Hair Trigger 2.0 Issue Two
The second annual issue of Columbia College Chicago's student-run online literary magazine, Hair Trigger 2.0.
The second annual issue of Columbia College Chicago's student-run online literary magazine, Hair Trigger 2.0.
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But Alan had known them all long enough to understand a few things.<br />
Firstly, if he didn’t do this, if he didn’t find out what was in there and why it should<br />
never be opened, it would be all they talked about for the rest of the night. The<br />
conversation would never end. It would be another one of Sara’s pointless and<br />
banal debates. Also, he knew his wife. Eventually her curiosity would get the<br />
better of her. She would convince herself that something, some leak or fire hazard<br />
or mold, was slowly destroying the house from inside that little room, and they<br />
would have to do this anyway.<br />
“Excuse me, Henry,” he said. And the facile mortgage broker backed away as<br />
he brought the hammer around in an arc, like a little-league slugger chasing a ball<br />
that was too low.<br />
14<br />
<strong>Hair</strong> <strong>Trigger</strong> <strong>2.0</strong><br />
Linda Collier, insurance agent for Hilow Realty, pulled the pictures up on her<br />
computer. <strong>Two</strong> story Tudor. Original windows. Nice backyard. Plus, it was right<br />
smack in the middle of Merriman Hills, probably the best place to raise a family<br />
within Akron city limits. She could sell this house. Great Recession be damned.<br />
One by one she uploaded the photographs she’d taken on her digital camera to<br />
HilowRealty.com.<br />
It was another one of Randy Richter’s flips. Half her homes were Richter<br />
properties. Ten years ago Richter had been a History teacher at John Kennedy<br />
High School in Franklin Mills. Now he snatched up cheap homes he could rehab<br />
quickly and turn for profit. This was his best find so far. Richter said he’d picked the<br />
Tudor up at auction for $68,000. He was probably exaggerating a bit. Linda figured<br />
she could sell this house for around $148,000, as long as he wasn’t in a hurry.<br />
He hadn’t even put that much sweat equity into fixing it up for sale. Just patched a<br />
hole in one of the bedrooms.<br />
Then again, the story about the previous homeowners was a bit... well, it<br />
was strange. And it didn’t take much to scare away prospective buyers, Linda had<br />
learned. She once had to sell a home in Kenmore where a murder/suicide had<br />
gone down. Guy shot up his ex and then put the Colt 45 to his temple. Lots of work,<br />
there. The history of the house slashed the price by fifty percent. This one, though.<br />
It wasn’t that bad. Not much of a story actually. So the previous homeowners, the<br />
Murphys, had disappeared. So what? Walking away wasn’t a crime. People did all<br />
sorts of crazy things in this economy. Still, it was just creepy enough to frighten off<br />
some of the more superstitious clients.<br />
The neighborhood made up for its odd history. Merriman Hills was nestled