When I lost the Internet in my house last week, I ended up spending my time away from the screens. No video games, no laptop for writing or blogging, I couldn’t even use my phone aside from texting.
I forgot how much I relied on the Internet, but I found other ways to entertain myself. There’s more to life than technology.
I spent a few hours reading an old book I got a long time ago. I remember reading it when I was younger, but I didn’t really remember anything about the actually story or plot.
It was a quick read, so I figured, why not?
I read A Deadly Game of Magic by Joan Lowery Nixon. Nixon wrote mystery, suspense stories. They were quick reads, but they were the type of book that kept you constantly turning the pages. You know, you want to skip to the very end just to see what happens.
I got so into the book. I haven’t read such a thrilling suspense story in a long time. Kris sat beside me re-reading Harry Potter and she tried talking to me a couple of times, but I ignored her every time. I either didn’t hear her, or I decided to finish the paragraph before responding. But then after that paragraph, I would just continue to the next and the next and the next.
Once I got to page 76 in the book, I read a line of narration that said, “A sudden thud shook the back door.”
It’s such a simple sentence. It’s not very descriptive, but it’s described enough.
At this point, I was halfway through the story, so I was very much wrapped up in the characters and plot. So of course, I felt for the characters. What was the loud thud? They’re in a huge abandoned home in the middle of a storm, in the middle of nowhere. Of course, the door shaking is going to freak anyone out; especially if someone is trying to break in.
Needless to say, when I read that line, one of the doors in my house slammed shut.
I sat up abruptly on the couch and peered out into the kitchen. I didn’t see or hear anything. I looked at Kris and she was still reading her book as though the sudden slamming didn’t bother her one bit.
I tried to get her to get up and check it out, but she thought I was being nuts and told me there was nothing wrong.
I had assumed the door that slammed was the basement door. Kris said it was the wind, but I said there was no wind anywhere. The windows were closed in the kitchen and there wasn’t anything in the basement. We didn’t even have the fan on.
Then she asked me to get her cookies. I agreed. I was hungry and I the door slamming was nothing, right? Maybe the dog or cat ran into the door or something. They’re both very clumsy and walk into walls all the time.
But if I went into the kitchen, I would have to pass the basement door.
I was already freaked out from the events going on in the book. So even something as small as a door slamming was making me uptight and nervous, especially since that exact thing just happened in the book.
I was brave, though. I went into the kitchen. I peered down the basement stairs, but it was dark. I couldn’t see anything. Either way, I sighed in relief. I was being crazy.
I got the cookies and as soon as I put the step-stool back, I turned around to grab the cookies off the counter.
Then the door to my parents’ bedroom slammed shut.
Even though I had to pass by the basement door and my parents’ bedroom door, I darted back into the living room with a panic yelling at Kris.
There was nothing in the house, and I knew that, but there was definitely something in the house.
Kris laughed at me, but she decided to humor me and check out my parents’ bedroom.
Sure enough, they had a window wide open and the wind was slamming doors closed.
And that’s all she wrote.
Kris and I got back to reading like nothing happened. Except she now enjoys telling people that story because I freaked out.
At least it was a good book.
Have you ever gotten so into a story that you brought it into reality with you? Let me know in the comments!
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