Master Breaker

School children count the seconds passing in a darkened classroom because the fluorescent overhead lights have been turned off. Large wooden windows are propped open with stacked books to manage the heat and stuffiness of the room. Memories of summer, late nights, and freedom haunt the children as they stare out at the beckoning sun. It’s hard to adjust to being back in school when the weather is so nice. 

The school bell rings. Everyone flees unwilling incarceration. Most kids ditch their books and backpacks and rush to the river. Some kids lounge along the rocks dipping their feet in shallow pools while others challenge their courage by jumping from the old railway bridge. The water is woefully shallow, but somehow, for generations, no one has been seriously injured.

Jack Newsom tries to ignore his rambunctious classmates as he longingly walks by. He lingers as he passes the storefronts of Central Ave. Since the divorce of his parents and their relocation to this neighborhood, Jack’s mother Linda has taken on a second job to help make ends meet. His older sister Alexis stays after school most days for club meetings, leaving Jack unsupervised. An arrangement was made for Jack to wait after school at his mother’s brother David’s house. David met Sandy a few years ago and she recently invited him to move in with her and her teenage son Desmond. Desmond makes Jack uncomfortable.

As Jack turns onto Pine St., he sees a police car parked in front of an elderly woman’s house. The officer is trying to leave as she calls out, “I’m telling ya, others are saying it too. A peeping Tom is peaking in everyone’s windows. Bet he’s breaking in now.” The officer has already heard all of this. As he opens his car door, her husband shouts, “We’re missing some sleep medicine too!” The officer sighs and gets into his quiet patrol car, and leaves. He takes a long look at Jack as he passes by.

The house Uncle David is staying at is modest, could use a paint job and the grass is overgrown. A privet hedge lines the driveway and blocks the view of the house when coming down the street. As Jack reaches the property something catches his eye across the street. Then, in a sudden burst, he’s struck with an immense force. Jack falls hard along the edge of the driveway. He looks up and standing over him is Desmond, smirking. Desmond’s face never changes. He always has an arrogant, smug, devious, and self-loathing half-mouthed grin on his face. Even when he’s eating. It’s like he hates the food and can’t wait to crush it with his teeth. Jack looks up at Desmond and says, “Why’d you do that?”

 “Suck it up buttercup.” 

Jack gets up slowly. He’s told his mother about Desmond, but her response has always been the same, ‘It’s just for a few months. We’re all making sacrifices.’ 

Desmond says, “Dave’s not here.” 

“Where is he?”

Desmond doesn’t reply. He steps away from the hedge, leans out toward the street, and peers up at the neighbor’s house. “Saw a cop up there. What’s going on?”

“How should I know?” 

“Hear anything when you walked by?”

Jack did, though he says, “No.” He finds it best to only engage with Desmond as minimally as possible. Jack starts to walk to the house.

“Where do you think you’re going?” 

“Inside, to start my homework.”

“No, you’re not. Mom’s not home either.”

“So…”

“So, you can sit on the porch.”

“But I’m thirsty.”

“We got a hose.”

Jack reluctantly settles on the porch. It’s dank and dingy and smells of old trash. Jack wipes a few pine needles from the step, sets his backpack next to his feet, unzips his backpack, and pulls out a textbook and note pad. He’s determined to get his homework done as soon as possible. It’s Friday night and if all goes to plan, his friend Theo will be sleeping over. 

Desmond lurks around the hedge-line and then comes to the porch. Even though it’s hot out, Desmond wears an oversized, hooded sweatshirt. The cuffs at the end of the sleeves are frayed and most of the time he has one of the hood strings between his teeth, slobbering and gnawing at it nervously. He plods around the porch aimlessly, tosses empty soda cans, and bangs the railing with a broken hockey stick. As he moves around there’s an odd clacking sound that reminds Jack of the candy tic-tacs. Bored, Desmond tosses an old wet shoe at Jack and knocks his book out of his hands. 

“Cut it out!” exclaims Jack.

“What?”

“I’m trying to get my homework done.”

“Why do you even care? It’s just a waste of time. I didn’t even go to school today.”

“Yeah right. You’re all talk.”

Desmond stood up quickly in defense. “I ditched!”

“What did you do then?”

“I went to the arcade, hung around.” Desmond smirks and says, “Did a little sight-seeing.”

Jack looks at him in disbelief. “Sight-seeing? Like what, the grease trap at the diner?”

“Little more domestic than that.” Desmond grows quiet and reflective. Jack turns to his books. He hears the tic tac sound again. He glances over and recognizes an orange medicine container. Desmond is discreetly studying the label. Before Desmond notices, Jack buries his face in his paperwork. Desmond abruptly gets up and grabs Jack’s backpack and leans against the railing.

“Give it back, Desmond.” 

“Just looking for gum.” 

“I don’t have any.”

Desmond tosses Jack’s backpack on the lawn and goes back to the corner of the porch. Things are quiet for a little while and then Jack’s sister Alexis arrives. From the porch, Desmond calls out, “Hey, Lexi! What’s up?”

Alexis ignores Desmond and walks straight up to Jack, she says, “Let’s go.” 

“Wait, just finishing this last question.”

