Peace and Quiet
It was four o’clock and it was time to go home and relax. I was having a bad day at work already. Don’t get me wrong, my job was easy. All I did was listen to Tele-marketers solicitate to customers on the telephone. All I did was sit down for eight hours, by a computer, with a pair of headsets on and listened to Tele-marketers solicitate. Easy, it was, but I had a terrible headache. And then, to make it worse my supervisor yelled at me. And when I ordered lunch, they gave me the wrong order. I wanted to be home. Home sweet home. All I wanted was to go home and take some aspirin and sleep. All I wanted was some peace and quiet.
I got in my car and I turned on the ignition. I turned on the radio to hear what they were playing. They were playing one of my favorite songs and I started singing along with the song. I exited the parking lot of my work place. On the streets, I drove slowly. I wasn’t in a hurry to get home. Even though I was eager to get there. But I had a huge headache. People honked at me because of the slow driving. A guy driving an eighteen-wheeler yelled at me and gave me the finger. I didn’t care; I just had a bad day at work. My headache bothered me severely. Someone at my job offered some aspirin and I took them, but they didn’t help. I had some stronger stuff at home. All I needed was some sleep. Some peace and quiet.
I continued to sing along with the song they played, but then all of a sudden there was a special announcement. It interrupted the song and my singing. I hoped the announcement was important.
“…We interrupt this station for a very special report. Here’s David Smith at News channel 12. David,” the announcer said.
“…Sorry about this interruption. Police have informed us that the convicted serial killer, Jerry Luke, has escaped from the Lubbock prison. This man is very dangerous. Please if you do see him, do not approach him. Please call the police. He has been convicted of killing eight people, which included the two Covington children. Please watch out for this man. The police do not know where he is hiding out…” then I turned off the radio. I remembered the incident of the two Covington children. It occurred two years ago. It was a very bad tragedy in Lubbock. A couple, making out in the park, found the two children hanging by their legs on a tree. Their eyeballs and tongue had been cut out. The other people that Jerry Luke killed were also murdered in such awful ways. I felt sorry for those families. Then, about a year ago, the Lubbock Police caught Jerry Luke. He was convicted for the death sentence, and they held him in the Lubbock prison. But I guess they couldn’t hold him because he now escaped. An awful day at work and now this. What else could go wrong? All I wanted was to be home and have some peace and quiet.
As I pulled into my block, I noticed a blue mini-van parked in my driveway. Then I remembered that it was my sister with her three children. I had forgotten they were going to stay with me because Philip and her were having a separation. She asked me if the kids and her could stay over. I said yes, but I forgot it was today. Now I had noisy kids at my house. I looked up and prayed for some peace and quiet. As soon as I pulled into the driveway, my nephews, Jesse and Michael jumped off of the van. Jesse was five and Michael was seven. My sister, Sarah, got off too, holding her little one year-old daughter Christy in her arms. Don’t get me wrong, I loved them and they were good little children, sometimes, but today was not a good day too have noisy kids at my house. This headache was killing me. I just wanted some peace and quiet.
I parked my car and I got off. Jesse and Michael ran to me, hugging my legs.
“Hi, Uncle Raymond,” they both said.
“Hello kids. Are you doing alright?” I asked.
“Yeah. But momma and daddy had a fight again. Momma said we’re going to stay with you for awhile. Is that true?” Michael whispered to me.
“Yes it’s true,” I replied.
“Cool,” they both yelled.
“Hi Raymond,” Sarah said. She walked toward me and handed Christy to me.
“Hi Sarah,” I replied. I tried to hold my hands in front of me to give the gesture that I did not want to carry Christy, but it didn’t work. I held Christy and then she wetted her diaper. I felt the wetness on my shirt. She then bursts into tears. It made my day worse. It looked like I was going to have a long night. “Please, Sarah, take Christy away. She just pissed on my shirt,” I said.
“Sorry about that Raymond,” she replied. Now I had pissed all over my shirt and a huge headache.
“Sarah, is there anyway that, maybe you and the kids could go somewhere for awhile. I have a huge headache and, well, you know how the kids are?” I asked.
“I have no where to go Raymond,” she said and then she bursts into tears. At the same time, little Christy was crying also. Then, to make it worse, Jesse and Michael yelled in the background. Please all I wanted was some peace and quiet.
“Sorry, Sarah. I was being selfish. Go ahead and take your stuff inside. Just please try to find away to keep the kids from making too much noise. I have a very huge headache. I’m going to take some aspirin and take a nap,” I said.
“Raymond, you won’t even know we’re here,” she said. But inside, I knew that was a lie. Come on, she had a one year-old daughter and two little menace boys. All I hoped for was that the aspirin would knock me out for awhile.
