The New Neighbourhood

The new neighbourhood is so damn creepy…better,creepiest.I grew up in a place with noisy neighbours,full streets and jolly children.So,shifting to a completely new locality after 18 years of staying at a place is a BIG deal.Although,it generally wouldn’t have mattered if the neighbours were noisy,uncles would have been music addicts or Mom would have been able to cope up with the talkative aunties living by or behind.This new neighbourhood is like filled with backdated people and I?-Don’t even like it one bit.

He leaves in the morning.Mom leaves just after him.So it’s just me…me,alone at home.Worse,in a neighbourhood where no one talks a lot.

The weather is so mesmerizing  these days.But if you don’t get people to talk to or a neighbourhood social enough to party at,life just takes a big turn and it’s so hard to imagine for me.I thought everything would be the same.I miss Lana,Jamey and Darcy.I also miss Lana’s dog.The ‘NEW’ neighbourhood sucks!

The neighbourhood will automatically send you to a sad-stroke coma.Even Dorian hates walks now.He sits and fools his tail around and keeps on barking.Least I got him as company.

So,I made a routine recently,of how I can entertain myself and Dorian back at home and the routine turns outta be-

Morning-Steal chips from the fridge before they wake.

Morning(Half 2)-Pay a visit to the roof when they leave.

Morning(Last Half)-Clean D,yourself and then have lunch.Stealing ice-creams is a must.

Afternoon-Spy on the neighbourhood,set up the goofy cameras.

Afternoon(Half 2)-Connect the cameras to the monitor.Spy every movement.

Afternoon(Half 3)-Let Dorian play.Let him have some fun in the backyard.

Evening-Go to bed,or maybe play some video games.Video call Lana,Jamey and Darcy and Lyso(Lana’s dog).

Night-Read story books,put your nerd head into the neighbourhood.

Night(Half 2)-Eat some snacks before they come back.

Night(Last half)-Order stuffs on Amazon/Dorian and You go to sleep.

So,this was my self-created gibberish stuff.(Thanks if you’re already thinking!)

I really thought our neighbourhood was a shit,till last night when I noticed that there are people who do party and other things.

Two boys,precisely,a boy and another boy came out of a car,a very old car.They didn’t seem drunk but they really looked as if they were really good friends.So I decided to take it a notch up higher and put on the camera I set right right-angled to the carnish of the window above my room and monitored everything on the monitor.I saw something creepy.

They ended up in the hallway and then they sat there,talked and then had some champagne.They talked there for some 20-30 minutes and then the blonde departed,to the kitchen,probably and then brought something,something behind him,in his hands.Then the light went out.And  exactly after 10 minutes and 3 seconds,that blonde boy departed with the car,hastily.The other did not.

It struck me instantly of what had happened,but it was a creepy neighbourhood.I decided to wait,a little longer.

It was morning.He was leaving when I stopped him.

“Hey...”,I called as he was at the door.

He turned with a very pleasant kind of smile and I stared,stupidly,I thought.

Okay,for those who still don’t know.My dad is not my dad.My real dad,I mean my biological Dad passed away when I was 14 years old.4 years ago.This was my stepdad.I mean he is really kind of cool though and pretty chilled up and pampers me like his own girl but I can never call him ‘Dad’.This word is only for one who is true and exists and is one’s own.

“Be safe out there,okay?”,I said hesitatingly.I have never said anything so calm and soothing to him before.

I knew he smiled from within.

“Sure,I will.Take care.Bye.”,he said nicely and departed.

Mom was still there,at the kitchen,packing her lunch.She looked as usual.

“So,you doin’ good?”,I asked quickly and started crossing fingers.

I haven’t been the same to her since Dad passed away.She’ll probably be surprised and pleased at the same time.

“Yes….YES.”,she replied as if she had never spoken to me before.

I was enveloped with shame.I wasted 4 years of special bond with my mother.

God,I’m a monumental idiot! I suck,not the neighbourhood.

It was 8 a.m. when stepdad and Mom departed.

I collapsed on the table as my eyes struck Nancy’s picture on the kitchen table.

Nancy was my sister.She died that same year Dad passed away.She was diagnosed with lung cancer,stage four.

She was my best friend.And losing her was the worst thing that could ever happen in my life.

