Door to Door

Door to Door



October 03, 1996. Fourteen year old Michael and his best friend Troy were walking home from school. The air was cool, but not quite in need of a fall jacket. They still wore shorts and tee shirts. The leaves on the trees had started changing colors ranging from green to brown and various oranges and reds. The boys were doing what they had always done when school let out which was walk home while discussing the latest news on video games. This week’s discussion consisted of Tomb Raider and whether or not Lara Croft could hold her own against Resident Evil’s Jill Valentine. Troy would always tease Michael about having a crush on Lara Croft versus a real girl, although Michael did have a crush on a real girl…Amanda Langston, the new girl who sat next to him in home room.

“l think Lara could take Jill any day,” Michael said. Troy just laughed, his shaggy brown hair covering his brown eyes.

“There’s no way! Jill faces horrible, scary monsters like zombies and Lara faces regular real people. She doesn’t stand a chance! Besides, I bet you wouldn’t think Lara would win against Amandaaaaaa…..” Troy teased, prancing in a way that he thought all girls did at that time, arms prettily to his side and swaying his hips.

“Hey! So I like Amanda, what’s the big deal?” Michael asked. Troy smiled; he always loved giving his friend crap over something so innocent.

“She’s nice and all I guess but…she doesn’t even seem to know you’re alive, dude.” Troy was being sincere and did not mean to hurt his friend’s feelings with his words but he knew Michael understood him, he always did.

“Yeah…but I can’t help it. She’s smart and really pretty and she’s the only girl who has not made fun of me.” Michael said gloomily. The thoughts of Amanda were a bit upsetting as he really liked this girl but yet had no way of expressing it without feeling like a loser.

“Yet,” Troy teased once more. Michael smiled. Troy was his best friend and they had been together since pre-school. Michael knows he had given Troy enough problems over liking Sadie Perkins, a chubby red-headed girl with a lot of freckles and glasses. She definitely was not considered one of their most beautiful girls but Troy liked her anyway.

The boys walked along the sidewalk and arrived at Benning and Briar Street. Normally Troy would keep going straight and Michael to the left but since it was Friday Troy would be going home with Michael for the usual sleep over. The one thing that they did not like about this particular block was passing by the abandoned Victorian home that was just down the street from Michael’s house.

“I hate walking this way,” Michael said. “That house down there gives me the creeps.”

Troy nodded in agreement. He too hated being near that house but in order to get to Michael’s it was a must.

“Same here, man, but you said you would rather walk home than be seen with your older sister driving your ma’s mini-van.”

This was true. Michael did not like the old beat up mini-van with its loud backfire and faded blue paint. It was an embarrassment to even be seen talking to anyone near that van. The boys were also convinced that riding in it gave them bad luck with everything. Now they were walking past the looming Victorian every Friday but at least it was together. Michael hated it more when he was alone. It always felt like someone or something was watching him.

Michael sighs. “Let’s just hurry to my house. We won’t even look at it as we go by.”

Troy was in agreement. The two boys took off running, sprinting down Briar Street. Just when they thought they were going to make it past the house, something caught their eye. There was a white van parked in the alley next to the home.

“Why’d you stop? We were almost to your house!” Troy gasped, trying to catch his breath from the heavy running. Being slightly overweight for his age did that to him at times.

“There’s somebody over there, look,” Michael pointed to the alley where the white van was parked. The back doors were open and it appeared as if someone were loading or unloading boxes. The boys walked slowly along the sidewalk, next to the faded white picket fence in front of the house. The van had the words ROY’S DELICACIES printed in bold red print along the sides of the van.

Michael and Troy walked slowly past the alley, trying to see if they could see anyone in back but no such luck. There was no one in sight.

“Mikey let’s go, this place gives me the creeps….” Troy said, near the point of begging Michael to stop looking and rush to his home.

Michael is focused on the van and trying to spot someone. It just seemed a tad too creepy to him for a van to be at an abandoned home, especially one that all of the kids in school claim is haunted.

“Have you ever been in there, Troy? Ever know of anyone who has?” Michael asked. Troy stared at his friend in bewilderment. Did he really just hear correctly? Did Michael just ask if someone had ever been inside?

