstains, beside her is a girl with blood oozing in her eyes and a wide creepy smile on its face. They are staring at me, I stared at them back. I can feel a lump on my throat, I'm stunned by what I saw. I swallowed and blinked, it was gone.