Author: Cyrus Borzak
About a 21-minute read
Featured Image: Shutterstock 2713223059 (ChandraSekhar)
Thomas felt like sleep avoided him all night. He fitfully dozed at several points but could not string together enough shut eye to stave off fatigue, and now he sat at the kitchen counter staring into the opaque brown murkiness of his second coffee of the morning. Sofia and Charlie were still asleep, making the most of their early Saturday morning. Genevieve was awake but tucked away somewhere in the house emptying moving boxes. The day’s to-do list was long and promised to be exhausting. Thomas had no idea how he was going to make it through the day already being so tired, but he pushed that thought aside to welcome the warm embrace of another swig of java.
The doorbell chimed and was followed by three curt knocks on the door that killed Tom’s reverie as the unexpected sounds jolted him in his seat. He set down the red mug with white font advertising “Sid’s Lawn & Landscaping” and headed for the front door. He peeked out a side window with a clear view of the front stoop and saw Harmony staring straight at the door while fidgeting with her bracelets and watch. Harlan’s prophetic words slammed into Tom’s conscience as he noticed her adorned wrist led to a hand holding a glossy-looking brochure.
He took a deep breath and opened the door. “Harmony, good morning. What brings you by nice and early on a Saturday morning.” He could not hold back a degree of snark when mentioning the time. The lack of sleep already played its games.
“Mr. Hammersmith, hello. I apologize stopping by so early. Sometimes I forget my days run on a different cadence than most.”
“What can I do for you?”
“Was hoping to get some time with you this morning to review the neighborhood rules.”
“Neighborhood rules? You never mentioned these before.”
“I know, and I apologize for that too.”
“Uh huh. You should’ve called first.”
Harmony shifted uncomfortably at the icy reception. “I suppose I could have, but these are really things that are best reviewed in person.”
“I’ll be honest, I had a rough night last night and Gennie is already at work unpacking. I don’t want to be rude, but maybe it would be better if you came by later, or better yet, Monday.” Thomas no longer harbored any congeniality for the morning’s interloper.
“Oh, I only need to speak with you, and this is really something we need to cover right away.”
“Yeah, ‘right away’ after we’ve closed and locked ourselves in. I’m pretty sure deceitful representation would negate the sale.”
Now it was Harmony’s turn to be stern, “Mr. Hammersmith, the reasons for withholding this information are my own, but I’m sure we’ve both done something before we’re not particularly proud of in order to get by or maybe even a little ahead. The sale of this house and your family’s presence here are not changing. They can’t. And I promise you, this is a conversation you need to have or there will be dire consequences.”
Thomas was taken aback by the sudden aggressiveness. Harmony’s refulgent smile had been replaced by a dour grimace. She was serious, and for the first time since last night’s conversation with Harlan, Thomas felt uneasiness stir in his stomach. He stepped aside and motioned for Harmony to enter.
As they walked to the kitchen, Gennie called from upstairs, “Who is it?”
Not wanting to bring her into the conversation, Thomas’ brain whirred to craft an excuse. “Harmony. She wants to pick my brain if I can refer any potential clients.”
Gennie and Harmony exchanged pleasantries shouted from one level to the next. It was a miracle the commotion did not wake the kids. Thomas and Harmony eventually made it to the kitchen where he sat back at the island and motioned for Harmony to take the seat opposite. He said nothing and waited for her to kick off the conversation. She again shifted uncomfortably before starting, maintaining her serious tone.
“I’m going to give you this pamphlet that contains a list of rules. I cannot stress enough how important it is that each rule is followed to the letter. I’ll try to explain why, but I need to you to also know that, as this conversation continues, you are likely going to come to hate me and this situation. While I can’t change how you feel, I promise nothing I did was done with malicious intent to bring harm to you or your family. I have rules to abide by as well, and if I don’t follow them, I’ll face the same consequences.”
Thomas was immediately angry, and the anger grew with each word Harmony spoke. He also felt dread rising inside like bile from a bad case of indigestion.
“This all sounds batshit crazy. What did you get us into?”
Harmony nodded her understanding, “Please take a few deep breaths to clear your head, because it’s important you understand everything we’re going to talk about.”
Thomas stared at her as he seethed. After a long and uncomfortable silence, he nodded and took the pamphlet. On its cover, the words “WELCOME TO YOUR NEW HOME!” were emblazoned in red on a background of white. Beneath the title, there was a cartoon picture of a house with a man, woman, and two kids standing on the sidewalk waving to the reader. Beneath the image, the pamphlet further read, “Rules to Keep Your Family Safe and Home Shipshape.” Thomas opened the pamphlet to find a list of six rules, numbered one through six, in large print spanning all three panels of the document. He read through them in his head:
1. All lawns must be mowed at least once within seven days from the prior mowing.
2. All indoor and outdoor lighting must be extinguished between 2 AM and 5 AM.
3. All non-human waste must placed within the property’s backyard shed, and the shed must remain accessible at all times.
