Thor sniffled in the backyard beyond the pool, then lay on the grass in the warm sun.
Trina sat on a stool at the island in the kitchen and read an e-book on her tablet.
Josslyn came in with Maddie in her arms. “Your father and your brother are going with me to the market to get some groceries for tonight and the rest of the week,” she signed. “They’re waiting for me in the car. Would you like to come with us?”
“Naw,” Trina signed. “I’m going to make a late lunch and continue reading this e-book.”
“Okay. Thor is out back, just to let you know. Will you be all right by yourself?”
“Yes. I’ll keep an eye on Diva and the kittens, and check on the rabbits, too.”
“Good. Would you like me to get anything for you?”
Trina thought for a moment. “No. I can’t think of anything at the moment, but if I do, I’ll text you.”
“All right. We’ll be back soon.” Josslyn patted her daughter on the shoulder, then left the kitchen.
Trina went to the fridge and withdrew several items to make her personal favorite—an Italian sub sandwich. She placed the mayo, mustard, salami, and lettuce on the island and made the sandwich, then sat down to read the e-book.
Behind her, off to one side, was a small breakfast nook with a wooden table and matching chairs, which the family seldom used. One of the wooden chairs moved from one side of the nook to the other. The chair legs’ bottoms scraped along the tiled floor, and Trina felt the vibrations on the soles of her feet. She lifted her head and gave a cursory look before her, glancing to her right and left. Then, noticing nothing out of order, she continued to read as she took a bite of her sandwich and savored it.
Behind her, a pair of cupboard doors above the kitchen counter opened. One drinking glass slid forward along the shelf. Then it tipped over the edge and fell on the counter with a crash. It shattered to pieces and fragments fell onto the floor and scattered about. Another glass slid out, fell and shattered, its shards added to the others on the floor.
Trina turned her head and noticed movement out of the corner of her eye. She saw a glass slide out and fall, and then another glass slide out and fall. She turned in time to see the refrigerator door open. Wary, she rose from the stool and backed away from the island with her eyes focused on the refrigerator door. She grasped the tablet and her knuckles turned white. She forgot about the sandwich and continued to back away toward the den. Fear gripped her.
She glanced at the maternity box. Five kittens moved about, but Diva was not in the box or anywhere in the den either. Trina continued to back away with her eye on the refrigerator door. She stared at the contents on the shelves within the refrigerator as she scanned the kitchen. She ended up in the laundry room and backed into the stacked washer-dryer unit. She whirled around to see what she’d bumped into and emitted a short, quick sigh of relief. She turned around to peer into the kitchen to the den.
She saw the laundry room door bang shut. Her lower lip quivered, and she trembled with fear. She went to the door, placed her hand on the knob, and tried to turn it. It wouldn’t budge, although the doorknob did not have a lock. She twisted and jiggled the doorknob, pushed and pulled on it, while she hoped the door would open. She went to the single-hung vertical sliding window and pushed up on the lower panel, which wouldn’t budge, either. She exerted all her strength, pushing the lower panel but to no avail.
Trina grabbed her tablet and texted:
Help! Get Mom and Dad to come—
The tablet flew out of her hands, soared through the air, and smashed against the wall with incredible force. It landed on the tiled floor and cracked.
Trina ran to the tablet and pressed the power button several times. The device would not come on. She screamed in fear and frustration and thought of what she could do to get out of this room. She banged on the door with both fists and kicked it hard. She screamed again.
Thor heard the commotion from the backyard and got up on all fours, his ears perked. He ran around the side of the pool, toward the double sliding glass doors, which closed by themselves. Thor barked and stood on his hind legs and pawed at the glass.
The fresh vegetables in the produce section looked appetizing as Josslyn wheeled the shopping cart with Nathan by her side. Caden assessed some produce in the fruit section nearby. Maddie lay in the baby basket carrier wedged in the child’s seat of the cart. She cooed and gurgled, and her arms flapped about on occasion.
“Those look really good,” Josslyn signed to Nathan. “I’m going to get some of these.” She picked up a bunch of fresh broccoli and bagged it, then some corn-on-the-cob and a head of Romaine lettuce. “We’ll have some of these to go with dinner tonight.” She turned to look for Caden and wheeled the cart toward him. “We’re about done here,” she signed. “Please text Trina and ask if she’s absolutely sure there is nothing I can get her.”
“Okay,” Caden signed. He swiped the face of the device with his finger and texted:
Mom is done w/ shopping, wants 2 know if U want anything from store B4 we leave.
“Sent,” Caden signed.
“We’ll give her a few minutes to reply,” Josslyn signed.
She and Nathan observed other shoppers while they waited for Trina to reply.
“No reply,” Caden signed after a few moments.
“All right,” Josslyn signed. “We’ll just go to the checkout counter, then head on home.”
Trina continued to bang and kick on the door as Nathan, Josslyn, Caden, and Maddie entered the house.
Nathan and Caden carried grocery bags while Josslyn hefted the baby basket carrier by the handles.
Beyond the living room, toward the back, they noticed Thor barking nonstop and pawing at the sliding glass partition.
“I’ll go let the dog in,” Caden signed, then put the bags on the kitchen counter. “I hear what sounds like banging, but I'm not sure where it's coming from.”
Josslyn and Nathan went into the kitchen. She set the baby basket carrier on the island among the condiments Trina had left on the counter. She noticed an unfinished sandwich on Trina's plate and wondered where Trina could be.
“Oh, no!” Nathan signed to Josslyn. “There’s broken glass all over the counter and on the floor.” He looked up at where the glasses had fallen off and smashed on the counter and the floor. The cupboard doors were closed.
Josslyn went around the island. She pursed her lips in anger. “I can only imagine what happened,” she signed, pensive.
“I’ll clean this up right away,” Nathan signed. He went to the small utility closet next to the pantry and pulled out a broom and dustpan.
Caden opened one sliding glass partition and Thor bolted through the den. He barked and pawed at the closed laundry room door while Trina banged, kicked, and screamed from within.
Caden placed his hand on the doorknob. He felt the strong vibrations of the door as it was pounded and kicked. He opened the door and found Trina upset, her face beet-red and tear-streaked.
“What happened?” he signed.
Trina ran to Josslyn and Nathan. She almost knocked over Josslyn as she collided into her. She hugged her mother in a tight embrace as she shuddered with fear and sobbed with relief.
“What is it, Trina?” Josslyn signed. “What happened?”
Trina tried to catch her breath and calm down. “I was sitting here, eating my lunch and reading an e-book, when I noticed the refrigerator door opened by itself. It scared me, so I got up and backed away from it. When I got into the laundry room, the door slammed shut. I tried to open it, but it was locked!”
“There’s no lock on that door,” Josslyn signed.
“I know! But it wouldn’t open! I couldn’t get the window to open either! I started to text you on my tablet, but it flew right out of my hands and smashed against the wall. The front of it is all cracked, and the power won’t come on.” She cried some more and put her head on Josslyn’s shoulders.
“We’ll get you another tablet,” Josslyn signed. She turned to Nathan. “I’m so ticked off at that cursed spirit!”