Day 82: Summer Fun

The Prompt: Write a short story using this phrase;  The footsteps came closer.  Also incorporate Goosebumps rose on her arms without using this saying.

It was a hot day, one of the hottest on record in the state of Kansas.  Felicity shifted in her seat at the table again, her legs sticking to the wooden chair.  She threw down the socks that she was folding and pushed the table away from her.

"I can't take this heat anymore!"  She stared up at the fan.  "This doesn't feel like it's doing anything."  She walked to the freezer.  "I gotta get something to cool me off."

Frosty air billowed out as she opened the door.  Her flushed face felt better already.  Felicity saw there were three more Pop-Ice popsicles left, and she eagerly grabbed a blue one and sucked the sweet ice.  Once she was done with that one, she ate a red one and drank some ice cold water.  She cooled herself off so much that she started giving herself the chills.  She shivered and threw away her garbage.  Then her phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Felicity!" her best friend Lessandra replied.

"Oh, hi!  What's up?"

"Nothing much.  Can you come down to my house?  I was hoping we could watch a movie and paint our nails."

"Does your air conditioner work?"

"Yes..."

"Count me in then!  Bye!"  Felicity hung up the phone and went to get her shoes.  "Going to Lessandra's house beats folding laundry any day!"

Her friend's house was about a fifteen minute walk.  When Felicity approached the front door, she saw it was slightly ajar.  Fear prickled inside her stomach.  "That's odd."  She cautiously pushed the door open and called out, "Lessandra!  Mrs. Warren?  Is anyone home?"

Felicity walked in, trying to keep her steps as quiet as possible.  The shades were all down, the curtains closed, and the lights turned off.  There was a loud thump behind her.  She whipped her head around to see the front door had closed.

"Must have been the wind," she thought.  "It's so dark; I can't see a thing."  She felt around the light switch, but when she flipped it, the light would not turn on.  She gulped hard and decided to walk into a another room to see if its light would work.  As she walked, she thought she heard footsteps behind her.  She stopped walking and listened.  All was silent.  When she resumed walking, she thought she heard the steps again.

Felicity thought the best thing for her to do was to hide and see if the steps would come closer.  She ducked behind the corner and waited.  Sure enough, she heard that the footsteps came closer.  Felicity's heart thumped loudly.  She anticipating hitting whoever was approaching her.  Then the lights came on.

"Surprise!!!  Happy Birthday, Felicity!"

The living room was decorated with streamers, balloons, and a sign.  All of her friends, including Lessandra and her family, were standing around.

When Felicity recovered her composure, she exclaimed, "This is amazing!  But my birthday isn't until another three days."

Lessandra walked up.  "I know, but this way you can spend the day with your family.  Plus, you wouldn't expect a party before your birthday.  That makes it an even greater surprise!"

Felicity gave her a hug.  "You're right.  I wouldn't have.  Thank you!"

"You're welcome!  Now what do you want to play first, Pin the Tail on the Donkey or Musical Chairs?"

Felicity giggled.  "I would love to play Musical Chairs!"