“Um….no, I have NEVER heard of anyone going into that house…and coming out alive.” Troy remarked. Michael turned to look back at his friend.

“What do you mean alive? Who went in and didn’t come back out?” Michael asked, his curiosity taking control. Troy shuffled his feet and turned away from the house.

“I wasn’t supposed to say anything but my brother and his girlfriend, Becky, came over here a year ago with their friend Derek Looman and he actually went inside!” Troy was speaking in harsh whispers as if someone would hear him.

Michael did not want to believe him. It just wasn’t possible and surely someone would have noticed that Derek was gone and never returned, right?

“C’mon man, that’s not true. If Derek had disappeared then why wasn’t it on the news or something?” Michael asked in disbelief.

Troy shrugged. “I think his parents just assumed he took off to go live with his uncle in Colorado because he hated it here.”

“Then why didn’t your brother and his girlfriend say something, huh? I think a kid missing and not in Colorado is a big deal!” Michael shrieked with his whisper tone.

“I don’t know! I think they were just too scared to admit they came here and besides, would you believe them if you were the adult and they came to you about it? No, I didn’t think so!”

The boys had been so entranced with their argument that they did not hear the screen door on the back porch swing open. A man dressed in a white delivery suit exits the house carrying a few boxes of meat. He is still wearing an apron that he had apparently worn to cut up the meat. He is unaware of the two boys arguing in whispers in front of his house. He had his own business to take care of, which was to deliver the tender cuts of meat that he had prepared for sale in the neighborhood and surrounding area.

“All I know is that my brother…” Michael clapped a hand over Troy’s mouth quickly, silencing him mid-sentence.

“Shhhh….listen,” Michael leans against the fence, careful not to pull a piece down. Troy leaned in behind him.

“What is it?” He asked eagerly. Michael motioned for him to be silent. Troy did the zipper motion across his lips and watched eagerly as a man dressed in a delivery suit and apron walked away from the back of the truck and back into the house through the screen door on the side.

“I wonder what he’s selling.” Michael asked inquisitively. He knew Troy wouldn’t know but it was just one of those things that a curious mind such as his would want to know anyway. He would have to find out for himself.

Michael left the fence row and proceeded to walk down the driveway. Troy stood alone, astounded, waving frantically for Michael to turn around but to no avail. Michael had already gone up the small drive in the alley and was facing the front of the delivery van. He crept around to the side of the van that faced away from the house so as not to be seen. He then turned back and motioned for Troy to race over only he was afraid that Troy’s weight would van truck.” Michael said.

“And you needed me for this?” Troy asked with his sarcasm at the all-time high. Michael rolled his eyes.

“C’mon. Let’s take a quick peek and then we will go straight home, I promise.” Michael said. Troy was hesitant but finally agreed with his friend. Michael was stubborn in that he would not give up until he got what he wanted.

Michael gestured for Troy to follow him. They eased up by the rear of the van and peeked around the open door. The owner was nowhere in sight and they had their chance to take a peek inside. Michael crept around the open door of the van and looked at what was inside; there were boxes of cold meat stacked neatly against the inside left wall and some on the right as well. The van was a giant cooler and Michael’s breath could be seen in front of him. Troy stayed hidden behind the open door to the van. Michael reached out to touch one of the boxes but the sound of shuffling feet stopped him in his tracks. He turned and saw a tall shadow moving through the doorway. He was frozen, couldn’t move. It was Troy who snapped him back to the other side of the van.

“Can we go now? Please? I don’t like this one bit!” Troy whispered, desperate to be away from the creepy van and whoever might have been in the house.

“Okay, we’ll go.” Michael said.

The boys started to squeeze past the van once more to exit their way back to the street when a firm hand gripped Michael’s right shoulder.

“Aaaahhhh!” Michael and Troy screamed in unison. Troy tried to pull away and run but Michael kept a tight grip on his arm; if he was going down so was Troy.

“Is there something I can help you boys with?” A gruff, southern male voice spoke.

Michael and Troy were speechless and could not find the right words. They were shaking, staring wide eyed at the man in the white uniform and apron. He was tall, at least six-feet-two and built. He wasn’t old, maybe fifty but at eleven years old, fifty was old.

