"Oh...no..." I let out a moan when I saw Shivers' window shattered up. "What have I done...?" I knew he's going to be ticked. A few pieces fell to the ground, the broken jagged window looking like sharp teeth, ready to eat someone up for dinner.
No other choice, I went next door. I hope she won't be mad... Her dad isn't home.
I rang the doorbell, figuring out how to express the damage I caused.
The door opened slightly. "Don't get mad, I-"
"No need to worry." It was Hannah, having me get the tension off my back.
"Th-Thank you... May I get my ball back?"
She looked from side to side and opened the door wider. "You'll have to be quick; my dad doesn't allow anyone in his house," she warned, stepping to the side to let me in. "Except the moving company," she added.
I stepped inside, taking the indoor of the house in. It was huge - both in and outside. Antiques strewn about. Walking, I saw where the living room was. I wanted to explore more, except I have to get my ball back.
I also don't want her dad to get mad when I'm here...
Hannah took me to where the ball crashed into. It turned out it was in her room. She went in, picking the ball up, tossing it to me.
I caught it with one hand. "I'm sorry about your window..." I felt guilt coming up.
"No need to worry," she smiled repeatedly. "It's not like I broke it and wanted to blame you for doing it." She laughed softly, yet those words made me feel strange. She took note of it. "Hey...you alright?" she called out worriedly.
"...yes..." was all I could get out. "I had... When you said that, I..." I honestly wasn't sure what to say. Releasing a breath, I looked at her. "I should get home..."
Removing myself from her bedroom, I went down the hall when something caught my eye.
It was a study room, my eyes on a tall bookcase, much taller than mine behind a large desk, sitting there with a leather, spinning chair behind it. My gaze was on the bookcase holding a lot of books - manuscripts to be more exact. I stepped into the room, drawn by the books, like I was on some sort of spell...
I merged closer to the bookcase, my curiosity getting stronger. The more I went over there, it grew bigger, bigger...until I was in front of it.
The book bindings have titles on them, and I used my finger to scan them "A Night In Terror Tower... The Haunted Mask... Vampire Breath... A Nightmare On Clown Street... The Beastly Babysitter... These are...these are Goosebumps books..." I realized, after reading a few titles. I took one off from one of the shelves that was between Werewolf Skin and The Legend Of The Lost Legend. "...Night Of The Living Dummy..." I murmured, studying the manuscript. The cover was made of leather, pages a yellow-ish white. What really got to me is the lock. "Why is this on here...?" I set the book down on the desk, taking out another one - Don't Go To Sleep! It, too, is also locked up. "What's up with these locks...?" My eyes landed on letters intended on the bottom of the cover. "R.L. Stine..." Hm... I wonder what happened to him... I have all of his books.
However, I was more curious about the locks than the author. Why are they locked up?
I grabbed the lock, seeing if I could pry it off.
Of course it's stupid...like me...
It didn't take long when I spotted a key on the desk with a glass dome over top of it.
Removing the glass dome, I grabbed the key. It had a black string attached to it.
It's like those keys for secret diaries... I thought, studying the tiny object in the palm of my hand. I inched the key to the lock...
My heart beat rapidly. I began to feel anxious... something inside my head is trying to stop me from unlocking this book...this manuscript...
The lock made its target... I twisted the key... the lock - the two clasps holding the book shut - clicked.
My heart continued to race like a jackhammer. I slowly opened the book...
"STOP!" I dropped the manuscript when I heard a yell, scaring the daylights out of me. "Don't unlock the book!" I saw it was Hannah, fear written on her. "Where is it!?" she frantically hollered.
"It's on the floor..." I pointed downwards.
"Alright..." Sighing with relief, she nodded. "You're lucky you hadn't unlocked it." My eyes widened when she made a false claim. "...what...? she questioned.
I opened my mouth to speak. "...I..." I started to sweat. "...I..."
"I what...?" It was when she realized something. "You unlocked the book... didn't you?"
"...yes...? I mean, yes. Yes, I did," I confessed, shaking my head, admitting to her. "I apologize. Let me get it-"
"Wait-!"