I walked in my house and headed straight for the bathroom. I looked at the shelf and I found the aspirin I wanted to take. I took two of them and went into my bedroom.
“Sarah,” I called for my sister.
“Yes, Raymond,” she replied.
“I’m going to take a nap. Please try to keep the children from making too much noise. Please?” I asked.
“Like I said before, Raymond, you won’t even know we are alive,” she replied. I loved my sister and kids, but today, just wasn’t a good day. I closed the door and laid on my bed. I looked at my watch. It was already six fifteen. I laid my head on the pillow and I closed my eyes. But then I opened my eyes because of someone yelling in one of the other rooms.
“No Jesse,” I heard. Then I heard something break. Like glass.
“Dammit.” I said to myself. I opened my bedroom door and walked to the living room. I saw what was broken. It was a little porcelain swan that I made for my mother when I was twelve years old. I loved it because it reminded me of my mother. It’s been years since she past away. Sarah knew that. She looked at me with sorrow.
“I’m sorry Raymond. He didn’t mean too. He just wanted to look at it,” she said. I looked at her with raged. Then I turned and looked at Jesse. I tried to scare him with a terrible look on my face, but it didn’t work. I loved my nephews. I picked up the pieces of the swan and placed them on the kitchen table.
“Please, Sarah, try to keep them from destroying anything else in my house. Try to keep them from making too much noise,” I said. Then an idea came up. “I know what I’ll do,” I said. It’s something that my mother use to do when I was a child to keep me from making too much noise. I’ll put on a movie, a scary movie. “Everybody take a sit.” I said.
“What are you going to do?” Sarah asked.
“I’ll put on a scary movie.” I said.
“Yeah, a scary movie,” Jesse yelled. I looked at him. I still had a big headache and he’s yelling didn’t help. “Sorry Uncle Raymond,” he said. I just smiled at him and nodded. I don’t know what movie I grabbed, I just got one and turned it on. I think the aspirins were already making me drowsy.
“Alright it’s on. Everybody have a seat and watch. I’m going back into my room to take a nap,” I said.
“Bye Uncle Raymond,” both Jesse and Michael said. I looked at them both and smiled. Then I looked at Sarah and Christy. Christy was in Sarah’s arms jumping up and down and smiling at me.
“I promise I’ll keep the kids from making any more noise,” Sarah said.
“Thank you,” I said and I walked into my bedroom. I locked the door so that the kids would not walk in and wake me. I looked at the time. It was now six thirty. I closed my eyes because I became drowsy. I felt myself falling asleep. But then some knocking on my door woke me. I looked at my watch. It was only six forty-five. I only laid for fifteen minutes. The knocking became faster. Then I heard some screaming.
“Help me mommy, he’s after me,” the voice said. It was Jesse’s voice. “Help me mommy, help me Uncle Raymond,” he said. He kept knocking on my door. I got up quickly and unlocked my door. I opened it and I became furious at what I saw in the hall. Michael was wearing a hockey mask and he was sitting on top of Jesse. Michael was making a growling sound and he had his hand up in the air pretending he was holding something.
“Help me mommy,” Jesse yelled, then he started giggling. Then Michael started laughing also.
Sarah came into the hall.
“You guys, I told you to stay in the living room. You’re going to wake up your uncle . . . “ then she looked up at me. “Sorry Raymond,” she said. “The boys got carried away because of the movie,” she added.
“All I want is some peace and quiet, and you guys cannot even give me that. I let you stay here and all I ask for is one thing. Please just give me some peace and quiet,” I yelled and looked at Jesse and Michael. Then they cried and ran to Sarah.
“Mommy, Uncle Raymond yelled at us,” they both said.
“Raymond,” my sister said and looked at me with a gesture that I should apologize to the boys.
“Sorry boys, it’s just that Uncle Raymond has a big headache, and I need some sleep so I can get rid of it. Please just watch the movie and let me sleep. I’m sorry,” I said to them.
“Okay Uncle Raymond, “ Jesse said.
“We’ll be quiet for you,” Michael said.
“Thank you boys,” I said and then they ran to the living room. “Then I looked at Sarah. “Sarah, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to yell at the boys. It’s just that I feel terrible. I had a bad day at work, and I have a terrible headache. I just want some sleep. Some peace and quiet,” I said.
“I’m sorry too, Raymond. I’ll keep an closer eye on the boys,” she said. Then Christy started crying. She was in the living room by herself, with only the boys watching her now. “I better get to Christy. Just go back to your room and sleep, I’ll keep them quiet,” she said.
