Chapter 9 — The family clears out the refrigerator shelves together — Then empties the locked closet of redundant supplies
David set the heavy cardboard box down onto the kitchen counter.
The cardboard flaps were taped shut with brittle, yellowed packaging tape.
Jessica walked into the kitchen from the hallway.
She stopped in her tracks when she saw the box sitting between the toaster and the coffee maker.
“What is that?” Jessica asked, her voice tight.
“I found it tucked behind the spare bins in the pantry top shelf,” David said.
David used a kitchen knife to slice through the old tape.
He folded back the cardboard flaps.
Inside sat a dozen small, clear plastic bags.
Each bag was neatly labeled with a date written in black permanent marker.
David picked up the bag marked with the oldest date.
Inside was a single metal key on a small paper tag.
Written on the tag were the words: Basement storage locker number four.
Jessica stared down at the contents of the box.
Her breath hitched in her throat.
“I don’t remember putting those there,” Jessica whispered.
“There are twelve bags in here,” David said, counting them with his fingers. “One for every month of the past year.”
Chloe reached over and picked up a second bag.
Inside this one was another key and a folded slip of paper.
Chloe unfolded the paper and read the handwriting aloud.
“To keep the house safe from the outside,” Chloe read, her voice barely above a whisper.
David picked up a third bag.
This one contained a key and a small photograph of the basement hallway.
The photograph showed a heavy padlock attached to a door that David had never noticed before.
David looked from the photograph up to his wife.
“Jessica,” David said firmly. “What is in the basement storage locker?”
Jessica shook her head slowly, stepping back away from the counter.
“I didn’t know there was a locker down there,” Jessica said, terror flickering in her eyes.