by Rob Shepherd
“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.
“Shh…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 are 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…”