“I’d Better Go”

          Charles loved staying at the Old House with his Uncle Gene and his Aunt Edna. Every couple of weekends or so, he would gather his things and stay with them for the weekend. During the summer, when school was out, he would gather his fishing gear and stay for a week or so at a time, sitting with his younger cousin, Randy and doing minor chores like mowing for his uncle. In their spare time, which was rather often, he and Randy would go to the river fishing or wander the woods just to see where different paths led. If Charles had some spare money from working with Gene or the like, he would borrow Randy’s BMX bike and ride out to Northside, a local gas station on the outskirts of Granite Falls, to grab snacks for the river excursions. Though there was a four to five year difference between them, Charles and Randy had a lot of fun together. During one of his stays, Charles began talking to one of the girls from down the road. As they grew closer, Charles found an additional reason to stay at his aunt and uncle’s more often

          There were countless days when fishing trips and woodland excursions were traded for time hanging out with the girl down the road, while Randy played the Atari. When they weren’t hanging out they would spend time talking on the phone like most teenagers do, or did. During those times when Charles was held captive to the thralls of teenage romance, Randy would usually go outside and ride his bike to the end of the road and back. Randy didn’t care much either way as he was only nine years old and he, being a kid who didn’t understand the complexity of teenage affairs, was going to have fun no matter what.

          One summer day, Randy decided to go out and ride his bike while Charles talked to his girlfriend on the phone. Charles didn’t mind as he enjoyed the privacy of not having his little cousin around during his talks with his girl. Some things kids just didn’t understand, and he knew that Randy always had something better to do than listen to a personal conversation, especially when it involved what most kids would consider the mushy stuff. Charles took a deep breath and sighed, he was glad to have the house to himself for a while. Randy was fun for a kid, but he was a kid after all. He and his girlfriend talked for a while discussing everything from the movies they had seen or wanted to see, plans for the future, people, places, and various other things. Charles sat in the chair by the downstairs phone, which faced the front door and allowed him to see if someone were to come up to the door. As they were in the heat of a deep conversation, the front door opened and someone walked in. Charles looked up half expecting to see Randy strolling in but was rather surprised to find no one there. Whatever it was walked across the living room floor, right by him and went down the long, dark hallway. For that moment Charles was speechless, for he knew that even though he was alone, he was in fact, not alone. Just then the back door opened and whatever it was left, pulling the door to behind it.

          Silence fell over the house once more. Once Charles knew that he was truly alone again, he interrupted his girlfriend’s discussion, cutting their conversation short uttering only, “Uh, something just came to my attention,” he stammered, his voice shaking as his mouth became dry, “I’d better go.” With that he hung up the phone and made tracks for the door. The hot summer sun felt wonderful on his face as he was glad to be outside once more. With all the stories he had heard about the Old House on Lacy Road, Charles knew that things would never be the same around there again. He looked down the field to see Randy riding back toward the house on his bike; and with a shudder at the recent events still fresh in his mind, put on a happy face and strolled down to meet his younger cousin.