“Thanks Sarah,” I said then I walked into my room and locked the door. I looked at my watch. Now it was six fifty. I closed my tired eyes. Then a second later I fell asleep.
Then I woke up again because of more knocking and screaming.
“Help me Uncle Raymond. Help me mommy, he’s after me,” I heard. It was Michael’s voice this time. I looked at my watch. It was seven o’clock. I only ten minutes of sleep. These damn kids were making me angry. I told them no more noise. All I wanted was some peace and quiet. Then the knocking on the door became more rapid, just like the first time. I got up and walked to the door. Then I pounded at the door.
“Guys, cut it out. Please let me sleep. Give me some peace and quiet. That’s all I ask for,” I yelled. I guess the movie didn’t work on them. “Sarah, will you quiet them down?” I asked. But she never responded. “Sarah, will you please quiet them down?” I asked again, but there was no response. “Sarah?” I yelled.
“Yes, I will,” she finally responded.
“Thank you,” I said. Then I heard a thumping sound and all of the noise stopped. “Finally some peace and quiet,” I said. I laid on my bed again. I looked at my watch. Now it was seven-thirty five. I closed my eyes and I fell asleep.
I woke again by someone knocking on my door. It had to be the kids again. “I told you I want some peace and quiet,” I yelled, but the knocking continued. I got up and I walked to the door. I unlocked it and grabbed the doorknob. “I told you, give me some peace and quiet,” I said as I opened the door. Then my eyes became blinded because of a flashlight beaming at my eyes. I couldn’t see who it was.
“What the hell is going on? Who are you?” I asked.
“Don’t move sir. I have a gun pointed at you right now. What’s your name?” the person asked.
“I’m Raymond Lotts. What’s wrong?” I asked.
“Are you the owner of this house?” he asked.
“Why yes. Why?” I asked. Then the person put down their flashlight. Without it, it was very dark. The whole house was dark. I wondered why. Then the person spoke to me.
“I’m Officer Peterson. Just follow me sir,” he said as he pulled my arm. I wondered where Sarah and the kids were. What was a police officer doing in my house? How did he get into my house?
“What’s going on?” I asked.
“Mr. Lotts, there’s no time for questions. Just follow me and keep moving,” he said.
“Okay. But I have to find my sister and her kids. Sarah? Jesse and Michael? Where are you guys?” I yelled. But the officer just pulled on my arm.
“Sir just follow me,” he said. I followed him, but I wondered where Sarah and the kids were. As I followed him, I continued to yell for them, but no one answered. I became very cautious. I wondered what was happening. The officer would not tell me anything. I continued to follow him. It was very quiet in the house. Then I slipped on something wet on the floor. When I fell, I bumped the back of my head on the floor. I closed my eyes for awhile because of the pain. I still had the headache. Then I opened my eyes.
“Sir, get up quickly and follow me,” the officer said as he grabbed me and pulled me up, but my eyes wondered up at the ceiling and I saw something hanging on the ceiling fan. I wondered what it was. Something wet dripped on my face. I felt my face to see what it was, but it was too dark to see it. “Sir keep moving,” the officer said to me. We walked to the front door. I wondered where Sarah and the kid were. As we opened the door and we stepped out, I looked at my hand to see what was on my face. It was blood. I grabbed the flashlight from the officer and I pulled away from him. I ran back into the living room. “Sir, don’t go in there. He still might be in there,” he said. I didn’t know what he meant by that. As I walked into the living room, I beamed the flashlight up to the ceiling and I saw what was hanging. I became grotesque and upset at what I saw. Jesse and Michael were hanging by their legs from the ceiling fan. I flashed the flashlight at their faces and I saw that their eyes had been pierced out. Blood dripped from their mouth to the floor. I then spotted the flashlight on the floor right underneath their bodies, and I saw their tongues in the puddle of blood I slipped on. Someone had slit their tongues out. My stomach felt gushing inside. I wanted to vomit. Jesse and Michael were dead. Someone butchered them. Just like the Covington children. I then flashed the light at the door of my bedroom. The door had small handprints of blood from the kids when they tried to wake me up. The doorknob was covered in blood. Their blood when they tried to get in. My eyes filled with tears. I then flashed the light on the lower part of the wall in front of me. I saw my sister Sarah lying on the floor, holding Christy in her arms. Their eyes had been pierced out like Jesse and Michael. They were dead. In front of them laid their torn out tongues in a puddle of blood. I flashed the right-side wall where the television was standing. And above the television, in blood red letters, someone’s blood, read the sentence ‘You got your peace and quiet’. My eyes then filled with tears. I didn’t mean for this to happen to them. All I wanted was some peace and quiet.
