There's No Such Thing

By D.D. Summers

Andrea Morris is desperately looking to forget her husband's infidelity. She has moved back with her father but must find a place of her own. She is driving through her old home town when a mysterious house catches her eye. It's not fancy but it will do. When Andrea purchases the home she unleashes an evil that won't be content until it has full control over her and her three children. Can Andrea save her children? Will she be strong enough to defeat the evil or will she fail and lose her life trying to protect the children she loves?

• Language: English
• Publisher: D.D. Summers
• Release date: Oct 19, 2013
• ISBN: 9780987675842

D.D. Summers

I started to write at the age of fourteen. My influences to become a writer were my grade nine English teacher and Stephen King. I love books by John Steinbeck, Dean Koontz, Harper Lee, Gary Paulsen and any other author that can put me right in their story. I love to write and read. I hope to someday be known for my writing, hopefully in a positive way.

Book preview

There’s No Such Thing

By D.D. Summers

Copyright 2013 D.D. Summers

Smashwords Edition

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Chapter One: The House on The Corner

The house stood on the corner of third and second. It had a large porch with white curving pillars. Two windows sat above the grand porch. The house had wood siding and the white paint was chipping. The nails were running rust down the boards and adding to the decrypted state of the home. The yard was unfenced but lilac bushes ran beside the sidewalk and closed off the front lawn from viewers. A long driveway ran beside the house and into the back, the entrance to the driveway had two large white posts. Andrea hadn’t been planning on looking for property but as she drove past and saw the House for Sale sign that was stapled to one of the posts, she pulled the car over and jotted the number down. She had grown up in the village but had never really noticed the house. She had probably walked past it on several noon hours but the idea of ever owning a house in Kitsmere would have seemed outrageous but now Andrea was just trying to find a way out of her father’s house for the second time in her life.

Mom, why are we stopped? I want to get a bucket of maple walnut ice cream. Grandpa loves it, said Vinnie from the back seat. Vinnie was chubby and large for a nine year old. He towered above his little brother and sister, he often reminded Andrea of the Green Giant but with love handles instead of muscles. His brown hair was thick and covered his head like a bike helmet. Vinnie was the oldest but had a soft heart and would often break into sobs at the slightest injustice. You couldn’t kill a spider in front of Vinnie. It had to be captured and released.

What do you think of that house? Andrea asked her kids.

It looks old and run down, said Pam. She popped the bubble gum balloon that had been dangling from her mouth and Andrea jumped. Pam was the boss of the three kids even though she was the smallest. She had inherited her father’s spunk and the girl reminded Andrea of Ben a lot lately. Her green eyes stood out on her petite face with its delicate features. Her hair matched the color of Vinnie’s but ran down to her shoulder blades. Pam reminded Andrea of a delicate doll with the spirit of a lion. She was a stunning beauty and Andrea was already jealous of her.

It looks like it needs to be ripped down, said Vinnie.

Mom, I have to go pee, said Johnny from the back seat. Johnny was the odd ball of the family. His dusty blond hair and sparkling blue eyes weren’t from either side of the family. He resembled Vinnie in body type. They both had large, strong facial features, huge hands and feet, and both boys were far too big for their age. Johnny looked like an eight year old even if he was only six. Several times people thought Johnny and Pam were twins but Johnny was the baby. He could often be heard demanding a toy or asking to use the washroom at the most inconvenient of times.

We just left Grandpa’s, why didn’t you go before we left? Pam asked. Pam tolerated both of her brothers but secretly wished that Johnny was a girl, instead of another boring brother.

We’ll stop at the restaurant and you can go to the bathroom inside but no one is getting any food, I can’t afford it, said Andrea with authority. It had been a useless threat, once they were all inside the air conditioned restaurant smelling French fries and burgers; Andrea caved and bought them each a burger and fries. She was just digging into the coleslaw on the side of her plate when a gentleman approached her. She put her fork down to see what he wanted.

Andrea, I was hoping to run into you. You don’t seem to be around much, said the man with a smile.

I’ve been busy trying to help my dad on the farm but I bring the kids in when I can. I’m sorry but do I know you?

Todd Bittern, we went to high school together. Todd looked at his former classmate. She was in her late thirties like him and the wrinkles were starting to show on her face. Andrea's hair had been cut since high school. She had sliced off more than half of its length and now it hung by her shoulders and her bangs were poking into her eyes. Wrinkles were collecting on her neck and forehead. She smiled at him and showed off perfect white teeth. They were far different from the cramped teeth of Andrea’s youth. He had always had a little bit of a crush on her but as the kids started to get restless, he knew that someone had already made a life with her.

Oh yeah, so how’s life been treating you? Andrea asked. She still had no idea who Todd was but didn’t want to seem rude. People were always calling her by name in town and she had no idea who anyone was. It had been fourteen years and she had forgotten a lot of faces.

I’m a teacher at the school. I teach grades three and four, so if your kids are coming to school in the fall, I’ll most likely be their teacher. Todd was short and plump. His thick brown hair was thinning on top and Andrea knew he would be bald by the time forty came around. She wondered if being a teacher was making his hair thin. He had a jolly look to him and he gave her a large grin.

Pam and Vinnie would be in your class. Johnny’s going into grade one.

So you’ll be home all alone.

Yeah, it should be nice.

You think you’ll still be here in September? Bittern asked.

Probably, I haven’t made my mind up yet. Dad’s getting older and he could really use some help with the farm. I wanted the kids to meet him.