“N-n-n-n-n-o s-s-sir, we were just um…” Michael was stuttering badly, unable to gain control. The rough man holding onto his shoulder eased his grip.

“I know kids like you. You always come by this place, saying it’s haunted with ghosts or demons or some shit, well you’re wrong. There ain’t nothing haunting here. Never has been, never will be. Now if you boys’ll excuse me, I’ve gotta route to tend to.”

The man closes the doors to the van, giving Troy and Michael one final stare down. It was Troy who broke Michael’s fixation and managed to drag him down the alley and back to the sidewalk. The two heard the engine fire up in the van and then the squeal of grinding breaks and tires as the van darted through the alley. They had to jump to the side of the driveway to avoid being hit.

“Holy shit! Did you see the size of that guy? My mom always tells me to never use curse words but there’s just nothing else to describe that!” Troy shouted. His hair was a mess and there were sweat stains under his pits to prove how scared he was. Michael could tell he had been sweating profusely as well; his white undershirt is soaked. His heart had never raced so fast in his whole fourteen years of life, not even when his sister talked him into riding Barrel Roll, one of the fastest roller coasters at their favorite amusement park.

“That was crazy. I never want to see that guy again. This proves there’s no ghosts, though, okay? So Derek probably really did go to Colorado.”

“I can agree with that. Now can we please go to your house and never cross over here again? I think maybe next time we cross the street before arriving in front of this old creepy house.”

Michael nodded. Troy started across the street and Michael slowly followed; he took one look back at the house. There was just something about it that made him want to investigate more but for now, he would let the creepiness go. It was time to play some video games and stay up late watching some kind of monster movies…wait, scratch that. Monsters would be off the menu for tonight after that incident.

Anxiously Waiting….

When Michael and Troy arrived at the house, they went straight upstairs. They did not want Michael’s mother to see how terrified they were.

“Okay, so what do we do now?” Troy asked. Michael shrugged his shoulders in reply.

“I dunno. I say we just play some video games and do what we usually do when you come over and just forget about the guy. So he’s a meat salesman and he probably bought that house to use as his shop or something.” Michael heard the words come out of his mouth but was having a hard time believing them; there was just a vibe about the whole situation.

Troy nodded in agreement. He could use some gaming to forget about the incident and meeting the sinister looking man driving a meat van. The rest of the night was spent laughing and wrestling, playing video games and also prank calling random numbers from the phone book. The television is now on and the boys are sprawled out in their pajamas watching late night movies. Vincent Price’s House on Haunted Hill was currently playing. Although the film was rather old, it still gave the boys the willies. It made them think of their new friend in the old Victorian.

“What if that guy’s a ghost?” Troy asked. Michael slowly turned his head and glared at him, then smacked him on the back of the head.

“He’s not a ghost dingus, he drives a van and he grabbed my shoulder. I’m pretty sure he’s real.”

Troy rubbed the back of his head, scratched at his scalp as well.

“It was just a suggestion. What do you think he’s doing over there now?”

Michael glanced over at his telescope.

“Wanna find out?” He had a mischievous grin about him and Troy joined in. They were too scared to venture out but maybe this way they could safely see what the old scary guy was up to. If they angled the telescope to the left through Michael’s window they could see down the street to the old Victorian.

Michael looked through the telescope first. There were lights on in the house, but very dim. The glow almost reminded him of a fire burning. He motioned for Troy to take a look.

“Somebody’s in there! Upstairs!” Troy shouted with a husky whisper. He did not want to disturb Michael’s parents and then have to explain to them why they were spying on the old man down the lane.

Michael shoved Troy out of the way and peered through the lens once more. There was someone moving around in the upstairs portion of the house. There was a large shadow then a smaller one that appeared to be thrashing wildly.

“I don’t know what this is but it’s kind of scaring me, man. Check it out and tell me what you think.” Michael moved away from the telescope for Troy, who was hesitant at first.

“You always hand it back to me when something scary is about to happen,”

Troy leaned in and peered through the lens. What he saw would have scarred him for the rest of his life. The larger shadow figure was fighting with the smaller one. He could not see any faces or actual features until the smaller shadow happened to venture into view. He caught a glimpse of blond hair, long, and pink pajamas with monkeys on them. It was still too difficult to tell who the smaller figure was.