4. No changes to home’s exterior construction and landscaping or interior construction are allowed.
5. Homeowners must not leave their home vacant for a period greater than seven days.
6. The initial reader of this publication must never share its contents or the preceding rules with another household member or other personage.
Harmony cut in, “I see you’re reading the rules. Are you ready to talk about them?”
Thomas shook his head at the ridiculousness of what sat before him. As he scanned the rest of the pamphlet, however, he saw it was blank. There was no information regarding penalties, fees, or any other consequences. Additionally, there was no contact information for the authority enforcing these rules nor was there any indication of an organization sponsoring the publication.
“You’re not just having a laugh, are you? This is a fake, right? Have others around here actually enjoyed this little game?”
“No, Mr. Hammersmith, it’s not a joke or made up, and I think everyone’s reaction has been about the same as yours. I’m not a fan either, but that’s the job.”
He nearly jumped out of his seat, “You’re self-employed! You make the job!”
“That’s not actually correct. Please, let’s walk through these items, and this may begin to make more sense.”
“I already know about the first one. I thought it was some dumb HOA requirement, but I heard that’s not the case.”
Harmony’s eyes widened and her mouth dropped open slightly before she hurriedly exclaimed, “Wait, you already heard about the first rule?! From who?! When?!”
Thomas prickled at Harmony’s sudden intensity. “Last night, from Harlan next door. He mentioned he’d been mowing our yard because of the seven-day requirement.”
Harmony leapt from her seat and ran back to the entryway and through the front door. Thomas watched through the window as she sprinted to the Wilkes’ residence and began aggressively knocking on their front door. Thinking the realtor had lost her mind and feeling protective of his new neighbors, Thomas rushed out of the house and reached Harmony just as she began stepping inside.
Thomas grabbed Harmony’s arm and tried to pull her back, but she was surprisingly strong and seemed to be in a feral state, repeating, “no, no, no,” over and over.
“What are you doing?! You can’t just barge into someone’s home! What the hell is going on?!”
Harmony was able to pull Thomas along into the house. He stopped fighting her and let go, allowing Harmony to take off in a crazed run from room to room, clearly looking for any of the family members. It was then Thomas noticed how quiet the house was, particularly for so early on a weekend morning. The family could still be asleep, but Harlan gave off “morning person” vibes. There was an air to the house that let Thomas know it was empty. He continued looking around but did not feel comfortable stepping further into the home than its foyer.
After another minute, Harmony slowly descended the staircase holding a hand to her forehead and muttering, “Harlan, you idiot. Oh, and that baby. That sweet, sweet baby.”
Alarm bells went off for Thomas. “What’s wrong? Are they okay? Harmony, what’s going on?!”
She finally acknowledged him again and looked up from her stupor. Her eyes glistened from tears. “They’re gone.”
“Gone? Gone where? What, de-,” He could not finish the horrible thought before Harmony interrupted.
“Just, gone. Come on. Let’s go back to your house and finish our conversation.”
“You’re just going to walk out after all that? Do we need to call somebody? Are they in trouble?”
“There’s nothing to be done right now, but we need to talk about it. Come on.”
Thomas resisted Harmony’s urging push to his arm and shrugged away. “I better go upstairs and check myself. I don’t like the feel of any of this.”
Harmony’s stern, forceful voice returned, “Thomas, they’re not up there. They’re not down here. They’re not anywhere in this house. Now come on, we need to finish our conversation.”
She led him out of the Wilkes home and to her SUV parked in Tom’s driveway.
“Get in.”
Thomas gave Harmony an incredulous look and began shaking his head.
“We can’t risk your family overhearing. This is for your ears only.”
He stayed put.
“We’re not going anywhere. It’s just a private place to talk.”
“Nothing fishy about sitting in your car, in my driveway, having what is sure to be a heated conversation.”
“Fine. We’ll drive around the neighborhood like I’m giving you a tour.”
Thomas balked another moment before reluctantly climbing in the passenger side of the shiny black vehicle. Harmony backed out of the driveway and took off. After checking the mirrors to scope out their surroundings, as if anyone would be coming after them, she flashed a glance at Thomas. After a deep breath, she spoke.
“Fifteen years ago, I was on the verge of abandoning the real estate hustle and settling into a nice, predictable office job. I’d been at it nearly two years and only had two sales with mediocre commissions. One day, a man came to my office, someone I’d never seen before, handsome as the Devil, and showed me a way to keep my hopes alive. He said he owned an up-and-coming development and was looking for a partner to get properties sold.”
She paused.
