Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: Flat (01/03/13)
-
TITLE: Untold History | Previous Challenge Entry
By Allison Egley
01/10/13 -
LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE
SEND A PRIVATE COMMENT
ADD TO MY FAVORITES
********
Actually, we can talk, kind of. No, the flat isn't haunted. I know what you're thinking. A talking wall? Impossible. But you see, we don't talk in the traditional sense, so this flat is no more haunted than any other house. But I can tell a story.
You see that blue mark in the corner there? Cody was four. He thought I was too boring and white. So he decided he'd fix that problem. He grabbed some crayons. And a blue permanent marker. Whoops. I had to laugh. It kind of tickled. He created quite the masterpiece. Unfortunately, Mom didn't appreciate his art as much as I did. She couldn't stay mad for long, though. After all, he drew a family portrait of him, his brother, and Mom holding hands. Mom got most of it out, but not all.
And look over there. See the black marks near the baseboards? The first time Mom and Dad let Jake watch Cody, they turned this place into a roller skating rink. I don't think the babysitters stopped for about three years after that incident.
Then there's that rough place over there. Boys will be boys, they say. Cody was eight and Jake was ten. They were watching wrestling on TV. The real kind. You know, Olympic style. No bouncing off of ropes or pounding someone's head with a folding chair. Cody got Jake in a headlock. Jake spun out of it, and his elbow went right through me. I believe that was ER visit number thirty-nine, and for me, patch up job number six.
See that chip from the vent cover up there? Matchbox car and ramp: one point. Vent cover: zero. Same story for the outlet cover down there, minus the ramp.
Then there are the floors. I'll never forget the first time Cody broke curfew. He thought he'd be smart and take he shoes off. He forgot about the squeaky floorboard. And the fact that parents never sleep until all their kids are safe in bed. He bounced a ball off of me for a week, waiting for his punishment to be over.... and his black eye to heal. He we so surprised when he made the floor board squeak, he ran right into my doorframe.
Behind the door in the kids' bedroom, there's a small hole. Cody wanted out, Jake wanted to keep him in. Jake let go.
In the bathroom, there are some watermarks near the bottom. Jake wanted to show Cody the "sink and float" experiment from preschool. They used the most accessible water source available: the toilet. When mom came in, they tried to flush away the evidence. I’m sure you can conclude what happened after that. I think Mom garnished their allowance for two years to pay for the plumber.
Soon, a new family will move into this old flat. I'll get a new coat of paint, vent and outlet covers will be replaced, and squeaky floorboards will be fixed. My stories will start anew. And when you're ready, I'll be right here, ready to tell their stories too.
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.
Accept Jesus as Your Lord and Savior Right Now - CLICK HERE
JOIN US at FaithWriters for Free. Grow as a Writer and Spread the Gospel.
God bless~