A Little Unexpected

First of all, I should tell you that, following a home invasion a few months ago, Mom insisted Sally have an alarm system installed. A loud one.

With buttons in every room of the house.

Which, when pressed, can signal Arcturus.

Well, that’s what it seems like.

Actually, I was fairly enthusiastic about said alarm system, being intimately involved in said invasion.

On with our story…

Okay, I admit it.

I overreacted.

But when one lives with Sally…

Sally and Mort have returned. She was away, filming some sort of thriller—a departure for her. Mostly she’s been cast in adventures.

She doesn’t have to act for those. (snort!)

Ahem…

Anyways, this film featured Sally (in the starring role) as a girl who ends up staying in some sort of haunted castle. They were filming at a genuine castle somewhere in Romania. Where, apparently, the ‘spookiness’ didn’t have to be enhanced in any way.

‘Nuff said.

But since they’ve been back, Sally has been…anxious. You know, nightmares. Sleepwalking.

Like we didn’t have enough to contend with when she is just ‘normal’.

What am I saying?!

It’s been strange because, up until now, there hasn’t been anything that seems to disturb our girl. She has handled her usually self-inflicted chaotic life—including kidnapping—with equanimity (look it up) and courage.

Anyways, at about 11 pm I kissed Peter goodnight at the front door and waved him off, then headed to bed.

Everyone else had already retired and the house was blessedly quiet.

It remained so for a couple of hours.

Then there was a horrendous scream next to my bed.

I am not making this up. The scream was right there beside me!

Of course, it was Sally, on one of her new sleep-walking dream tours. Something I figured out later. After my brain actually caught up.

Of course, I sat straight up from my sound sleep.

Of course, I slapped the button on the night table next to my bed.

And the aforementioned alarm system?

Well, just know that there are emergency workers enroute from Arcturus as we speak.

The ones closer by—ie. the police—arrived within a couple of minutes.

Confusion, shouting and milling by partially-awake people along with the screaming of a very upset baby added to the confusion.

Let’s just face it—if anyone in our neighbourhood—in our city—had been asleep, they weren’t any longer.

By the time the police had shut off the klaxon, ascertained (Ooo! Good word!) that no one had broken in and Sally et al were safe and accounted for, every light in the neighborhood was on with most of the neighbours standing out on their lawns. Or ours.

Sleep was probably banned forever.

Sigh.

The police finally left.

Mom and Dad took Ivy Jean up to their suite to calm her down.

Even Sally and Mort disappeared downstairs into their apartment.

With stern admonitions for Sally to stay there.

And never work on another scary picture.

Ever.

I was sitting on the front step, enjoying the newfound peace when Peter appeared on his bicycle.

In his PJ’s.

Oh, I forgot to mention that the alarm also goes off at his house—something he insisted on after that home invasion wherein I…never mind. You understand.

“Gwen!” he gasped out. He dropped the bike on the lawn and scooped me up off the step. “Are you all right?”

I felt my face grow hot. “Yeah. It was a misunderstanding.”

“Oh, man! I’ve never been so worried. I couldn’t get you on your phone—or anyone else either.”

“Oh, sorry. Things were a little—”

He didn’t wait for me to finish. “Then my stupid car wouldn’t start!” His hold on me tightened. “The distance from your house to mine might as well have been from here to the moon!”

“Yeah, I think they heard the alarm there—”

Again he interrupted. “I can’t stand this a moment longer!” He set me down, then dropped to one knee. “Gwen, will you marry me? Please?”

Use Your Words is a writing challenge!

Each month, I exchange words with my friend and intrepid leader, Karen of Baking in a Tornado 

Neither of us knows what the other will do with her words.

This month, Karen gave me: 

found ~ where ~ people ~ return ~ dream

Thank you, my friend!

Now go see what Karen did with my words!

BakingIn ATornado