“What are you up to tonight?” asks Desmond. “Any parties or anything?”

“I don’t know.”

“Come on. You gotta get out more Lex.”

Alexis never really looks at Desmond. Focused on Jack she urges, “Come on, you can finish it later.” Before Jack can protest she snatches his pencil. Alexis grabs his backpack from the ground and nearly drags Jack off of the porch steps. No one says goodbye to Desmond. He follows them to the edge of the yard where he stops, exactly where he was standing when Jack had gotten there earlier in the afternoon and stares down the street. 

It only takes a few minutes to get home. Jack fumbles around in the front pouch of his backpack, looking for something.

“Where’s your key?” asks Alexis.

“Don’t know, can’t find it.”

“Mom’s gonna kill you. Move.” Alexis opens the door with her key. 

Jack rushes in, drops his backpack on the kitchen table, and hurries to the living room. Alexis searches the fridge for something to eat. Their mother should be home any minute. Jack cranks the air conditioner, turns on the stereo, amplifier, and turns the volume up to eleven. He drops to his knees in front of the television turns it on, grabs a gaming controller, and flicks the switch to the console. The house vibrates. Dissatisfied with how long it’s taking to cool the room, Jack plugs a fan into an electric outlet that is teeming with plugs. Seconds pass in windy glory and then the fuse blows.

“When will you learn Jack?” whines Alexis as she barges into the living room. “We gotta fix this before Mom gets home. She’s under enough stress already. Quick, unplug the fan.” Jack unplugs the fan and flings the cable angrily against the wall and follows Alexis to the laundry room. They shift cleaning supplies to unblock the fuse box. Alexis says, “It’s time you learn how to fix this yourself.” She shows Jack how the fuse switches work and how to reset them. 

“What’s that big switch there at the top?” 

“It’s the master switch, turns everything off.” 

“Why would you do that?” asks Jack.

“Oh, you know, if an electrician was fixing something, they might turn it off so they don’t get electrocuted.”

“Ah. Oh, quick, Mom’s back!” 

The siblings quickly restore order and hurry into the kitchen. Their mother Linda comes through the door with a look of exhaustion on her face. She smiles softly when she sees them. 

Jack says, “Can Theo spend the night… and can we get pizza?”

Linda is happy to be here. This house is starting to feel like a home now. 

The evening is lively and lovely. While Linda and Alexis snack on the couch watching Poltergeist, Jack and his friend Theo play a game they call Lights Out. It’s a hybrid hide and seek game where they turn out all of the lights. The seeker seeks in the dark and tries to use his other senses to determine where the hider hides. The inspiration for the game comes from Jack’s love of the comic hero Daredevil - a blind vigilante. The phone rings and as Alexis heads to her room to take the call, Jack quietly whispers from his hiding spot, “Lexi, want to play?” She shakes her head. “Come on, you’re the best! It’s like you know how to vanish.” Alexis leans down and says, “It’s not about hiding – the secret is to keep moving undetected.” She leaves Jack with his blown mind then Theo pops out from behind a bookcase and proclaims, “Found ya!”

The friends migrate to the living room to watch Monster Squad and unsettle their stomachs with snacks. Around midnight Jack’s mother guides the boys up to his bedroom. Exhausted, everyone soon falls asleep. 

In the morning Alexis is the first to rise and the first thing she sees is that her dresser’s top drawer is open. She doesn’t remember leaving it that way and as she gets up to close it she notices a few photos on the floor. She affixes them to a collage on her wall and senses a photo from when she sunbathed by the river is missing. As she makes her way downstairs she smells fresh cut grass and hears the neighbor’s lawnmower roaring. The front door is ajar. In the kitchen, she sees a few open cupboards. The ‘swear jar’ on the counter is empty. Alexis runs upstairs and wakes her mother. 

Linda hides the intrusion from her son and directs him to accompany Theo on his walk home. She calls the police and pokes around to see what is out of place. 

Officer Dow arrives and soon after David, Sandy and Desmond show up. Linda and Sandy sit at the dinner table while Dave stands leaning against a kitchen counter. As Officer Dow finalizes his report Desmond, nosing around in the living room says, “Hey, didn’t you guys have a small wooden owl on the shelf here?” 

Linda hurries into the living room and confirms the missing owl. She says, “Why would anyone take this? It has no value - other than sentimental.” 

“Mrs. Newsom, the report’s done. I added the owl,” interjects Officer Dow. “Now, I don’t suspect the thief will be back. Anyway, we’ll have an officer parked out front tonight”

“Thanks.” 

Officer Dow leaves. Sandy notices Linda massaging her temples. She asks, “Are you OK?”

“Yeah, just have a migraine. I’ll take something for it later.”

David excuses himself and uses the downstairs bathroom. Desmond says, “You guys got a second bathroom upstairs right?” Linda nods. Alexis passes the upstairs bathroom on her way to her bedroom and believes she hears the medicine cabinet mirror close. After Desmond leaves she inspects the medicine cabinet and doesn’t see anything out of place. She waits upstairs for her uncle, Sandy, and Desmond to leave. When she finds her mother in the kitchen, Linda says, “Let’s keep this between us for now. As far as I know, Jack doesn’t know what happened last night. Probably better to leave him in the dark for now.”

