An Unfortunate Experience

Where I come from, there is no such thing as knocking on doors. I only learned that after a few weeks in Brendon Drove.

~~

  About two weeks ago, I was baking a batch of chocolate-chip cookies to take to my neighbour's house. I wanted to get to know them and thought it was a kind gesture.

  Suddenly, I heard banging on my front door. My heart raced. Who was it? Was it a robber? But robbers wouldn’t dare to come out in daylight, would they? Or perhaps it was some wayward children, trying to annoy people. 

  A “ding!” came from my oven. The cookies were done. I wrapped a thick kitchen towel around my arms as a replacement for oven mitts and pulled the tray out. The person outside my door was banging like mad. 

“What do you want?!” I yelled, throwing my kitchen towel on the floor. I stomped to the door and pulled it open. 

“H-hi,”

It was my neighbour. She looked about my age.

“Why were you banging my door like hell?” I demanded, arms crossed.

“What do you mean?” she asked, confused. I was just knocking.”

“Knocking?”

“Yeah. Knocking on doors. Ever heard of it?” she said.

To be frank, I’d never heard of knocking on doors. We did it differently at home. 

“No,” I said slowly.

“Oh, alright then. I just wanted to pass these on to you.”

She held out a bundle wrapped in brown paper.

“Oh, how kind!” I said, delighted. “Why don’t you come in?”

We went in and sat down with servings of coffee and cookies. As we talked, I learnt a lot about my neighbour, Tina and she did me. We soon became good friends. I opened the bundle she gave me and it turned out to be socks! A pair of lovely soft baby blue socks. 

“I made them myself,” said Tina sheepishly.

I thanked her for the socks and she thanked me for the food. I packed some extra cookies for her in a paper bag and we said goodbye. 

~~

  A few days after that, I went to the local park. I wanted to get to know this area more. I pulled on some yoga pants and sneakers and stuffed my earphones into my ears.

  I jogged around for a good twenty minutes. I felt quite hungry but I’d forgotten to pack some food. I spotted a french fry stand a little way along but I hadn’t brought any money with me. I sighed, licked the drool off my lips and started jogging home.

Just then, I heard someone calling me.

“Hey, Sarah! Over here!”

I whipped my head in the direction of the voice.

“Come join us!”

It was Tina and a few other people who I presumed were her friends. They were sitting on the grass, surrounding a mat full of food. I went closer and breathed the sweet scent of food.

 “Hey,” said a guy. “I’m Stank,” 

He patted the grass beside him.

“This is Sara, she’s my wonderful neighbour,” said Tina. She then proceeded to introduce the rest of her friends to me. 

  We had a really nice time. Tina’s friends were good fun. And the food was exceptionally good. I helped pack the stuff up and we walked home together. We actually spent four hours there.

~~

  We dropped each of them at their houses and then it was just Tina, Stank and me. It was already getting dark. 

“So we turn into Timstin Alley, right?” said Tina to Stank. “That’s where your house is.”

“Uh no, actually, today I’m bunking off at my grandma’s.”

“Oh, alright then. Bye!”

“Bye,” I echoed.

We watched Stank turn round the corner and then proceeded to walk home. By the time we reached, it was fully dark. Tina waved goodbye to me and went inside, closing the door behind her. I put my key in the lock and twisted it.

“Psst!” said a loud voice making me jump. “Sara!”

I gave a little scream when I turned around and saw Stank right behind me.

“What- what are you doing?” I asked nervously edging away from him.

“I have something to show you,” 

“Why are you here? Aren’t you supposed to be at your grandma’s house?”

“I- yeah but I came back.”

I fumbled with the doorknob and opened the door.

“Sara… just follow me. I’ve got something to show you.”

“Can’t it wait till morning? I’m tired Stank.”

“I know but please, it won’t take a minute.”

“Fine,” I said slamming the door in a huff. “What is it?”

“Follow me.”

“Should I get Tina? We can all go together.”

“No, keep your voice down and come.”

  I followed Stank and he led me to this little cottage a little way from my house. It didn’t have any neighbouring houses and it looked like no one lived in it either. Stank opened the door. It was dark.

“In you go,” he said.

I was bewildered and did as I was told. Part of me wanted to run away but as I stepped inside, it was too late. He came inside before shutting the door- and locking it! He flipped a switch and there was some light.

“What is this place?” I asked him.

He didn’t answer.

“Stank?”

He knelt down and rummaged in an open briefcase that was lying nearby.

I watched him, apprehensively as he pulled out an old newspaper.

A smug smile appeared on his face.

“Sta-”

He threw the paper at me. I caught it.

“Remember this?” he sneered.

“DEVONE IS FINALLY IN JAIL” read the headlines. 

“I- NO- Why would I?” I started panicking a little. Why was Stank like this, he seemed so nice before. And what was with the sneer?

“Don’t you lie.”

I glanced at the article again. The name “Devone” sounded a little familiar.

Then, I gasped. It all came back to me. I couldn’t stop a single tear from running down my face.

The reason why I moved here. Why I escaped from what happened at home.

“D-Darius?”

He snicked. “Now you remember.”

I stepped back hastily and jiggled the doorknob but it wouldn’t open. I grabbed an umbrella from the umbrella stand near me to defend myself. Darius advanced menacingly.

He pulled out a taser and lunged at me, hitting me on the neck. I shrieked and all went black.