“Can you see who it is?” Michael asked. Troy nodded.

“No, they keep moving around. Maybe it’s like, the guy’s granddaughter or something or another family member that lives there and they are just playing?”

Michael didn’t think so but he supposed they would have no choice but to consider it as such. He nodded his head in what he tried to make seem like possible agreement. The whole situation just irked him beyond all belief.

“I guess it could be possible. C’mon let’s move away from the window. We will just see how it is tomorrow.”

Troy pulled the telescope away from the window and closed the blinds. Michael sat back down on the bed, thinking. Why would someone run a meat shop in that house? It didn’t make any sense to him. They didn’t hear any screaming or other sounds like they do in the movies so the boys managed to convince each other that it was nothing, that maybe it was a family member playing upstairs. They drifted off to sleep and slept a dreamless slumber.

Saturday Specials….

The boys awoke the next morning to the sound of Michael’s mother cooking in the kitchen. She was washing dishes and prepping pancakes, Michael and Troy’s favorite. The two moved sluggishly down the creaky stairs and into the kitchen.

“Good morning boys. Hope you got plenty of rest.” Michael’s mother, Jeanne, said. Michael’s dad was currently in the front hall, speaking with someone at the door.

“Who’s dad talking to?” Michael asked groggily. Troy rubbed his own eyes and ran his chubby fingers through this shaggy hair.

“Oh, there’s a new meat salesman on the route and he’s offering some pretty good deals. Your father is interested in the small steaks that he’s offering. They look so good and it’s such a cheap price…”Jeanne rambled. Michael’s eyes widened as did Troy’s….Meat salesman?

Michael and Troy rushed out of the kitchen and into the front hall. Michael’s father, Neal, was talking eagerly with someone at the door. Michael tugged on Troy’s arm and had him dodge into the living room with him. The two ran to the window and pulled the curtain back. The meat van was parked in the driveway. The peered over toward the door and sure enough there was the tall creepy guy, a package of meat under one arm.

“I somehow don’t think that was his family member upstairs. There wasn’t anyone else with him when we saw him and if he’s got someone at his house, why would he leave them alone, especially if it was a kid?” Michael questioned Troy, who shook his head and shrugged his shoulders, his face showing concern.

The boys moved back into the hallway and stood behind Michael’s dad. The man looked at Michael and grinned; his teeth were yellowing and he was in much need of a shave. His uniform looked clean and the apron was gone. He turned from Neal and glared at Michael and Troy.

“So this is your house, son?” He asked trying to be pleasant but Michael could hear the fakeness in his voice.

Michael gave no reply. Troy hid behind Michael and remained silent.

“Yeah, this is my son, Michael. This chubby one back here is Troy.” Neal said as he patted Troy’s head and nudged Michael’s shoulder.

“I do believe we met the other day in the alley. They were checking out my van,” The older gentleman explained. “Name’s Roy, if you must know. I bought that house down the street in hopes of turning part of it into a new shop for myself.”

Michael couldn’t help but wonder what kind of meat Roy was working with in the house down the street. It is a residential area, not a farm, and although the neighborhood is worn down it is still a neighborhood; it is one that many children roam the street playing every day, taking walks, and so on.

Neal ruffled Michael’s hair.

“Boys will be boys. They were probably just curious. Most kids in the neighborhood think that place was or is haunted.” He laughed.

“Is that so?” Roy asked. Michael shrank away, and Troy stumbled over his own feet. Michael could feel Troy’s shaking hand on his arm.

Neal broke the awkward moment for the boys by requesting a box of the steaks. He wanted to have a barbeque soon and the meat would come in handy. Roy smiled. He returned to his van and came back with another case of small steaks. Neal paid Roy the money he owed and then he was off, the van as rickety as it was the previous evening. Michael’s parents had always told him to never talk to strangers so why was his father buying meat from one? The guy moves from door to door.

The boys moved back away from the door as Neal closed it. He took the box of steaks to the kitchen for Jeanne to store in the freezer until time to use them.

“Wow, there’s a lot in here.” Jeanne commented. Neal nodded his head in agreement.

“Yeah, I was surprised at the price, too. Roy said the meat is shipped to him and he distributes it.”