I still remember her in the cemetery,in her favourite red frock.I couldn’t even look at her.So,God did me a favour and I fainted.

When I woke up,I was at home.I wept bitterly as I woke up because I remember everything.

Anyways,so I decided to chill out in the terrace as I wanted to drive away boredom.

I climbed the stairs very quickly(Yes,I knew parkour).

I sat on top of a carnish and then played the harmonica.

Suddenly,I heard Dorin barking.

“Not now boy”,I replied.

But he kept on barking.

I flushed.I went downstairs.Dorin was in Mom and stepdad’s room.And he was looking through the window.I scratched his ears.

“Dorin,c’mon.I’ll give you some treats.” I lured him.

But he surprisingly did not move and kept on barking.I was taken aback.Dorin usually responded to my silly tricks.He didn’t this time.

I carefully looked through the window.

Holy shit! It was the house next door.And this time one elderly man appeared with that blonde boy.Something was not right.Maybe that’s why Dorin was shouting.

I put Dorin on a leash and went out.I had to know what was going on.And the more I thought,the more I compared this situation with Disturbia.

As we were about to step out,Dorin ran very fast and I just couldn’t do anything.Turns out,he wasn’t shouting because an elderly man or Blonde Boy had returned,it was a silly cat.

I shouted and ran after him.But the most embarrassing situation was when I actually tripped over a stone,screamed and fell down.

Something happened and it just really got my heart beat faster.

Blonde Boy left the elderly man there and came running towards me.I immediately felt as if he was carrying a dagger and would kill me there.But I guess I was so wrong.He came and helped me stand up.Of course,I was shivering in fear.A girl ran towards me.She seemed to come from Blonde Boy’s house.

My eyes were stuck at Blonde Boy.A murderer was in front of me.Dorin wasn’t there too.

“Are you okay?”,asked Blonde Boy.

“Fine.”,I replied very carefully.

“That was your dog?”,asked the girl.

“Yes.”,I again replied keeping it professional and simple.

“Okay,chill.I am Beth.Shake hands?”,asked the girl.She seemed so nice and polite.How could I be so wrong about these guys?They just live here maybe or are on vacations.

I shook hands.

“Mia.”

“Beth.”

“Nick.”

We smiled at each other and then there was this unusual,creepy awkward silence.

“Okay so I guess your dog is back.”,said NICK,not Blonde Boy.

I nodded approvingly.

“See you around then.MIA.Least we got company.”,said Beth.

Then I took hold of Dorin’s leash and then headed home.I turned back to look at them.They were laughing,maybe discussing jokes.I don’t care what I previously thought about them but I was hell wrong.I smiled and now that I know that they would make great friends,I was at least happy that this neighbourhood won’t be haunted anymore.

I entered home and then untied Dorin’s collar.

“Bad boy,Dorin.Very bad.Running away from me? Very bad.You’re a bad boy,Dorin.”,I scolded him and then departed to my room.I sat in front of my monitor.It was bad of me to underestimate Nick like that,and Beth too.But now,I think they’re my friends.

This thought made me go to sleep.I had a dream.

The neighbourhood was so good.Christmas and this neighbourhood was filled with lights.Nick,Beth and I were having champagne and oreos.Tacos filled the plates.Suddenly,I fell from the table.

The dream ended.It was evening,it was almost 7 p.m.But Mum wasn’t at home.I started panicking.Although I haven’t worried about her so much but in this new neighbourhood,there is every damn reason to worry about.Stepdad wasn’t home either.What the hell happened?

I rang up Mom.

She didn’t answer.I started sweating.So Nick and Beth were fake? But they seemed so real.I don’t want it to happen but I guess this is happening.No,I didn’t want to imagine it.

I decided to spy on Nick’s house.I took out my binoculars and ran to the terrace.Dorin wanted to join but I didn’t wanna interrupt my mission.

I saw something.

The hallway was fully empty and Nick did something that got me shaking.I couldn’t even shout.My eyebrows just rose and my mouth continued to expand.

He celotaped Mom and tied her legs and hands-backwards.

Then he dragged Mom down the hallway.Then he rested her against the bathroom wall.He then turned back to grab the kerosene.I was confirmed that he was gonna burn Mom alive.

I knew could help but how could I?

