Dadding

It started to be a very tiring day filled with monotonous repetition that the days had come to hold. The small family of five was finding it hard to navigate the new at-home lifestyle that Covid-19 had forced them to adopt. The kids were entertained by the Morning school work and TV, the teen was on Instagram and the adults had been working vigorously throughout the day. The parents were just getting ready to take a break when suddenly the power went out. Michael Wagner the patriarch of the house went to check the breaker to no avail the lights would not come on. With a sigh, he walked back inside nearly tripping over one of the basement steps as he returned to find his wife and kids huddled under a flashlight. Kylie, the only teenager, and the girl gave a low groan. The power always went out in the summer but why this year? COVID 19 was bad enough.

“What happened?” Her mother asked in her usual aloof voice.

“Powers out” Her feather answered, trying to peer through the darkness.

“So now what?” Kylie mumbles folding her arms as she glanced down at her phone that held only fifteen percent.

“We wait,” Mrs. Wagner said, looking to her husband with a shrug. This response started a slew of questions from the two younger boys.

“Oh, oh I know, can we camp!” Explain the youngest one excitedly as he began jumping up and down. Trying to hold in a squeal.

“Camp?” Question their father with him A curious playful look. He knew what his son 

“Sleep in the backyard!” The two boys enthusiastically tried to lead their father to the garage.

“Hold on hold on,” Their father said, stopping in his tracks as he reached into his pocket fiddling for his phone.

“We’ll need a flashlight,” he said with a smile. The three boys clumsily made their way out towards the shed which helped all the camping equipment. Loud rambles and crashes came from the shed as the men searched for their equipment. Mrs. Wagner and Kylee both exchanged looks.

“Wanna cook?” Kylee said, setting down her phone on the counter. Her mother smiled friendly as she followed her into the kitchen and the two began to cook the food that was going to go bad otherwise they were so engrossed in making it when she said they didn’t hear one of the boys come inside. The little boy was covered in grass and leaves.

“Rawer, I'm a grass monster!” He said holding his hands up like claws as he growled. His mother and sister pretend to be afraid while they listen to the giggles and loud shrills coming from outside.

“Careful with him” Mrs. Wagner yelled out the window as she watched her husband rocket their youngest into the air.

“Kai?” Called her brother.

“What?”

“Will you sleep outside with us?” The middle child named Cooper asked big round wide blue eyes. Since his birth, Kylie hadn’t been able to tell the younger no.

“Only if you can get it up before we’re done cooking” The challenge made Cooper's eyes get even bigger.

“You pinky promise, double trouble swear?” He asked with a grin.

“I swear,” she said, marking over her heart with an x. The witty banter amused the younger as he ran from the room trying to get traction. As he told his father and brother the situation. Before anything could be done a bright flash of light filled the air.

“Wow,” said Matt The youngest. The light had been so bright through the darkness of that night that it showed into the kitchen where the two women were cutting up the last piece of meat. Had they been paying attention they would have heard the jiggling of a lock. 

“What's that?” Kylie questioned looking around through the darkness.

“Storms a coming” 

“Should we tell them?” Kylee asked sounding worried.

“Why ruin there fun?” Mrs. Wagner said with a fond smile, the scene transpiring out the window warmed her heart.

As she pulled the last dish out of the oven. With speed, only a mother has she tossed the dishes in the sink, lathered them with soap, and ushered her daughter out towards the boys.

  While the girls had been off cooking Michael who was an overgrown kid was spinning his youngest son by the wrist and throwing him up in the air, it all looked very unsafe. Just as he was getting ready to yet again launch his son in the air a familiar male voice called.

"Pft, Michael what the hell are you doing?" Questioned his neighbor and best friend: Paul Royter. Michael cracked a half-grin as he snickered.

"Dadding'” His friend let out a chuckle.

“Ya’ll be safe,” Paul said disappearing into his yard. The rain broke through the clouds, and the sky suddenly let out a ghastly howl and all the fun was cut short as a storm front moved in. The family moved their camping trip into the living room where they spent the rest of the night eating the food that would be bad by morning. It was about midnight when Mrs. Wagner heard a loud crash from the upstairs bedroom. With her phone flashlight, she looked around at her family. To her surprise everyone was there, even the cat fast asleep at the top of the couch. Again a loud thud. Nervously she shook her husband who as he awoke heard the sound as well.

“Shh, wake the kids, call the cops, go next door” he whispered nervously sneaking across the wood beams towards a closet that held a metal bat. With his eyes, he motioned for his wife to wake the kids. Michael raced up the stairs as Mrs. Wagner carried the youngest and woke the older two. Despite their protests, they made it out in minutes. They made it next door and pounded on the door Paul appeared dazed as Mrs. Wagner explained the situation. He raced from the house to add his friend as Mrs. Wagner frantically dialed the police. Within five minutes sounds of sirens could be heard in the distance.

The police rushed inside as the car pulled onto the scene. They came upon a terrifying display. Paul was fighting off a tall assailant that had taken the metal bat from Michael. The police ordered the man to drop his weapon to no avail they fired on him as the burglar went for Paul. Terrified the family waited as the police hulled the masked man outside a row of ambulances that appeared as neighbors began being looky-loos. As the scene played out the kids watched on in stunned disbelief. It was a night the kids would never forget as they watched their father hauled away in the ambulance. The psychopath of an intruder was shoved in an ambulance alongside an officer. Shocked the four stood there explaining what had happened to the neighbors before they went inside and called there extended family for support.