Chapter 2

The dream was very vivid. So vivid in fact that Dai woke up in a sweat. She got out of bed and walked outside and looked at the house across the swamp. She wondered if she was imagining seeing anyone there after all. The house was dark now. She must have dreamt it. She walked back inside and fixed herself some cereal. As she was eating she decided to ask around town and see what she could find out. She finished breakfast, brushed her teeth, got dressed and headed into town.

Dai talked to several people, but they all said the same thing. That house has been empty for years and to their knowledge still was.

She just couldn't understand it. She knew she saw someone there. She got back home and decided to do some research on the house. Maybe she could find something there.

"Oh wow!" said Dai as she read the article. Suddenly the phone rang. She looked at the caller id and noticed it was her sister Kei.
"Hey there sis! How's life in the swamp?"
"It's fine. Actually I've run across something pretty interesting here."
"Really? What is it?"
"Well there's a house just up the road. I can actually see it from my lower porch. Anyway, the first few times I went by it the house looked empty and abandoned. But when I got home last night there were lights on and a guy standing outside. When I  looked back a few seconds later the lights were off and the guy was gone!"
"Come on Dai! Maybe he went inside and went to bed."
"Well I thought that too. So I went to town this morning to ask around and everyone said it's been empty for years and still was."
"Okay. That's a little strange. Maybe nobody knew that someone had moved in."
"Kei the whole town knew when I moved in. But that's not all! I came home and did some research on that house and it said that the people that used to live there was brutally murdered by their own son! The son was never found."
"Dai it doesn't sound very safe there. Maybe mom was right. You should come home."
"Please! Why should I do that? There's so much exciting stuff going on here. Kei, I'm going to go over there and snoop."
"Dai don't  you dare! What if you get caught? Dad will be upset if you do that."
"Dad's not going to find out. I'll be perfectly safe."
"I don't know Dai."
"Listen, I'm going to go. It's almost nightfall and I want to check it out. I'll call you in the morning."
"Why don't you wait? Let me come down first. That way I'll be there to help you."
"I don't want to wait. I'll be fine Kei."
"Well if I don't hear from you in the morning I'm going to tell dad."
"Fine. I'll talk to you in the morning Kei."

Dai hung up the phone and walked outside. She looked over towards the house up the road. All the lights were off and it was completely dark. Now was as good a time as any to go looking around. As she was walking over she started thinking about what Kei had said. She stopped dead in her tracks.
"Maybe I should wait" she thought, "No! It's just your nerves talking dai! You have nothing to worry about."
She walked up to the door of the house and looked around. She didn't see anyone. She made her way inside to look around. It was very modestly furnished in the living room and kitchen.

She walked back towards the bedroom. When she walked in she couldn't believe what she saw. The walls were covered in writing. She took out her camera and took a picture of one of the walls.

"Wow this is creepy. What does this say?"
Dai was about to read it when she heard a noise outside.
"Oh well I have it on my camera" she thought and decided to get out of there. Once she was outside she ran all the way home. When she got there she noticed there was a car in her driveway.

"Who could be here visiting at this hour?"
Dai approached the lower porch quietly and looked around. When she didn't see anyone she headed up the stairs.
"Hmm...front door is unlocked. I know I locked it." When she stepped inside her heart jumped in her throat.
"He made me bring him Dai. I'm sorry."
"Who made you bring him? What are you talking about Kei?" as Dai sat beside her on the sofa.

Just as the words came out of Dai's mouth the bathroom door opened.
"Dai, dad would flip!" said her brother Scot. "What were you thinking?"
"Kei! How could you? You promised!"

"No, I promised not to tell dad. Scot isn't dad."
Dai stared at Kei then at Scot.

"Look Dai, I overheard her on the phone. I forced her to tell me."
"And where exactly does mom and dad think the two of you are?"
"Umm...well, we told them we were paying our little sis a visit." Kei smiled at Dai.
"What? Didn't they wonder why you both all of a sudden wanted to come visit at the last minute?"
"Well you wouldn't believe the art museum they have here and Kei wanted to come and I volunteered to travel with her to keep an eye on her and of course to check up on you."
"Oh! By the way Dai, you told me about the museum" said Kei smiling.

Dai couldn't stay angry with Kei or Scot. She was glad to have them here anyway to share her information with them.
"Okay. Well you're here now so I might as well show you what I found."
Scot and Kei sat there looking at the research Dai had done.
"What does this prove Dai?"
"Well I just got back from snooping in his house. There was this wall that had all kinds of writing on it. I took a picture of it." Dai showed Scot an Kei the photo on her digital camera.
"Are you sure you saw someone there? Maybe it's just because you are in a strange place."
"Scot I saw him. I even think I heard him growl."
"What? Growl? Come on Dai!" Kei said.
Dai sighed and looked at her siblings. "Come outside with me. I want to show you both something."
The three of them walked outside and downstairs to the lower porch. They all three faced the neighboring house.
"Is that someone staring out of the window?" Scot asked.
"Yes it is. I wonder if he knows I was in there?"

Suddenly Dai could have sworn someone whispered in her ear "Yes I know!" A chill ran down her spine.
"Let's go back in. Tomorrow is a new day" Dai said.
As they were walking back towards the stairs Dai looked back at the neighboring house. He was standing there in his front yard staring back at her.