Neighbours

• Ruby Stephenson, Grade 7
• Short Story
• 2019

There was something strange about Mrs Gerald. Anyone could tell that. She just gave me a weird feeling. An uncomfortable feeling. Mrs Gerald had nobody. No friends or family besides the stray cat that sometimes scratched on the door begging to be fed. But even then, he stopped coming as well. Mrs Gerald was a strict portly old woman who had an air of authority around her. It was very intimidating.
One normal morning I was walking to school when I saw Mrs Gerald. My heart pounded so loudly, I was surprised it didn’t cause an earthquake. When I plucked up the courage to look over at her, she was just standing there.
Staring at me.
The rest of that day I couldn’t help but look over my shoulder every five seconds. Walking down the hallway, I could’ve sworn I saw her, but the thought was washed away in a sea of students.
From then on, I pleaded with my mum to drop me off at school early every day. I don’t care if she thinks I’m a baby, it’s better than looking back and seeing Mrs Gerald’s cold, piggy eyes.
Later that night, I remember it was exactly 3:32 am when my eyes flickered open. I was lying down on my bed, but I couldn’t move. Is this a dream? I thought. No, it feels too real. My ceiling fan starts to turn ominously. Its eerie creaking filled the silence. Suddenly out of the darkness, emerged a fairly tall figure dressed in layers of clothing. This has to be Mrs Gerald. All my muscles tighten to the point where I can’t even feel my body anymore. The figure walks up to my bedside. Mrs Gerald raises a shovel and the last thing I see before blacking out, is the gleam of the shovel and those empty, empty eyes.
The next few days that followed were seemingly uneventful. The world drifted on by, like I wasn’t really there. Until Monday. I had just got back from school with my mum when a Police car pulled around the corner. We had heard the sirens, but usually they just blend into the background.
The Police car pulled up beside Mrs Gerald’s house. My mum and I waited in the car, as three Police Officers knocked on the door.
No one answered.
BANG! One of the Police men kicked down the door and rushed inside. I looked at the clock. It was exactly 3:32 pm. Funny that sounds familiar. Finally, two of the officers emerge from the building with a poorly dressed man. The other Officer walked over to our car.
Mum rolls down the window and the Police Officer says something about trespassing on abandoned property, but I’m not really listening.
As soon as we get inside, I ask mum about Mrs Gerald, but she just looks at me confused.
“Who’s Mrs Gerald?”
I turn to look out the window and see her.
Smiling at me.