The Book of Secrets

After moving out from my parents house I finally had enough money to get a house of my own. I had gotten my close friend Ryan to move in with me and help out with some of the costs. Ryan is a rather timid guy, he jumps at any strange sound and is terrified of simple things. Small animals, pests, and insects get the best of him. Thankfully the house we are moving into is very maintained and doesn't have problems with pests. Ryan wears tight clothing most of the time, he's so skinny that you'd think the wind would fly him like a kite. His hair is as dark as night and he wears glasses with really thin frames, they look as if they could snap any second. We both worked together in a mailing warehouse. Fortunately for us it paid well but occasionally one of us worked the night shift from time to time.

After finally getting the paperwork setup and the utilities into place for the house we started to move things in and settle down. Ryan had never seen the house so I was excited to show him, it was a great size for the both of us. We made it to the house at the same time together, as I got out the car Ryan waved at me and said something but he wasn't loud enough. "What did you say?" I yelled from across the running car. "My bad Andrew I said if it's okay if I go in and take a look since I haven't been here before". "Yeah dude go ahead, it's our house now so have fun and explore!" Ryan runs in to look around the house as I start to carry some bags and personal belongings. I walk in and start dropping stuff off at the entrance to go back and grab more. As I'm walking back Ryan runs back from exploring. "Yo Andrew this house is kind of big, honestly I'm impressed". I give him a smirk and say "Man we needed a place of our own, I'm just glad you came along for the ride".

After what felt like hours of unloading we had gotten everything into the house and had even finished organizing all of our furniture too. Our job is very considerate, thankfully they gave us three days off so we could move in and get settled without any pressure. Since we finished moving our stuff in, Ryan and I met in the kitchen and popped open a bottle of wine. We wanted to celebrate our new purchase and finally being home owners. The lighting in the kitchen was amazing with a beautiful chandelier hanging above us, reflecting off the smooth marble countertops. We cheered and drank our glasses of wine. I gazed into the glass and could see my reflection, my smooth sandy colored hair, with a couple of freckles staining my face.

After a few glasses of wine we had decided to call it a night and head off to sleep. The house was in great condition but that didn't stop it from having a few creaks here and there. The pipes sometimes made noises also, I just hope it doesn't keep Ryan up all night. A long night of moving furniture and moving stuff in had me exhausted. I started to drift off thinking about all of the things I could get done tomorrow. "I can't wait to enjoy our house to its fullest extent" I say to myself.

I wake up and rub my eyes to clear them of gunk, as I sit up I yawn and put on my slippers. I walk to the bathroom half asleep still to brush my teeth and wash my face. As I'm walking in I notice my tooth brush and tooth paste where sitting out. I found that very odd since I thought I had put everything up but I guess I hadn't. After finishing my morning routine I found Ryan sitting down on the couch with a cup of coffee in hand. He looked at me worried and asked a strange question. "Hey um were you walking around last night?" "No dude, why do you ask?" A blank expression fills Ryan's face. "Well I...I heard someone, well I heard footsteps pacing around the house and I wanted to think it was you because I was starting to get scared". I looked at him puzzled "No man I wasn't walking around but I did use to sleep walk as a child, that probably explains it. I mean we are in a new house and well I have been nervous and anxious, maybe it's triggered my sleep walking". He looked a little relieved but still confused. "Dang man, you really scared me for a second you should be careful, I don't want anything to happen to you while you walk around". "Don't worry about me Ryan I'll be fine I haven't had issues with sleep walking I just tend to roam around that's all".

Ryan got up off the couch and washed his cup, he came back and turned on the TV we set up from the night before. "Hey Andrew, don't choke while you sleep walk man". "What are you talking about Ryan?" He points to the coffee table and the couch cushions. There were several crumbs of what looked like crackers and cookies. "Dang, I didn't know I ate while I sleep walked, guess I'll eat something before I go to bed. I was probably just looking for a snack since I went to bed hungry"

