Chapter 21

Sarah and I stood with Brute and Mister Jenkins as Miss Jenkins stepped up to the front door. She tried the handle and it wouldn't budge.

Lucky for her she was prepared with some tools.

With a pry bar in hand she popped the door from the jam and lit her flashlight. She carefully examined every visible inch from the gap in the door.

As she pushed the door open with her flashlight I could sense something was wrong.

I couldn't place it but there was danger close by.

Miss Jenkins pushed the door open wider and the feeling of imminent danger grew inside me.

Just as I yelled out WAIT, she pushed the door all the way opened and was thrown back by an explosion just as large as the house.

I shielded Sarah, Brute, and her Father from the flying debris but my reaction wasn't fast enough to cover Miss Jenkins.

She was lying motionless on the ground as the debris settled and the fire went away as quickly as it came.

Clearing the debris from her body before I reached her, I scanned for her injuries. Miraculously she was unharmed.

She rose to her feet, dusted off her pants, "Well that was unexpected. You guys alright?"

We nodded and stepped back to our assigned location.

With the fire dwindling, "Kids, that's what we call a trip wire explosion. See, the fire is gone already so it was more likely fueled by propane."

I'm going to go clear the rest of the house, the explosion should have cleared any other trips or traps. When I come back out, you guys are clear to come in. Understood?"

In conjunction, "Yes ma'am."

Miss Jenkins was gone for ten minutes as we played rock, paper, scissors to kill the time.

I won all of the matches without cheating.

Sarah didn't believe it but I promise it was true.

Miss Jenkins appeared in the shattered doorway, "All clear guys. You are free to roam. Ethan I need you with me."

What happened next would change my world forever.

"Just when you think things are what they are, they change."