“Ok, Mom.”

Alexis skips going to the library and keeps her mother company for the afternoon. Jack’s excited when he gets home and learns that they are ordering out again for dinner. The family enjoys Chinese food and the antics of Indiana Jones.  

Before bed, Linda double-checks all the doors and windows and draws the shades and curtains closed. She checks on the kids and takes one last look out of her bedroom window. She sees an officer parked out on the street in an unmarked car. Before climbing into bed, she takes some aspirin to combat her lingering headache.

The Officer parked in front of the Newsom residence rubs his eyes and takes a sip of sickly cold coffee. He glances around and wishes something would happen like a raccoon toppling over a garbage can. The sky is abnormally dark as thick clouds threaten rain. He’s suddenly startled when an announcement comes over his speaker. “Calling all available units. Fire reported on Pine St. Assistance needed securing the area. Report in immediately.” The Officer calls in, starts his car, and excitedly speeds off. 

From the woods near where the patrol car was parked comes a dark figure who purposely crosses the street undetected. At the Newsom residence’s front door, he quietly inserts a key into the deadbolt lock, releases the bolt enters, and closes the door behind. The house is darker than it was the night before, but the ambient light from the microwave and stove clocks, the DVD player and strategically placed nightlights illuminate the house nicely.

The intruder fearlessly looks over the Newsom’s things, pockets a video game cartridge, removes the Indiana JonesDVD and replaces it with Cape Fear, and moves wall frames around. He playfully ascends the stairs to the second floor and peeks in on Jack; who lies tangled up in his blankets. In Linda’s room, the intruder boldly thrashes her bed. She jostles around but remains asleep. 

The commotion wakes Jack. He quietly skulks into the hall and peers into his mother’s room. He catches the intruder as he peels down Linda’s blankets and studies the curves of her body. He removes a locket from her neck and pockets it. Jack unwillingly gasps. Before he’s seen by the intruder he dashes to his nearest hiding place, a tight space between the wardrobe in the hall. The intruder pops out into the hall, looks around, and sees nothing. He realizes he’s running out of time. Jack watches the intruder remove a roll of duct tape from his oversized hooded-sweatshirts pocket and enter Alexis’s room. Jack quietly moves to Alexis’s door and as he glances in, he sees the intruder quietly fingering through Alexis’s underwear drawer. 

Horrified, Jack silently descends the stairs and dashes into the kitchen. He grabs the phone and ducks into the walk-in pantry. He dials 9-1-1 and waits impatiently. When the operator answers, he quietly declares his address and that there is someone in the house. He doesn’t wait for a response. He leaves the pantry, opens the refrigerator door, and places the phone receiver in the fridge. He hears the operator telling him to stay on the line and once he closes the door there is silence. Jack races through the kitchen and into the laundry room. As he strains to clear the fuse box, he knocks over a tin container which causes an alarmingly loud crashing sound. Jack hears the intruder run to the top of the steps. He hears Alexis scream as she wakes and sees the intruder. Jack cries out, “Vanish” – then he flips the house’s master breaker switch and cuts off all the power to the house. All the ambient lights die. The dark skies, drawn blinds, and cut power plunges the house into absolute darkness. 

The intruder turns and lunges for Alexis but she rolls out of bed and hits the floor hard. He claws for her but she crawls around the base of the bed frame. Her natural inclination is to wake her mother, but her intuition tells her to duck into Jack’s room. The intruder rushes into Linda’s room but can’t find Alexis there. In haste, he bangs into the doorframe and stumbles into Jack’s room. Alexis crouches in a corner and listens as the intruder scuffs his feet along the carpet. When he bashes his shin against Jack’s bed frame Alexis traces the wall in the darkness and reaches the doorway.

Sirens wail through the neighborhood. Panic overtakes the intruder. Alexis closes Jack’s bedroom door. At the top of the steps, she whispers, “Jack?”

In the darkness, she hears, “I’m here.” 

“Quick, help me move this.” Jack follows the handrail and finds his sister’s hand in the darkness. She says, “Pull, and I’ll push.” 

Alexis and Jack slide a low table with shelves lined with books in front of the staircase. The intruder bumps into Jack’s bedroom door and paws for the doorknob. Jack instinctively climbs over the table and descends the stairs. The door opens before Alexis can flee. Counterintuitively she sneaks past Jack’s door and hides in the corner. The intruder stumbles from Jack’s room in the direction of the staircase. He bumps into the table and fumbles around moving further down the hall. He knocks frames from the wall and when Alexis hears him bump into the wardrobe she moves to and climbs over the table and meets Jack at the bottom of the stairs. 

The intruder continues to frantically claw around looking for the staircase. He’s consumed by the need to get out of the house. 

There is a loud knock against the door. An officer calls out, “It’s the police.” The officer turns the knob and opens the door. Beams of light shoot into the living room and when the responding officers enter, they see Alexis and Jack shielding the flashlight beams from their eyes. Jack points to the staircase. 

The officers find the intruder, Desmond Whitman cowering behind the curtain in the bathtub.