Funny, Michael didn’t recall ever seeing a shipping truck deliver anything to that address.

The two boys sat down at the kitchen table, ready for breakfast. Jeanne served pancakes and bacon and then sat next to her husband, discussing the local news. Something she had said caught their attention.

“It’s a shame about what happened to that poor girl in Fenton,” Jeanne commented. Neal nodded.

“It definitely is. What is this world coming to? A girl scout leader is found dead and the four girls missing? It’s insane.”

“May we be excused?” Michael asked as he nudged Troy, who was just finishing up his second pancake.

“Take your plates to the sink please.” Jeanne said. Michael and Troy got up quickly and dumped their plates into the sink. They rushed off to Michael’s room as fast as their legs would take them.

“Did you hear that?” Michael asked. Troy nodded, slightly out of breath from rushing up the stairs.

“Yeah, some girl from Fenton went missing. You don’t think that maybe the meat guy….”

The look on Michael’s face told Troy everything; he did suspect the meat guy of having something to do with it. What if the meat was really….no, he couldn’t stand to think of that. He would never eat meat again.

“Do you think that maybe what we saw the other night could have been her?” Michael asked. Troy stood in shock. He did not know what to say to such a thing. It was scary enough imagining it let along having to hear it actually said in front of him.

“I dunno, Mikey. Maybe we should just leave this one alone,” Troy shook his head in disbelief. He did not want to believe that there was a monster just down the street from his best friend.

Michael walked briskly over to his bedroom window and peeked out.

“What if he’s scouting my house? What if he was scouting us?”

That had been the last straw for Troy. The whole deal was far too creepy and his thoughts were already creating things that most adults would think unimaginable for a child his age.

“Don’t say that! I don’t want to become somebody’s dinner!”

Michael proceeded to chew his thumb nail, which was only something he did whenever he had a plan coming to him.

“I want you to stay the night here again tonight. We need to watch his house one more time.”

“I’m not sure if I can…” Troy was scared and it showed. The poor chubby kid would end up having a heart attack if he wasn’t careful.

Michael walked over to his friend and put an arm around his shoulder, trying to encourage Troy to do what needed to be done.

“You can do this. We can do this.”

And with that said, Troy phoned his mother and requested that he spend another night with Michael because they were wanting to camp in the backyard. His mother agreed. The rest of the day was spent in Michael’s room. They tried playing video games but only found that they were more worried about what would happen next. Whose house would the man strike? What they didn’t know, is that their Saturday night was going to get much worse.

Midnight Madness….

The evening had crept up on them before they could blink it seemed. Neal had decided he was going to grill a couple of the steaks for dinner to try them out. The boys backed out of dinner, afraid they would really be eating what was left of the missing Fenton girl. Instead, they spent more time in Michael’s room, eying the house through the telescope. To keep things light the boys talked about something that many boys their age usually start to venture into as they were pushing fifteen….girls.

“So if you like Amanda, then why don’t you talk to her?” Troy asked. Michael shrugged. He really liked Amanda, but maybe he was just afraid of rejection.

“I dunno. I get too nervous I guess.”

“You know, I heard she’s supposed to be at a sleep over with Liz and Katrina and Liz lives a couple blocks over. Maybe you should write her a love note and leave it on the doorstep.” Troy laughed.

Michael turned his attention away from the telescope and onto Troy.

“I’m not writing her a stupid love note. That’s just dumb.” He glanced at the clock next to his bed. 8:15.

The telescope showed nothing new and the boys were getting tired. They didn’t know if they could keep staying awake. The anxiety was exhausting. Michael’s fifteenth birthday was just around the corner, so they chose to talk about that instead of giving up for the night.

“So what are you doing for your birthday?” Troy asked. He knew that whatever Michael was doing that he would automatically be there.

“Probably going skating…I had asked mom for new blades and I think she’s gonna cave.”

“That’d be cool. I can’t skate very well but it’s still awesome. Maybe you could slow skate with Amanda…” Troy teased, making kissy faces at Michael.

“Shut up,” Michael said. He peered back into the telescope and finally caught a glimpse of something interesting. The creepy guy had finally returned to his house, backing the van into the alley. He got out and opened the rear doors, blocking Michael’s view.

