Laura Smith

“I didn’t see Danny come in or run towards me. He was just suddenly there, pulling me up by my arm so hard that I gasped. I felt his grip on my skin long after he let go. We ran down the steps where Mom met us, coughing. She was followed by a thick black cloud of smoke. I had never felt smoke that hot in my life. I tasted ash when I breathed in.
“Go! Get out!” she choked, waving us towards the front door.
We ran out into the night in our pajamas.
“Run to Violet’s!” Mom called behind us.

- The Stable House”
― Laura Smith

“Did I ever tell you that we used to keep our horses where your house is?”
“Yeah,” I mumbled.
She continued her story, “My brothers used to get up early every morning and go across the street, well, there wasn’t a street there yet. It was just a dirt road, and they used to get up and clean the stables and feed the horses every morning. I would go over there once they had finished and give the horses a brush, even though none of those horses were mine. I had always wanted my own horse, but I never got one. When my father got older, he got rid of the horses and sold the land, all but this yard here."
She spread her hand over the yard as she said this.
"I grew up and got married and had to move away. My husband and I lived in an apartment above a bread store. And it was so cramped, let me tell you. There was nowhere to move around and no yard to take care of. It was terrible. I’m not saying I wanted my husband to die. I’d never have wished that in a million years. But I was so relieved to come home after two years, and I've lived here ever since."
I had stopped raking, turned and looked at her.
"I know why you don’t want to leave this street," she said, "You’ve been in that house your whole life, just like me. And no matter where you go it’s not going to seem like home. But just like me, you’re going to come back. You have to remind yourself of that. And I did hate being away from home, but it was the most memorable time in my life, being away. It was an adventure as much as it was scary. But when I came home, I learned to get out more. I went to beauty school and got a job at the salon and took trips with friends. I like to get away from the house so that I can come back and still appreciate it. And you will too after you come back.”
I nodded at Violet. What she was saying made sense.
“I’ll go,” I said, “Tell them I’ll go.”

- The Stable House”
― Laura Smith

“I had heard this dog barking over the music earlier, but this was the first time I had seen him. He was a giant, brown Great Dane who was either annoyed or excited by everything that was going on. He made a beeline for the girls who had just stepped back onto the sidewalk. Ruby was the first of them to spot him coming at them and began to scream and run backwards. The rest of the group froze in place. The dog was barking like crazy as it charged at them. He circled Ruby once and then pounced on her. Ruby screamed and swatted at the dog with her bucket and then took off down the sidewalk.
“Ruby!” I screamed, “Don’t run!”

- The Stable House”
― Laura Smith

“Mike couldn’t believe that Mr. Mackey’s secret tragedy was connected to his store, and no one had ever told him.
“Do you think he’d ever take it back?”
“Why would he? His son was never found, and he still blames your dad for it. I think it’s his way of making himself feel better about the accident. He thinks horror movies are evil or something.”
“That’s stupid. Most kids are more scared of him than they are of horror movies,” Mike said, “He shouldn’t blame my dad.”
“He thinks he’s protecting the kids,” Tim said, rolling his eyes.
“Well, if he is trying to save kids, why is he so mean to us? Everyone’s afraid of him. Even Jack.”
“I don’t know. I guess he’s just a cranky old man. Don’t take it personally. He’s had it rough. He has to stand on that playground everyday knowing that just over that fence, his son’s body is down there somewhere.”
“Then why doesn’t he teach at another school?”
“I don’t know, bud. Sometimes people just like to torture themselves.”

- Saving Hascal's Horrors”
― Laura Smith