“I see the look you’re giving me. ‘Why would a developer looking to move new homes or face probable financial ruin look to partner with a failing realtor?’ I wondered the same thing. He told me he’d been following my business and saw potential that just hadn’t produced any fruit. He said he was also sick of the bigger names dictating egregious terms. He was there to make money, and he couldn’t reach his goals with realtors picking his pockets. He was confident the development and his homes could sell themselves. I was skeptical but desperate enough to visit the site, and damn, he was right. Immediately, I saw the future for this place. Gorgeous, but not ostentatious, homes, spacious yards, and proximity to one of the best school districts in the state. It was perfect, and that should’ve set off an alarm for me. But, I was young, and desperation changes a person.
So I signed on. My cut of each sale had the potential to be lifesaving. I just had to come through. Immediately, things just started falling into my lap. The first day I had two families inquire about homes in the development. By the end of the week there were ten. After walking through several properties and sharing the promise I saw in the new development, six of those potential buyers closed. In less than one month, I’d made my year. It was the greatest moment of my life. The future opened up just like that.
To celebrate the early successes, the developer came to my office one evening bearing flowers and champagne. We drank and laughed. He was very appreciative and made me feel more valuable than I ever had before. He told me nothing he was trying to accomplish could happen without me. As the champagne ran out, I thought there may have been a spark between us that was going to lead to something else…”
“Do I need to be hearing this?” Thomas had let her talk, and while he remained skeptical, he found it increasingly difficult to dismiss Harmony’s story given all the details she was choosing to share.
“Nothing happened! But that is where my life changed forever.”
“Hold on, what is the developer’s name? I’ve never seen any advertising for this development or the company that created it.”
“Thurman. Thurman Siedler.”
“Never heard of him.”
“And you never will.”
“So who sets these rules? Who enforces them?”
“That’s what I’m trying to tell you! That night, Thurman sat me down and said he had an addendum to our contract. That immediately started to sober me up. I wasn’t in the mood to talk business, so the sudden change made me wary.”
“What were the changes?”
“He said they planned to ramp up production and expanding their crews so they could get two homes built every month. His expectation was that I would fill those homes within thirty days and had to ensure each property was pristinely maintained until new owners moved in. Then, he gave me a list of rules, different from what you have in your hand, because I’ve rewritten them to be clearer and, well, safer.”
Thomas looked to the slightly crumpled document on his lap. He was still confused why the rules existed and why he was sitting in Harmony’s vehicle listening to her crazy tale as they meandered from street to street.
“This still doesn’t make much sense to me.”
“I don’t know that it ever will. It sure didn’t to me then, and I’m not sure I fully understand what’s going on all these years later. But I’ve seen enough to know what to do and what to avoid.”
“You may as well just blurt it out. The suspense is killing me.” Sarcasm laced his tone.
“The land is alive.”
Thomas stared at Harmony, trying to detect any crack of a smile or twitch that may betray her seriousness, but he did not pick up any tell. “I think, technically, that’s what any environmentalist would say too, or there’d be talk of Gaia or whatever.”
“No, no, no, not alive in spirit or that its teeming with living creatures. The ground itself is alive. It needs to be groomed, fed, and has emotions.”
He snorted with a sudden burst of surprise and disbelief. “Come on, what?”
“Sounds batshit crazy, right? Yeah, pretty sure I had the same reaction when Thurman said that to me. He said there are powerful forces and beings at work in the world that we will never understand, and those entities need to be cared for and sated or humanity may cease to be.”
Thomas secretly gave himself a sharp pinch on the arm to make sure he was still sitting in reality. “Yeah, so, um…”
“Just look at the rules, keep an open mind, and let me explain.”
He was still too gobsmacked by the conversation’s lunacy to protest.
“Okay, just bear with me. So keeping the lawn mowed – whatever is alive grows. Think of the grass as, well, its skin. Mowing keeps this thing from growing out of control. Extinguishing all lighting by a certain time, apparently this thing is also light sensitive when resting and disturbing it would be bad. All non-human waste going into the backyard shed is primarily how it eats. I guess the sheds are like a mini mouth. I would keep it locked.”
Thomas’ mouth slowly opened wider with each statement.
“Changing anything about the house, inside or out, affects this thing. The homes are extensions of its body, and the exterior, well, I already said the lawn is like skin.”
“The last two don’t really seem like they’d affect the crea…it.”
“Oh good, you are listening. That’s a good observation. For whatever reason, seven days is the cutoff before bad stuff starts happening, so there needs to be someone present to take care of the preceding four rules.”
“Can’t you do that?”
“I’m not allowed to. In fact, I’m forbidden from living in this development.”
Thomas maintained his look of disbelief and shook his head, “Whatever. And the last one?”
“Basically to maintain secrecy. The fewer people that know about this and have to hear about it the easier it is to keep things operating as they need to.”
“Okay, and what if something happens to me that I can’t fulfill these responsibilities?”