Now,as I knew Parkour,I climbed down the roof to the carnish and then to the ground.I fell accidentally and hurt my legs.Oh,I bruised myself!

Then I almost shouted but didn’t.I limped all the way across the street.Suddenly the lights went out in the hallway.I was pretty sure Nick wouldn’t be able to do anything given that the neighbourhood is too quick in electricity matters.I ran all the way to Nick’s house.I hid in the lawn.

Suddenly,torches lit in the hallway.God! He’s a brainiac! And a maniac!

But,it wasn’t usual.Dorin started barking.Maybe that’s why they lid the torches?

Anyways,I broke into Nick’s house.

“Mom! Mom! Are you okay?”,I limped and ran all the way across the hallway to Mom.It was dark and the lights of the torches were all on Mom.I couldn’t see anybody else.

“Are you okay? Oh my God,this neighbourhood sucks.I will set you free,wait.”,then I untied Mom.

“Mia? What are you doing here? Shit,go home.”,Mom replied.

“No,I will not.I was wrong about you Mom.I never should have blamed you for Dad’s death.And I just wanna tell you that I truly truly love you.”,I finally confessed.I was weeping.Bitterly.

She swung her arms round me and I hugged her hard.

“I’ll never let you go,I swear.And I will accept anything you tell me.”

She consoled me with her sweet words.

“I know honey.”

“Where is that bastard? I will kill him.”,I spoke in anger.

“What? Who?”

I was kinda annoyed.

“The boy.Nick.Who taped you and was about to kill you.”

Mom laughed out loud.

I flew into rage.Then I realized and then turned back.

Stepdad was standing there.

“So it’s you who’s driving us into this?!”,I shouted at stepdad.

The lights came.

I was surprised to see stepdad,Nick and Beth standing there with cameras.

It was a shoot.For a stupid film,perhaps.

And I ruined the shot.

“What the hell!”,I exclaimed.

“You ruined everything!”,Nick exclaimed in disappointment and laughter.

“Yes.It was going to be for Christmas.” Said Beth.

“Christmas?”

“Yes,you.Your birthday’s on Christmas,isn’t it?,asked Nick.

“Yes.But why film something so shitty where you are killing my mother?”

“Actually,the plan worked out,didn’t it?”,asked stepdad to Beth.

“Yes.Thanks to you,Mr Jones and Mrs Jones.”,said Nick.

“Excuse me,what sort of a plan?”,I aksed in disgrace.

“Actually,we knew what a serious kind of a nerd and gadget-freak you were.We knew you would come and ruin our shot and this is what we would film.It’s as simple as that.”,explained Nick.

“And by the time you were limping and coming,we filmed the part where we actually narrated in the camera that you were arriving.So,it’s kind of a blooper movie.”

“But why would you shut the lights off?”,I asked in awe.

“For you to think it’s real and come here.”,replied Nick.

Stepdad made faces as if, “See,even I can outsmart you.”

I giggled. “Wow! Such an interesting subject.May I ask what this whole thing was for?”

“We thought it would be a good way of showing you that our neighbourhood is not creepy,yo.”,said Beth.

I giggled.HARD.

“Okay,so this freaking plan was just to convey me a freakin’ message that this neighbourhood is not creepy?”

“You bet it is.”,replied Nick.

"So the idea was from Disturbia? Shia Labeouf and Sarah Roemer?",I asked.

"How'd you know?",asked stepdad

"See,even I can outsmart you."

We all laughed,went home and had a tummy-full dinner.

I really wasn’t expeting that but it really was a relief to me.

Now,Nick,Beth and I are Best Friends Forever.Yes,frankly speaking,I did forget Lana,Lyso and others but these 2 did cover it up.

Our neighbourhood has some more families and truly we have groomed them to noisy and badass neighbours.

This Christmas,we have come to a pretty controversial conclusion of celebrating Christmas on Nick’s lawn and drive to HOLLYWOOD.

We will have a picnic and then have lunch and finally we will have a librabry day.

Honestly,I have never wished for something so bad in my entire life.

God,you’re amazing for giving me a life like this.

And I guess our new neighbourhood is really,truly amazing,not at all so creepy.

PS-I have tore off the routine I made.

PS-Mom and I have reconciled and stepdad has joined us too.

PS-I don’t call him Dad but I do call him by his name-James.