My daddy’s in B.C., said Johnny as he played with his French fries. Andrea tried not to glare at her youngest son. Bittern didn’t need to know where their father was.

Well I hope I get to see you guys in the fall, if not, enjoy the rest of the summer and say hi to your daddy.

Okay, said Johnny. Bittern walked away from them and to a table in the corner where a younger woman was waiting for him. She was a trimmer version of him, they had to be siblings.

Johnny, I don’t want you talking to strangers about your daddy, it’s no one’s business.

Okay, mommy.

Are we really going to stay here? Vinnie asked. Vinnie had a look of disappointment on his face. Vinnie was already constantly asking when they would see their daddy.

We’ll see. Just finish up your burger so we can get the groceries before Grandpa wonders what happened to us. She pulled the Camry into the driveway as her father’s lab came running toward the car at full speed. Andrea often wondered why the dog had lasted all these years when it should have been run over a long time ago. Her father wasn’t having much trouble with the farm in fact for his age he was thriving on his own. Her mother had died four years ago and her father seemed to enjoy the solitude until Andrea had messed it all up. He was cutting the lawn on his tractor. A green, John Deere cap was perched on his head. He was a well-built man and could have easily found another wife if he had been looking for one. She put the car in park and the kids burst out of the back like they had been confined for days. Vinnie raised the pail of ice cream above his head and pointed it out to his Grandpa. He waved his hand from the tractor. Her father seemed to favor Vinnie and didn’t give as much attention to the other kids.

Guys help me carry this stuff into the house and you can come out and play later. Her father’s house was large and inviting. It had been built in the early eighties. Its brown vinyl siding was matched with a dark brown trim around the windows and roof. The porch was the same chocolate color as the trim. It wrapped around the second floor of the house and you could easily walk out the French doors of the kitchen and eat your breakfast on the porch, if you didn’t mind the mosquitoes. The house had been retouched once since it was built but it was in far better shape than the house she had seen in the small village of Kitsmere. Her father’s house was on a quarter acre of land and he had horses hidden away in the back. The kids loved the place but Andrea was sick of it. They had been there for three weeks and it felt like months to her.

She walked into her dad’s house. The large kitchen had thick oak cupboards and marble counters. The linoleum was a dark gray and shined to perfection. Since arriving the kids had broken one cupboard door, a kitchen chair and a lamp. Her father wasn’t taking any of it with stride and liked to remind her of how destructive her kids were. Andrea put away some vegetables and fruits. Her kids were nowhere in sight. Andrea was completely frustrated. Ben had been the disciplinarian. When Ben had told the kids to get to bed, they did. Ben, oh god, she hated her husband. He was the reason why she was stuck dealing with her father. Ben had thrown their life away. She could never forget about her kids but their father seemed preoccupied with his own desires. Andrea looked at the shiny wedding rings on her left hand and thought about ripping them off and throwing them down the kitchen sink.

I see you got the ice cream, said her father. Andrea jumped at the sound of his deep voice.

Maple walnut, just like you asked. Where’s Vinnie? He wanted to share a cone with you.

The kids are out playing with the ponies. I told them not to feed them but you know how your kids are, they hear what they want to hear. Do you need my help getting the rest of those bags?

The kids were supposed to help me but don’t worry, I’ll get the rest myself.

You know that you have no control over your kids. When I told you to jump.

How high dad, said Andrea with no amusement in her voice. She had given her kids the freedom that she had been denied and it was constantly biting her in the ass.

That’s right; you knew who was in charge but those kids out there. They’re going to cause you nothing but grief. Just wait until they’re teenagers, then you’ll see the kind of headache you’ve made for yourself.

I’m going to go get the milk before it goes sour. She was happy to get away from him. Andrea grabbed three bags with one hand, pushing one up to her elbow so she could carry them without asking for help. She grabbed two more bags with her right hand and slammed the trunk shut with her right hand not caring if she broke a couple of eggs in the process. She was walking past the car when she noticed the envelope on the passenger side of the car. She put down the two bags on the gravel driveway and opened the car door. She grabbed the envelope and shoved it on top of the carton of eggs before slamming shut the door. Her dad grabbed a couple of bags from her hands as she entered the kitchen. He started to put away cereal and chips. He put some cans in the bottom cupboards as Andrea packed vegetables into the fridge.

Ben phoned. He wants to talk to you about going back home.

I told you not to answer the phone if he called. I don’t want to talk to him.

He’s thinking of flying out next week. I told him to talk to you before wasting money on plane tickets. Now, I was married for thirty years and I know that no man is perfect, we all fail sometimes but if your mother had thrown me out every time I strayed, well you wouldn’t be standing in this kitchen right now. Ben’s a good man and he misses his children. He was holding a can of vegetable soup in his hand. His big brown eyes were looking up at her and she felt trapped.

Dad, if mom was stupid enough to make a mistake, well she had to live with it. I am not going to forgive him. He knew what he was risking when he slept with her. He has to live with his choice. I have nothing to do with it.

Your pigheadedness is going to destroy your children. Those kids need their daddy to keep them safe. A woman shouldn’t be raising three kids on her own. He stood in front of her like a wall.

They’re my children and lots of women are raising kids alone. I don’t need the headache of Ben Morris. With that she threw down the bag of grapes. She grabbed the envelope off of the counter and headed to her room.

Women! Always making it about them, we men have a say in things to. You can’t take that man’s children. I won’t allow it,