Harmony paused for a moment, looking like she was debating where to take the conversation. “Temporarily or permanently?”
“Both.”
“If it’s a temporary situation, a neighbor is expected to step in, so make sure you make friends and come to an agreement.”
“Harlan can probably be my…”
“You’ll need to make other arrangements.”
“Why? Again, what happened to them? I’m concerned something bad went down.”
“If permanently,” Harmony held an uneasy pause, “we’ll have to cross that bridge if we ever come to it.”
“Hold up. What happened to the Wilkes?”
Harmony looked so uncomfortable it looked like her brain was stuck trying to load new software. Finally, she took a deep breath and kept her attention on the road as she answered, “Harlan made a major misstep when he told you those things last night. This was not his first infraction, so the Wilkes were…relocated during the night.”
The extra hesitation before saying “relocated” caught Tom’s attention.
“Harmony, if you can’t already tell, I’m beyond agitated, so I need you to be completely straight with me. What do you mean by, ‘relocated’?”
The first noticeable bead of sweat rolled down her temple as she opened and closed her mouth several times while trying to find the appropriate wording.
“They’re gone. They’re gone, okay? Harlan messed up too many times and the family got punished! You don’t ever leave this neighborhood, you’re just gone!”
“So what, they’re dead?!”
“I don’t know, alright! I don’t know exactly how it works. People just, they’re here, something happens, and then they’re gone. And I’ve got to clean up what’s left behind and scramble to fill the property!”
Thomas sat in stunned disbelief. His mind boggled at the meaning behind what Harmony was saying, and his body vacillated between wanting to grab her and shake the nonsense out of her until he was able to get any answer based in logic. Thankfully, he opted for a more controlled response.
“And you just, you just let this madness go on? You’re complicit in murder, do you realize that?! Do you feel nothing for these people that you trap?!”
At least one of his words hit the right note. Harmony swerved to the curb and threw the SUV into park and immediately turned to face him, her expression serious and pained.
“I hate everything about this. Every time I sell a home or we lose a family, I die inside. Everything about my life is built on a foundation of blood and deceit. That is a hell I have to carry with me every day. It’s inescapable. I don’t know what I ever did to deserve this. I didn’t do anything! I wasn’t anything! I was, I am a good person. I do what I can to protect my family and the families here. We can all still live our lives. It’s easy. We just need to follow a few rules – a few, simple rules.”
Thomas believed her agony. Still, if he had his druthers, he would continue heaping blame on Harmony for all the lives risked and lost, but deep within he knew responsibility for this situation belonged elsewhere. He could not, however, stifle his curiosity.
“Okay, okay. I’ve known you long enough to see you’re not an inherently evil person. Deceitful, yes, which isn’t great, but I think we’ve all pushed half-truths or hidden something to get what we need. Question though — you said this is inescapable. You’ve never tried ending your involvement?”
Thomas slashed an index finger across his throat as he said this. Harmony stared at him, tears still welling in her eyes. He thought perhaps, he had crossed a line and was about to apologize.
“Multiple times.”
“Oh. Sorry.”
“I’ve been successful. I’m dead. My family should find my body and wail and hate me for making them experience such sorrow, but he won’t let me leave. I wake up. I throw up the pills. My head shows no signs that a bullet passed through it. The noose slackens and breaks. I love my family more than anything, but this misery is so terrible that I’ve gotten to the point of ending my life five different times, only to reawaken to the same never-ending pain.”
“My god, Harmony. I’m so sorry. I can’t imagine…”
“No, you can’t. I was punished for sins I never committed and am now punished for what I’m forced to do.”
Despite his own predicament, Thomas felt growing sympathy for Harmony. He could not remember meeting a more miserable human being.
“Who’s the ‘he’ that won’t let you leave? Thurman?”
Harmony nodded, and they spent the next several minutes sitting in silence before Harmony pulled away from the curb and navigated back to the Hammersmiths’ driveway. Tears filled her eyes for the entirety of the drive back, and now, as they sat in the idling SUV, Harmony put a hand on Thomas’ arm to keep him from leaving.
“Just please, follow the rules and keep your mouth shut. If you have any questions, reach out to me and we’ll figure it out. Okay?”
Thomas searched Harmony’s eyes for any deceit or the faintest hint of dark comedy, hoping this whole conversation was a horrible prank. Seeing only sincerity, he nodded solemnly, gave her hand a squeeze, and got out. He stood outside the front door as Harmony backed out of the driveway and pulled away. Thomas had no idea how he was going to handle the rest of the day with his family knowing what he knew. He was not one to keep secrets, but now their very lives apparently depended on it. Taking a deep breath and shaking his head to try clear the fog, Thomas went inside with a fragile smile on his face as his brain quickly created the to-do list to keep his family alive.
HobbyScope 