All of the sudden, the book flew out of my hand, landing on the floor. It opened up, like it has a mind of its own, pages flipping. A blue light burst out, creating what can be described as a tornado, ink going with it, swirling around and around. Wind so strong it made my hair fly back.
The wind died down, and standing there were two men in tuxedos with ties, both black, a white shirt underneath, along with black slacks and dress shoes. They had sunglasses covering their eyes.
They look like The Men In Black...
The two men smiled as one of them spoke. "Finally! We are free from our book, Wyane."
"Yes, Bruce, we are free," the other one, known as Wyane, whose skin tone is like mine and Hannah's, hair a light brown, agreed.
Bruce, who's skin is a dark tone with no hair, with a black mustache connecting to his goatee rubbed his hands together. He had an eerie grin. "Time for the Reality Police to take action... Who opened up our book?"
His partner lifted a finger. "It could be one of those girls." The two of us girls stepped sideways when his grin grew wider. A strong chill ran down my spine. Something tells me these guys aren't good news... "Which of you opened the manuscript?" he asked, his friend standing next to him.
"Uh..." I let out, unsure what to say. I leaned towards Hannah and whispered. "Am I crazy or did they pop out of the book?" Lame question... They certainly have come out of a story book. I look back at the men. "I don't mean to open the manuscript..."
"You're the one who released us?" Wayne interrupted, sounding pleasantly pleased. "It's such an honor for you to let us out."
"You have no idea how long it's been when we were last let out of our manuscript," Bruce added. "Our creator locked us in that book."
"And since you let us out, we can take over the police station!"
I could only stare at them, trying to process what I had witnessed. I saw them jumping out of a book, now standing here in the very room, in the very house I know nothing about.
I wasn't sure whether to run out of there or stay. I was the one who caused this... Oh, no... Shivers' daughter is going to despise me for sure. I can see it now.
I turned over to her. She showed no fear. She stayed composed. "I don't think so..." she responded slowly, walking towards them...no... not towards them. She was making her way to the book. "You aren't taking over the Madison Police Station..." She went down. "...or anywhere else for the matter." She picked up the book - when it got ripped away from her. "Give it back!" she cried, jumping for it when Bruce held it up high for her unable to get it.
"Hee hee, what's the matter? Too short to reach?" The man poked fun at her.
She released a gasp. "I'm not that short." I can tell she's a bit offended.
"You are a girl," he continued to tease. "Why, I bet-"
"Leave her alone, jerk!" The men and Hannah both looked in my direction. "Have you heard of the phrase 'pick on someone your own size?' Cause it's clearly you don't know that," I graved out.
"Please," Bruce waved off with no care. "You're nothing."
The word stung like a horrible bee sting, only worse. I've heard it all the time... It hits me like a baseball bat...or a leather strap...
I wanted to cry, though I couldn't. No...these people have no reason to say...to call me...
I went over - and kicked him on the lower part of one of his legs. "Ow!" he cried out in agony, dropping the manuscript. "What the-?" He went to say a curse word when I flipped the book back open. "No... No!" I held the book open when he began protesting. "You imbecile! You idiot! We were just out of the book!"
"Sorry," I hollered over the howling wind, even though I never meant it. "You men are bad news, anyway."
"We will be released again; just you wait." However, I ignored Wayne when he went on. "Our creator cannot keep us locked inside for all eternity. He created us for a reason." Created...? They're creator...? What is he... "You've won this time, girls, but remember, when the book opens, we're out of there!"
"Maybe forever."
They got sucked back into the book, as I slammed the book shut until it sort of got torn away from me. I felt a tad startled when I saw Hannah picking up the key, locking up the clasps together.
I was feeling very bad... She's not going to...
I sighed. Get it over with, Ezzy... "...Hannah?"
"You're lucky my dad is still out eating." She put the book away. "Boy, my dad will kill me if he saw one of his creations out of his books."
I raised an eyebrow. "Creations?" I have no clue what she's talking about.
She blinked, darting her eyes around the room. "Err..." I waited for her to say something when we heard the front door open. She froze when we heard her father on the first floor.
"Hannah, I'm home."
