Lauren's+A+to+Z+Horror+Story

**Five Knives**
 * A**dmittedly, the Huddleston family did not know much about their boarder, Everett Youngblood. **B**ut the money that came from his rent had become somewhat of a necessity, seeing as the Huddlestons had found themselves caught in the midst of the Great Depression.


 * C**lifton, Maggie, and Preston, the three Huddleston children, were all a bit uneasy around Everett.

“**D**on’t judge Mr. Youngblood unfairly just because he’s different,” Mrs. Huddleston constantly scolded.


 * E**verett was more than different. **F**or one thing, he always rose at six o’ clock in the morning to sharpen the five kitchen knives.

“**G**reat things are accomplished with great knives,” he murmured as he shuffled through the house, going up and down the stairwell, peering into the children’s rooms, and slipping into closets.


 * H**ow Everett managed to sneak into every locked room was another mystery to the Huddlestons. **I**cy glares hid in Everett’s dark eyes whenever Mrs. Huddleston tried to gently reproach him.

“**J**ust when you think he’s not here,” Maggie complained one afternoon, “he appears out of nowhere! **K**eep an eye out for him, Cliff; he could appear at any second from any direction."

“**L**ike magic, almost,” Clifton added with a shiver, glancing over his shoulder to be certain that he and Maggie were both truly alone.


 * M**aggie brushed an auburn curl from her pale brown eyes.

“**N**ighttime is the worst,” Maggie said. “**O**h, I just hate lying awake in bed, listening to him sharpening those knives.”

“**P**robably plans to kill us and take the house for himself,” Clifton whispered.

“**Q**uiet!” Maggie hissed. “**R**ight now, he could be listening to our conversation for all we know.”

“**S**uppose he is,” Clifton said.


 * T**rembling, Maggie shook her head and began to speak. “**U**ncanny, that’s the right word to describe him.”

“**V**ery true,” Clifton sighed.

“**W**ell, well, well, what is this I hear?” a soft voice crooned. “E**x**actly whom are we speaking of, might I ask?”

“**Y**ou, sir,” Maggie said, knowing better than to lie to Everett, who must have been listening the entire time.

“**Z**ero living Huddlestons will remain when I’m through here,” Everett said, raising five silvery kitchen knives, one for each Huddleston.