Jump Scares

     By Rameen I was never a fan of changes, and the biggest one hit me hard when Mom and Dad decided to split up. They said it was for the best, but I was not convinced at all, as nothing felt right about it. They sold our house, and I moved with Mom to this old, worn-out place she said was all she could afford. It was a dark, two-story house that looked like it had been sad for a hundred years. Our new house was old and looked kind of creepy. It was big but in a way that felt empty rather than roomy. The neighborhood was pretty normal with rows of houses, kids riding bikes, and people walking dogs. But our house stuck out like a sore thumb. It was like it carried a gloomy cloud over it. Mom was tough. She always had a way of making the best out of bad situations. Even now, she was trying to fix up the house, painting walls, fixing broken steps, and planting flowers in the front yard. But I could see the sadness in her eyes when she thought I wasn’t looking. ...