“See anything yet?” Troy asked. Michael motioned for him to come to him. Troy left the bed and moved over to Michael, who moved aside and let Troy look.

“Okay, so he’s finally home. Wait, he’s unloading something.” Troy said anxiously. Michael shoved him away from the telescope.

“Let me see,”

Michael peered into the telescope once more and saw that the man was carrying something from the van to the side door. Whatever it was had been wrapped in a sheet and tied in the middle with some rope; perhaps it was a big slab of meet waiting to be dissected? He may have considered it just that if something hadn’t fallen from beneath the sheet. It looked almost like a bracelet.

“We’re going over there.” Michael stated firmly. Troy glared at him in disbelief. There was no way he was going to go back over there and risk being caught and eaten, or chopped and sold to be eaten.

“Yeah, I don’t think that’s a good idea….”

Michael glared at Troy and that was all it took. The two boys dressed in dark shirts and jeans. Michael cracked his bedroom door to listen for his parents. They were still watching television downstairs and they usually didn’t check on him often so it was easy to sneak outside. He had done it multiple times to go play hide and seek with Troy.

“Okay, let’s go.”

The boys climbed out of Michael’s window and down the lattice. Troy complained about the many sticker bushes digging into his palms and Michael ignored every cry. As soon as their feet hit the grass they were off. Michael had to know what it was that had fallen from under that sheet.

They crossed the street in the dim light of the lamps, which were always covered in bugs eager to swamp the light. They proceeded along the sidewalk quietly and hid alongside any parked cars to avoid being seen by anyone who might be driving through the area. As soon as they reached the alley they stopped next to the front driver’s side of the van. The doors were still open. Michael gestured for Troy to follow him as he slid alongside the van and further into the alley. Troy was hesitant at first but soon followed after. He did not want to be left behind.

Michael reached the open rear door of the van and stopped. There were footsteps moving around near the door. Crunching rock and grass told them that whoever it was happened to be very close. Michael slowly turned to Troy and with his index finger motioned for him to be quiet. Michael gestured for Troy to back up a bit and then he slowly ducked down to look beneath the van. The worn boots were standing next to the steps. They moved in their direction. Troy was on the verge of panic but Michael grabbed him and forced him under the van along with himself. It was a tight fit for Troy but they made it just before the boots arrived near the rear of the van.

The man, Roy or whoever he happened to be, stopped in front of the open rear doors. He grabbed the left door with one blistered hand and slammed it shut, then did the same with the right. He paid no mind to the children hiding beneath his van. Instead he turned and walked back to the steps and then continued inside. Michael watched as the screen door closed. When he turned to the rear of the van, he saw it…the bracelet. It looked familiar to him, like he had seen it before. He reached out slowly and snatched the bracelet into his hand and dragged it back under the van to examine.

“Is that what I think it is? Is that really someone’s bracelet?” Troy asked. Michael nodded. Why did it look so familiar to him?

“Wait a minute…it can’t be.” Michael declared. He was now experiencing fear and anxiety rushing throughout his whole body.

“What?” Troy asked.

“Amanda has a bracelet just like this one,” Michael turned over the heart charm in the middle and sure enough, Amanda’s name was etched into the middle of the silver heart.

The two boys stared at each other in fear, not sure of what to do next. Should they risk telling their parents or should they do the unthinkable and try saving the girl of Michael’s dreams? They were only fourteen…..

“I’m going in.” Michael was ready. He didn’t need any other motive; the bracelet was enough. He crawled out from under the van and moved swiftly to the steps. Troy squeezed out from under the van and followed his friend.

The steps to the enclosed porch were creaky and would surely give them away but they somehow managed to climb the steps and ease through the screen door without setting off any suspicions. Michael peered into the window of the solid door leading into the kitchen and saw that it was clear but very dim in lighting. There was another door open inside the kitchen, possibly to a cellar.

“Let’s go.” Michael whispered. He slowly turned the knob on the door and listened as it made a tiny clicking sound. The door swung open quietly, much quieter than the screen door had been.

