The Chair in the Middle of the Room - Part I

The Chair in the Middle of the Room

Part I

Written by Cassia Sherrill

James hears a loud knock, and he opens his parents’ front door to see Ethan, Will, and Q standing on the front porch. They all have their backpacks on and are looking at him with knowing smirks. Ethan looks directly at him and says, “Okay, James, no chickening out. You’re coming with us.”

“No way!” says James. “There is no way I am going into that house. I’ve had nightmares about that place for days.”

Q cuts in, “Dude, exactly! We have to go investigate.”

“Remember when you first told us about your nightmare? You said you were in the house, and that you saw a single chair in the middle of an empty room?” Ethan inquires.

“Yeah?” James questions.

“But you’ve just moved here,” Will points out. “So you have never actually been in that abandoned house before!”

“Yeah...so?”

“We have grown up going to that abandoned house, and we know there is a single chair in the middle of the room. And remember when you told us you heard a squeal and glass shattering at the house in another nightmare?” Ethan asks, and James nods in reply. “Well, my mom said they received reports on Tuesday of screaming and commotion, and it seemed to be coming from the abandoned house.”

Will mentions, “Yo, I still get chills about that!”

Q quickly punches his arm and whispers, “Shut up, Will!”

Clearly frustrated and nervous, James says, “Okay, so why does that mean we have to go investigate? Your mom and the other police officers should go and do that. Not us. Not me.”

“Dude, they did go and investigate, and they found shattered glass and small blood traces on the chair. But they found no sign of life or a commotion otherwise,” says Ethan.

James quickly mentions, “I feel sick…”

“James, dude, you don’t get it. What if you are like Harry Potter or something when he was able to see what Voldemort was going to do before he did it?”

Will and Q simultaneously say, “Cool” and “Awesome.”

James says, “That was a movie...I wouldn’t be able to-”

Ethan interrupts, “Yes, James, I think you could. I think that is what is happening, and we would be fools if we kept ignoring the signs. Your nightmares are our signs, and we have to start investigating so that we can figure out what is happening. We have gotta help whoever is getting hurt in that house, and you are the one with the weird dreams that predict what’s going to happen. You have got to come. It is for the good of mankind.” Ethan takes a confident breath after his “hero” monologue.

James responds, “For the good of mankind?”

Q whispers to Will, “Yeah, that seems a little steep.”

Ethan’s face turns a bit red, but he quickly comes back with, “Shut up! You are missing my point here! We have got to do this!”

James says, “Ethan, what are you trying to prove here?”

“I’m not trying to prove anything! I am trying to save someone.” Ethan’s tone gets serious, “And I am trying to get you to stand up to your fears.”

A solid few seconds go by as everyone is waiting for James to respond. James sighs heavily and inquires, “What would I have to do?”

Will throws James a backpack, and Ethan smiles wide. “Meet us tonight at the Gomer St. corner. Around 10:00pm.”

Will mentions, “Bring that supply bag!”

Ethan rolls his eyes. “Yeah, sure. Bring the bag. But be there, and in the meantime, write down everything you can remember about your nightmares in the house.”

“Fine. I will come, but the second things start to get scary I am out!”

Q whispers, “Pussy” to Will, and James gives them an evil glare.

Ethan sticks out his hand and says, “Deal!” James reluctantly shakes his hand, and the three boys call out, “See you tonight” as they grab their bikes to head out.

As James shuts the door, he hears Will yell, “Don’t forget your supply bag!”