Page 5 - Breakdown
P. 5
As they stepped, Maddy noticed something
slithering in the brown grass.
“Did you see that?” Another rustle of grass.
“A snake!”
She grabbed Owen and wrapped herself
around him. “You’re afraid of snakes? How did
I not know that?”
He ran with Maddy up to the porch. By the
time they reached the house, he noticed many
snakes darting around in the grass. He didn’t
say anything. He didn’t want to scare Maddy
even more.
“The house is actually 999 like on my
mom’s sticky note. The numbers just came
loose and flipped upside-down. No
omen. See?”
Maddy stepped up to the dilapidated porch
and rang the doorbell. Waited. Rang again.
More waiting. And again. This time they
heard footsteps and some yelling. Then silence.
Maddy pounded on the door. Finally, they
heard three different locks turn, two chains
sliding back, and a click. The door opened a
crack. An old man poked his red nose out.
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