The boys entered the kitchen and Michael shut the door just enough to touch the frame but not fully close. The house smelled of rot and some kind of decay. The counters look grimy, as if years of dirt had been allowed to continuously build and harden, creating a thick black layer. Michael spotted what looked like a freezer against the far wall of the kitchen, toward what they assumed to be a cellar door. Michael gestured to Troy, who was staying a few paces behind as if to dart for the door at the first sign of trouble. Troy moved up closer to Michael and watched as his friend reached for the freezer door.

Michael’s hands were shaking, his heart beating rapidly. He placed the tips of his fingers under the lid of the freezer and lifted. The cold blew into their faces and when the fog cleared, they saw something that would scar their memory for life. Inside the freezer was random parts…arms, legs, a few feet; all wrapped in plastic and tightly packed within the ice. Michael struggled to close the freezer. He tried to lower the lid slowly so as to not make any noise. Troy turned to the side and vomited onto the dirty kitchen floor.

“Oh my God, Mikey, we have to get outta here!” Troy whispered huskily. Michael turned back to Troy and shook his head vehemently.

“No, he has Amanda! I’m not leaving her here!” Michael gently lowered the lid to the freezer the rest of the way down, hearing the suction as it pressed against the seal.

Troy shook his head in disbelief. He did not want to stay in that house any longer and he wanted to just dart out of that kitchen and run for help. Why Michael wouldn’t just follow him, he never knew. Instead the boys proceeded toward the dark cellar door. It was left wide open so there was no worry of having to hear it creak if they opened it. Troy didn’t like the looks of it. Why would the door be left wide open? They edged closer.

“C’mon.” Michael urged. Troy moved up with him. They stood at the opening of the cellar, listening.

There were rustling sounds downstairs in the dark, heavy footsteps and the sound of a carver, like the ones used to carve a turkey on Thanksgiving. That was how Troy felt; as if he were about to become the turkey. There was no light available so they could not see anything in front of them, just the first few steps. Michael took a step forward and listened once more. He could hear faint crying, possibly from Amanda.

“Dude, I am not going in there. I don’t have a good feeling about this, we need to get….”

Before Troy could finish blistered hands flew out of the dark, grabbing Michael.

“RUN TROY! RUN!” Michael screamed. Troy tried to grab Michael’s hand to pull him out of the darkness. The blistered hands grabbed hold of Michael’s left shoulder and pulled. A cracking sound could be heard. His shoulder had been pulled out of socket.

Michael’s hand slipped through Troy’s fingers and then he was pulled down into the darkness. Troy fell backward onto his bottom. He could hear Michael tumble down the stairs and then heavier footsteps came rushing up. Troy scurried to his feet and fled back through the kitchen and out the side door.

He burst through the screen door, pulling part of it off its hinges. Once his feet hit the gravel he was off; around the van and back on the sidewalk, running into the night.

Michael felt the pain in his shoulder as he tried to hold onto Troy’s hand. The blistered hands had a much harder grip and continued to pull. His hand slipped through Troy’s fingers and Troy fell backward. Michael was thrown down the stairs, tumbling down every step before hitting the concrete floor at the bottom. He hoped Troy escaped. His head ached from hitting the concrete and his shoulder was causing him great agony.

Whoever it was that had pulled him down the stairs had taken off after Troy as he fell down to the concrete. Michael was on his back, trying to get to his feet. The room down below was dimly lit. He glanced all around to see where Amanda might be and there she was, sitting in a chair facing the far wall.

“Amanda…Amanda….are you okay?” He whispered. She did not answer. Please don’t be dead. Michael thought.

Michael managed to pull himself into a sitting position, favoring his injured shoulder. His legs were shaky from the fall and from whatever might be coming next. He gradually rose to his feet and limped his way over to Amanda’s chair. Her long hair hung over the back.

“Amanda?” He asked. Slowly she turned around.

“Hello, Michael. I’m so glad you came.” A sweet smile was spread across her lips, the same smile that she would occasionally give to him in school.

“Don’t worry, I’m gonna get us out of here, just hold on.” He assured her. Amanda just looked at Michael, her face showing no concern.

“Oh, I’m not worried, Michael. In fact, I’m perfectly fine.” Her smile widened. The heavy footsteps had returned, this time coming down the stairs.

Please God, please tell me Troy got away. Michael thought to himself. The boots belonging to the footsteps appeared halfway down the stairs; the boots were Roy’s.

