It's coming from the basement

 

Because the power was off, nothing was working.  The lights, refrigerator, nothing at all was running.  The quietness made it all very eerie, and the darkness only added to things being just a little spooky.

Her little flashlight was flickering and wasn’t going to last much longer.  I was holding my Zippo, but the flame didn’t light up much beyond my own hand.  We were going to need a plan B, and soon.

Then something started tapping on the pipes in the basement.  We froze in our tracks.  We thought no one else was here.  Neither of us moved.  We just kept listening and sort of holding our breath.  Then her flashlight went out.

I whispered to her, “I’m going to conserve this flame for now,” and I closed the lid on the Zippo.  Apparently, that little flame had been giving us more comfort than light, for the moment it was out, and everything went 100% dark, our anxiety went through the roof.

She reached out and grabbed my arm the moment the tapping stopped.  “Now what?” she whispered.  A loud and startling pop and all the house lights came back on, the refrigerator began to hum, and she let go of my arm.   Laughing and voices followed as we heard people clomping up the basement steps.

I slipped the still-warm Zippo into my pocket and Meg tucked the small flashlight into her purse.  A realtor followed by a young couple came through the basement door into the kitchen.

They were as surprised to see us standing there as we had been hearing them tapping on the pipes downstairs.   The lady quickly pulled out her business card and handed it to me.

“We're just wrapping up.  I’ll be with you in a moment.  Please sign the guest book over there.”

I could see the expression on Meg’s face.  It looked like she was wondering the same thing I was.  How could a couple as young as them afford a house like this.  It was going to be a stretch even for us.

Meg signed our names in the guest book while we waited for the realtor to make her way back to the kitchen.  I could hear the other couple leaving out the front door, and realtor Nancy came scurrying back. 

“What do you think so far?” she asked.

“Was that you who turned the power to everything off?”

“Yes, I was showing off one of the technological features of the home.  It has everything imaginable.  Any time, for any reason, no matter where you are in the house, if the power goes off, all you have to do is make a noise and it will come back on.  I simply wrapped on the pipes by the furnace and everything started up.  It doesn’t matter if  the power gets knocked out by a storm, just make a noise and it will come back on.”

I didn't understand how that was possible, but I just let Nancy continue on with her talk.  As she led us around the house, she pointed out the various gadgets and gizmos that someone with way too much time on their hands thought of.   It was rather impressive.  There wasn't anything you couldn't control from wherever you were in the house. 

As we walked down the hall to the back bedroom area, the doorbell chimed.  Nancy turned and looked at us.  

"That's not the doorbell.  We just passed the body scan.  One of you is having a health issue.  That alarm suggests immediate action be taken."

I looked at Meg.  "I feel fine, are you okay?"

With a surprised look on her face, she said, 

"Actually, I am feeling a little light headed.  I'm thinking I should sit down."

 

 

 

 

to be continued...