Fiachra & Aifric: The Wheelie Bin Mystery of Dublin 8

"Look, I know it sounds crazy but we have to do something about this."

We were sitting in our new home. It had been a long day and all I wanted was some sleep. My wife, Aifric, had other ideas. She was frantically rummaging through our drawers looking for something she could use as evidence. Aifric was convinced that the mysterious disappearance of wheelie bins on our street was the work of dark forces. She had noticed the change in the neighbourhood while we were house hunting. Suddenly there were no more children playing on the streets or people out walking their dogs. It was like everyone just gave up and went back inside. When we moved in, we quickly discovered why. There was a strange smell coming from nearby bins that made us feel nauseous, dizzy and sleepy. We managed to keep a hold of ourselves long enough to finally get inside and shut the door.

"Aifric, please..." I tried to sound calm but it didn't seem to be working on her.

She continued rummaging for something that could help us solve this madness before it got us too. She stopped and looked up at me, "Do you hear that?" she asked suddenly concerned, "Do you hear that strange noise outside? It's getting louder!" She ran over to the window and looked out onto the street below our apartment building. I followed her lead to see what all of the fuss was about. The streets were empty as usual but there seemed to be a low humming sound coming from behind some of the buildings across the street.

I tried to find out where it was coming from but I couldn't see anything unusual. "It's probably nothing," I tried convincing Aifric, "Just go to bed and we'll look into this tomorrow." But Aifric wouldn't listen, instead she went into overdrive trying to find something that would help us fight whatever evil had taken over our neighbourhood. She rummaged through one of our boxes and pulled out an old pair of binoculars that my grandfather gave me when I was younger. She walked over to the window again and peered through them for a few moments before dropping them in disbelief and backing away from the window with fear written all over her face.

"What is it?" I asked her desperately wanting her to calm down before she woke up our daughter who was sleeping peacefully in her crib in the corner of our living room. Aifric's breathing began to quicken as she stared at me with wide eyes trying desperately not to freak out as eight year old boys are wont to do when they are startled awake by their mother's shrieking at 3am in a pitch black room filled with unknown sounds coming from outside your bedroom window. I decided then it was probably time for me to take control of this situation before either my wife or my daughter started making any noise that might alert any unwanted creatures lurking outside our home tonight who may just happen to enjoy eating babies that slept soundly in their cribs with their mothers watching over them like loving sentinels guarding precious jewels until such time as said mother's happened upon an unexpected intruder trying his best not make any noise at all after having been woken up in what he hopes will be a subtle manner so as not disturb said mother who has been known not just once or twice mind you but often times many times throughout history to startle easily and make loud noises when startled awake during seemingly peaceful nights like these when all should be right with the world if only those pesky neighbours would stop making all that damn noise!

Aifric took a deep breath and began talking slowly, "The bins... They're moving."