The day went by fairly quickly, I did a little work around the house like cutting the yard and starting to plant a few flowers. Ryan left after watching TV to get a few more house decorations. He had brought back a few picture frames and trinkets to have on the counters and the coffee table. "There we go! It feels a little more like home now". Ryan said with great enthusiasm. As the sun set in I got my gardening stuff and started to put it up before it got darker. We sat together by the TV and watched a few shows and cartoons. I'm twenty five years old and here I am watching cartoons like I'm ten. Honestly though I couldn't complain because it was a great nostalgia trip. It started to get late again so I cut off the TV, I looked over and Ryan was passed out on the couch. Suddenly a strange sound came from the walls, then it moved up to the ceiling. "Sounds like Rats" I tell myself. I wait for the sound to go away before waking up Ryan since I didn't want him to worry about rodents. The house was then filled with a quiet serenity, not even as squeak, perfect time to wake up Ryan. "Hey man wake up you fell asleep, go to bed already". He gets up and yawns. "What time is it Andrew?" "It's midnight, go to bed already". He gets up and walks over to his room and throws himself into his bed. Second day is over, time for day three, I thought as I layed down in my bed.

I woke up to the sound of what sounded like a door closing. I wake up fast and look around the house. No one was there, very weird since I swear I had heard something. I go check to see if Ryan is awake and he's still asleep. I walked over to the counter and found a black notebook laying there, I wondered if it was Ryan's notebook. I flip through the pages and start to read.

Day 35. I broke into the neighbors house while they were gone to get food, I had been hungry and haven't had anything to eat in a while. I can't hide any longer.

Day 40. Two guys just moved in the house, They'll never find me but I have to be careful.

My stomach started to drop as I flipped more through the pages, I found clippings of my hair and Ryan's hair in the book too. I flipped to the beginning pages and read the start.

Day 1. My brother inherited $20,000 from our parents after their passing. They didn't leave me a thing. I was supposedly too much of a "problem" to them. This angered me, I want that money.

I read over some more pages and the guy who wrote in the black book had started scheming the death of his brother. Over the course of ten days he plotted on killing his brother to steal his money and run off. I was terrified but kept reading.

Day 11. I did it, I finally did it, He's dead and I can't bring him back, His money is mine, But now I must run away. I know I'll be a prime suspect and I can't be caught.

Day 20. I found a house that no one has been living in, I broke in and made myself at home

Day 26. Real estate agents kept coming in the house so I made a secret hide out in the attic. I sealed the entrance to the attic so no one could come up. I then created a secret opening behind the water heater in the bathroom. After removing insulation from within the walls I was able to climb up to the attic and make my self at home. No one would ever find the entrance up here.

I flipped to the most recent pages which were from when me and Ryan had just moved in.

Day 41. They moved their belongings in, I've been watching them and they have no idea. The electrical outlets let me gaze into their living space and watch their every move. If I am ever discovered I must attack and run away. I CAN NEVER BE FOUND.

Day 42. They heard me... But they don't suspect someone living among them. I have to be more cautious, one wrong move and I'm done for. The Brown haired guy almost noticed I used his toothbrush. I haven't cleaned my teeth or had proper hygiene in weeks.

I gagged and dropped the book, I washed my mouth out and kept rinsing it out. Ryan came up to me after waking up. "Everything okay dude?" I kept washing my mouth out and shaked my head no, I pointed at the book on the floor and he went over to read it. As he read his face started to go into a horrified look. He looked at me and whispered. "someone is in this house with us watching our every move, we have to do something". I stopped washing my mouth out and whispered back "Are you kidding me? we have to call the police, he's probably asleep right now, most likely this guy moves at night". As I finished my sentence a door blasted open, there he was. A man in his late forties with a scruffy beard and dark stains all over his body. His nappy hair was stiff and didn't move, he grinned as he got closer with a knife.

"RUN!" I yelled at Ryan. We started running as we were chased through our own home. The man blocked the front door and wouldn't let us leave, Ryan ran away towards the back of the house and the man chased him. I grabbed a vase that Ryan had recently bought and followed them. He was too focused on Ryan he didn't see me, I smashed the vase over his head instantly knocking him out. "Call the police NOW."

Once the police arrived they arrested the man and identified him as 45 year old Gibralter Davis. He was wanted for the assumption of murdering his brother. Police discovered his hideout and found snacks, snippets of hair, and even pictures of Ryan and I asleep. His ultimate plan was to wait several weeks after we moved in to kill us in our sleep. The reason he didn't do it instantly was because he wanted to avoid attention. After weeks police wouldn't suspect it was him going on a killing spree.

First house I buy and it ends in chaos, I think I'm better off living with my parents.

THE END