“He still down here girl?” Roy called out. Michael was confused. Why would he ask Amanda if he was still there?

Amanda sat in the chair, kicking her legs back and forth like an innocent school girl.

“Yes he is, daddy.” Her sweet voice called. Michael turned to her. It couldn’t be….

Amanda turned to him and smiled that sweet smile once more. Her eyes seemed different, her face, everything. This was not the same girl from homeroom that he was used to seeing every day.

“Wait…what….” Michael started to back away from Amanda’s chair. Roy stopped at the bottom of the steps, watching.

“Oh, you silly boy! I bet you thought you had it all figured out, too.” She said, rising from her seat, her night gown hanging to her knees. Roy smiled behind Michael.

“What’s going on? What is this?” Michael asked, starting to panic. He had backed up so far that he had backed into Roy, who didn’t so much as budge an inch. Amanda approached him.

“It’s such a shame, ya know? You’re a total cutie but you just couldn’t leave this alone,” Amanda pulled a piece of rope out from behind her back. “I’m not that fifteen year old girl that you have or had a crush on, Michael, no….I’m twenty-two. Roy is my father. We have been in business for quite some time now. It would be a shame to have someone like you ruin everything.”

Michael was in shock. There was no point in trying to run. All he could do was hope Troy would come to the rescue. The odds were set against him. His body began to shake as Roy grabbed his arms, pulling them back behind him.

“Don’t fight it. It’s much easier if you don’t. We will make it quick since you put forth such great effort.” Amanda handed the rope to Roy and grabbed a burlap sack from a nearby stool.

“HELP! Somebody please!” Michael screamed. Amanda turned to the table to her left and grabbed an old ball gag as well.

“Hush now, we are running behind schedule.”

The gag was inserted into Michael’s mouth, the sack placed over his terrified face. Then everything went dark…..

All the way home….

Troy had managed to escape the house and get his pudgy body to move full steam. He did not look behind him as he ran toward the light at the end of the alley. He was so terrified that he didn’t even have time to cry out.

Keep moving, he told himself. What had happened to Michael was horrific and he didn’t know if he would ever see his friend again.

He ran all the way to the street lamp, not a car in sight. Everything was silent. Michael’s house was just up ahead. What was he going to tell his parents? Was there anything he could tell them? Surely no one would believe the story of the meat salesman. There was only one thing that he thought of to do. Troy crossed the street quietly and crossed the front yard. He climbed back up the lattice and crept back into Michael’s bedroom where he gathered his things into his bag and opened the bedroom door.

Troy slowly walked downstairs and saw Jeanne and Neal on the couch, sitting very still, facing the television.

“Jeanne, I think I’m going to go home. I’m not feeling so well,” Troy said nervously. He was trying to keep his cool, to sound ill not scared.

There was no movement on the couch, no response. Troy started to grow weary. He stepped into the living room, inches from the back of the couch.

“Jeanne? Neal?” Still no answer; Troy reached out and touched their shoulders. Neal’s body fell over onto Jeanne’s, his head hitting her right shoulder. His eyes were missing.

“Nooooo!” Troy screamed. He turned to rush out the front door and was met by Roy with his white uniform and blood stained apron. Roy smiled and grabbed him by the shoulder. Troy opened his mouth to scream but just as he did Roy shoved an apple into his mouth and taped over it.

“Looks like we will be having a large order of pork soon,” Roy said with his gruff voice. Troy tried to scream but all that could be heard were muffled cries. A burlap sack was placed over his head and then he was removed from the home and taken off into the night.

The next morning, as soon as the sun was up, Roy was back on his routes. He didn’t mind delivering on Sunday’s but only if it was early. He could catch people before they left for church and offer them specials for their afternoon lunches or future gatherings. After loading the van he was off. He had a special house for this particular order.

He pulled the van into the driveway and walked up the sidewalk, whistling a happy tune. He rang the bell on the door. Troy’s mother answered the door, dressed in her Sunday’s best.

“Well, look who it is! Up and at em early, huh?” Susan asked with a smile. Roy smiled in return.

Roy smiled and presented a fresh cold box of pork steaks to Susan, whose eyes lit up at the sight of the day’s special.

“That I am, ma’am, and do I have a special for you!”