Welcome To The Neighborhood

The place. Wyoming, Michigan. The time, now.
There’s something the realtor doesn’t tell you when you move to this cul-de-sac. There’s…things here…things no one can explain.
You see, during the day the neighbors enjoy the sun, talk to each other, have picnics and block parties. But the second the Sun is down and the moon is up, you won’t find a soul out on the streets.
There are a few clueless people that either don’t get the news soon enough or just don’t believe it. So when they go outside to watch the thunderstorms, someone…or something…is out there too.
I lost track of the time and I’m just leaving my friend’s house-right as the Sun is going down. Of course I have my bike so that will save my ass right there. But I’m still a mile away at least.
Good thing I’m fast.
Two blocks away, and I start hearing them. I know I don’t have much time to get inside.
I petal like my life depends on it…and it does.
My lungs are about to burst. And my hair is matted down with sweat. I take a glance towards the woods…they’re getting closer. I see their glowing eyes not too far away from the edge of the woods. I don’t even know what they are really…just that I don’t want to EVER be by one.
I’m almost at my house when the Sun is just a sliver of orange and red. I don’t even bother to stop all the way before jumping off my bike. I fell on my knees but that doesn’t stop me. I get up as quickly as possible and sprint towards the door. I whip the door open and slam it shut then slide down to the floor in a haze. I was about five seconds away from having ‘them’ rip me to shreds…or whatever they do.
My mom comes from around the corner of the room. She tosses down the book when she sees me, asking ‘What happened?’ and ‘Why are you crying?’ I look at her with a blank stare before I realize that I have tear stains down my cheeks. I get up holding onto the door knob and with my mom holding my elbow. With a blurry vision and weak knees, I make my way to my room. Turning on the lights I don’t dare look out my window, afraid of what I’d see-Afraid of what might see me. Peeling off my sweatshirt that lives up to its name in the 80 degree weather, I fall on my bed wanting to forget the whole thing. Wishing we never moved here. Even though most of my friends live in this neighborhood, I never know which of them will be stupid enough to stay out after sunset. Its Summer right now…and thank God for that. But when school comes I’m always worried about my friends if they don’t show up to school. I guess that’s when texting in school comes in for us…
I wake up with throbbing knees, I look down and see the dried blood and dirt.
“Perfect…” I mutter sarcastically to myself. I make my way to the shower as I prepare myself for a long day of work.

“Hey, Emily?…” My boss, Amanda, asks kind of suspicious.
“…Yeah?” I say back, a little hesitant.
“I really hate to tell you this but…You have the last shift tonight”
“…What?! I thought you were done with late night deliveries ever since…” I lower my voice, “The ‘accident’…”
“Well that was a long time ago Emily…things changed.”
“Yeah like the body count…” I say under my breath.
“What was that?” She asks, mockingly.
“Nothing.” I breath.
“That’s what I thought…Your shift starts at 8,” turning away. I want to rip that fake red hair out by the roots. I can’t believe she was sending people outside after dark! I want to quit…but I need money to fix my car. So I’m stuck…

That night I load up the delivery car with the stupid mailing logo on the side, and make my way to morons who ordered this crap.
I speed through every delivery looking in my review mirror and parking as close to the door as possible.
Until I get to my last house, that is. Its small and worn looking; It has a small broken tire swing on one of the nearby trees and a rusty looking swing set. I walk slowly on the pebbled walkway staring at the twisted chains that rock back and forth that connected the swings to the metal bar above them. I knock on the door about three times before deciding to just put the package on the crooked porch swing. Turning back I notice something peculiar: a cement square about five feet away from the tree that held the tire swing. I walk over there, not knowing why exactly, and find four broken handprints with dents around them that would have held those colorful marbles you put in a dish for decoration. There was a date underneath all this, 1996. Well no wonder it looked so broken, it was put there 15 years ago! Just as I was about to walk away I hear the front door open. I whip my head around to see a guy who looked like he was in his mid 40’s staring me down with a shot gun. I get up on my feet so fast that I had to steady myself with the tree trunk.
“Who are you?” The mystery guy asks me.
“Umm…Emily…” I stutter, scared out of my mind. One wrong move and this guy could put a bullet between my eyes!
“Why are you here?” He asks. I point to the package silently. He looks at it for a few seconds before turning and walking towards it. I start back to my car but when he hears me he points the gun back at me.
“Hold it right there…” He said. I put my hands up, I feel like a total idiot. I have a hand gun in the glove department of my car, I wish I thought of grabbing it before getting out of the car. I’m just a scrawny 17 year old, with muscles like raw meat… I pull myself out of my own thoughts, this guy has a gun pointed at me…pull yourself in gear!
Finally, I snap. “What is your problem dude? I just came to drop off a package, not a bomb!” I yell at him dropping my hands down to my sides. He looks at me for awhile then puts his gun down and looks up at the sky where the sun was now two thirds below the horizon. “Come inside, it’s not safe out there anymore.” I look around and almost say no when I realize something-Die inside or out…it’s all the same.