i skipped the dark downstairs kitchen and went straight to my room to flip on the television just to hear background noise and hopefully start to drown out the chaotic panic in my head . `` nay , my dear , '' said the old man . `` oh , am i allowed to talk now ? '' across the street is a house nearly identical to ours , and next to it is another mirror-image house . go and get some help , he repeats , smiling . 