After packing, we quietly took our things—including three large clothes-stuffed suitcases—to put them in the car, not wanting to attract attention. A subdued crash from the supposedly empty house next door had my head jerking around.

"Hey," I whispered to Camila. "There are always noises coming from that house. Do you think the neighbor got trapped or something?"

"Well, he would have died by now if that was the case, wouldn't he?"

"Yeah, well. Maybe he left the dog behind." The idea of that had me gazing at the house for a long moment, but a shiver up my spine made me turn away. I wouldn't go knock to find out the truth.

Casey came downstairs with her stuffed animal. She had already packed a backpack with her things.

"Do you think teenagers are training to save the world at the last minute, like in the movies?" she asked.

"Pft!" Camilla scoffed.

"Yes, of course, " I said, then we laughed.

"Let's go now," Camilla urged.

A neighbor, one who had never displayed good manners toward us, had come out of his house and watched us. I hated people looking at everything I did, and I hadn't wanted anyone to know we were leaving.

"Casey, get in the car already," Camila requested, exasperation in her tone. Our little sister obeyed.

"Are you guys leaving?" asked the nosy neighbor.

"Mind your business," Camila replied curtly.

The man advanced menacingly.

"We must all await the punishment fate has prepared for us." He swayed on his feet, the overwhelming stench of alcohol wafting through the air to surround us. At that moment, taking advantage of the distraction, another neighbor opened our trunk and snatched a box of canned goods.

"Hey!" I yelled, but it was too late.

The drunk grabbed another box and ran in another direction. Annoyed, Camila leapt from the car to chase them.

"No, Camila! Let them go!" I yelled.

She shook her fists at them, but halted. My heart in my throat, I trembled. She could get hurt or worse.

"Leave them, and let's go!" I fought the sinking sensation in my gut, but gaped, frozen for a second as the situation got worse.

One of the neighbors had returned with a shotgun in one hand.

"Camila!" I squealed, and she turned to look.

IF YOU LIKED THIS:

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THE OTHER AUTHORS:

Rodney V Smith @iamRodneyVSmith Bianca Di Cocco @Bdicocco

MB Dalto @druidrose

Jane Peden @JanePeden

A.B. Channing @SmokeAndOranges

Eliza Solaris @authorelizasolares

Jinn Tiole @jinnis

Crystal Scherer @CrystalScherer

Cayleigh G. Kennedy @CayleighKennedy

CC Starfield @ccstarfield

Nova Nicalynn @NovaNicalynn

Leigh W. Stuart @BindingTies

Franklin Barnes @FranklinBarnes

Mags Lorang @chaotic_naturx

Evelyn Hail @EvelynHail

Lorraine Tremain @MermaidAriel13

Fiora Voss @FioraVoss

J. A. Jumphol @JJJOOOYYY

Bethany Swafford @thequietwriter

Jamie Lemon @lemonhoax

Mittu Ravi @dreamsinwords

Julia Esposito @jule009

Cardin Watts @SayWatt74

Mikaela Bender @MikaelaBender

Jovi @Rivojovi

Sam Camp @Sam_le_fou

Mhavel Naveda @MhavelN

Brittanie Charmintine @BrittanieCharmintine

Van Carley @Van_Carley

Henry Scott @henry_scott

Melody Grace Hicks @MGHicks_reloaded

David Thirteen @DavidJThirteen

C. S. Solarys @kristianabooks

H. J. Nelson @hjnelson

Vee Lozada @veelozada

Eli Gregory @EllisVanWyk

Kristin Jacques @krazydiamond

Ben Sobieck @BenSobieck

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