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“Don’t worry, little guy, you’re not alone. I am not impressing anyone these days.” I laughed at my own little joke.
Unsurprisingly, the squirrel didn’t laugh with me.
And then, he launched from his position, running toward the door so fast that I couldn’t have caught him even if I’d tried. It took everything in me not to let out a scream, but I knew any sudden movement could scare him, and he could run back indoors.
Before making his exit, the squirrel took a moment to look back at me from the doorway. We locked eyes, two adversaries sizing each other up. And then, with a final flick of his tail, he ran out the door into the great outdoors.
“Merry Christmas!” I yelled at his retreating form.
I stood there, triumphant, holding the broom like a gladiator.
As I closed the door, a rush of cold air swept over me, a reminder of the chilly world outside.
With the intruder safely outside, I turned back to the living room. Now slightly worse for wear, the lamp cord dangled from its spot.
Shrugging, I headed back to the couch, my heart still racing from the encounter. As I settled onto the cushions once more, wrapped in the cozy blanket, I couldn’t help but be amused. Who knew that facing off with a squirrel would be the highlight of my day?
I reached for the remote and resumed my holiday movie marathon, the screen’s glow enveloping me once again.
With each scene, I felt a growing sense of relaxation, of letting go of the stress and chaos that had marked my recent weeks.
It didn’t take me long to doze off, but the jostling of the front door’s lock jarred me awake.
CHAPTER2
Zoey
Isat up with a start, blinking in the dim light of the room. My heart pounded in my chest as I tried to make sense of my surroundings.
The sound came again, a soft rustling, like the pitter-patter of tiny feet. My groggy mind conjured up an image of the squirrel intruder, returning with his entire extended squirrel family for a midnight rendezvous.
I mean, at this point, my life had taken such a turn for the absurd that it didn’t seem entirely impossible.
The noise became louder, and my heart rate quickened. This wasn’t a squirrel; someone was trying to break in.
Holy shit! If I hadn’t had enough bad luck, I was about to be robbed.
I grabbed the nearest object within reach—a box of tissues from the coffee table. Holding it like a makeshift shield, I stood, ready to fight.
The rustling grew louder. Now there were voices. This wasn’t an animal; I really was being robbed. Metal against metal sounded as a key slid into the front door lock.
Since when did robbers have keys to the house?
I squinted into the darkness, my grip on the tissue box growing tighter. And then, the front door swung open, flooding the room with frigid winter air.
Without thinking, I hurled the tissue box toward the intruders, the box sailing through the air with all the grace of a clown on roller skates. My heart raced, triumph and anxiety coursing through me as the box hit its mark with a soft thud.
“Ouch! What the—”
The voice was familiar. Too familiar. And then there were three figures standing in the doorway.
My cheeks flushed with equal parts embarrassment and disbelief.
“Who throws a tissue box?” the tallest of the three figures asked, rubbing his arm where the box had landed.
I blinked, my heart still pounding, my brain trying to process what was happening. Standing before me were three people I hadn’t seen since high school: my brother’s best friends.
With every ounce of my being, I hoped that I didn’t look as terrible as I felt. But I had fallen asleep on the couch, so I likely had drool caked to my face and a bird nest for hair. My hand instinctively went up to my hair to smooth it down, but my actions were futile.
