• Shannon had just left her friend Brianna's house. she was walking home on Filmore Street when she saw a new house. It was tall- at least 4 stories- but quite thin. Shannon remembered the old yellow house that had been there only a week ago. "That's strange," she thought. "I didn't know people could build that fast."
    Shannon was a wee bit frightened, so she began to sort of fast walk. she noticed 3 houses up the street another tall, thin home. It was a darl brown. "Hey! My friend Michael's house is supposed to be here!" Shannon said angrily. Michael's house had just been rebuilt, why would it be gone already?
    Now Shannon was jogging. But as she walked down the street, she saw more and more of those dark, long, thin houses. Soon she was running. Then, as she turned a corner (onto Treetop Road) she saw a huge construction mass- building another one of the houses! She ran up to a construction guy. "Hey! What is up with these houses?" Shannon asked. The man stared at her. then his face turned angry. "Why are you on this street?!" he thundered. Shannon jumped back. "I was, err, walking home. From my friends house." Shannon said. She was quite scared.
    You were supposed to be in your house today!" the angry construction worker yelled. Then he grabbed her arm and pulled her down the street. She began to scream and kick, but it was no use. After about 7 minutes, she realized they were on her street. she looked for her house. Where was it? Then he pointed.
    A tall, 8-story building, about 15 feet wide, stood where her house had been. she ran up to it. "Mom?" she cried. The construction man shook his head. "It's too late, kid. She is in the Houses now." he muttered. "What? what's the Houses?" she cried. He looked at her as if he could never explain. "Well, if my mom is there, can I be in the... Houses?" Shannon asked bravely. She was really freaked out, worried, sad, and scared.
    The man shook his head. "I am sorry, Shannon. It's too late now." then he grabbed her arm and threw her down a sewer hole.
    ~~~7 HOURS LATER

    Shannon woke up with the fiercest headache she'd ever had. "Oh, my head..." she mumbled. She looked around and was disgusted to see she was covered in filth. She was in a sewer. "Ohmygod. Ew! disgusting.... HELP!" she yelled. She was thining of all the bugs that could be in here. she saw a sewer hole lid and lifted it up. She slid it to the side and climbed out. All the construction workers were gone. all the houses were tall and thin, with dark colors. She ran up to hers.
    She opened the door and walked inside. Her mother! "Who are you?" her mum asked. Shannon looked at her. "Um, Shannon? Your daughter? Oh, mommy, I was so scared!!" Shannon cried, running to her mother. "Get off me! I'm not your mother! who are you?" Shannon's mum cried. "Yes you are..." Shannon whispered.
    "The Houses. It was too late." she gasped. Why didn't her parents remember her? It had to do with these houses. But she had nowhere to go. She needed to find that construction worker. "I'm sorry mum. I'm looking for a construction worker." she said. But her mother shook her head. "There are no construction workers here. Don't come back. Go. and... oh, you've dripped your disgusting mud and slime all over the carpet!" he mother did not seem angry but frightened. "Oh, no, oh, no..." she gasped.
    Shannon ran outside in tears. what had happened to her mum? suddenly a man who looked familiar ran up to her. "Shannon! Oh, honey, I'm sorry." he said. Wait... "Dad?" Shannon gasped.


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