Chapter Text
Sitting on the couch it's night. I have my knees up with my feet on the seat. Sally is sitting properly. We are watching some horror movie. A character is rushing through the woods, birds flapping with each step though out of sync. Slower, impending, the fates are playing. Each crow call is spaced out more, dwindling. He starts to stumble and grasp for anything but soon collapses down to the ground. He lays there, chest begging for more air, but no amount gives him enough. I quiet gasp leaves his chest as the camera panning up to show the killer's knife in his back.
I was sort of expecting the main character to live, all that is left is a cop. The dude's brother who is investigating the case. Right when the movie switches to him in his office a knock is on our door.
How did we afford a house as young couple? We didn't, it was a gift. Sally's parents are living VERY comfortable. Not that I'm mad.
As I go up to the door, because I it's natural to us, I open it to see Riley standing there. He is rubbing his hands together, though it's summer.
"Why hello Riley?" I greet and ask, he nods as he looks around. "Is Sally here?" I look back, still being a couch potato. "Yeah?" He nods as he looks around. "I can't find my mom." Oh, that is soms cause for worry.
"Is she working late? Did you check all your house?" They nod. "Mind I'd I checked your place?" I don't want to leave him, but it really isn't my responsibility to take care of him. He is sixteen too, he just is anxious.
He nods as he backs up. I turn my head and call out, "I'll be back! Please pause the movie!" I hear a, "Okay!"
I turn as Riley less me down the sidewalk. We live in a suburban neighborhood. It's sort of off putting. All the houses lined up, every single one with a slanted garage roof, two windows near the door, and more. The only difference is so people out up decorations. One house has Halloween decorations, fall is approaching and some people are already talking about Christmas. It's two inflatable ghosts, a couple of small metal framed spiders, a tombstone, and a larger one in the middle of the spider pack. One house has two lawn flamingos out.
When we get to his house he turns to key the right way but it doesn't open, he turns it the wrong way twice, then tries to right way again. This time it opens as he tries to shake it out the door before it pulls out. He opens it for me. I walk in. "Why are all the lights out?" I ask as I can only see shapes past what the sky illuminates. "They just powered off when I was looking for my Mom."
I travel his house, the exact same wall placements except less furniture then us. Single mom without much support, it makes sense. As I walk around I see the basement door. There is a sound coming from if. I open the door as I go down the steps. "Wait." Riley whispers. I turn as I am only at the fourth step. "I am not Allowed down there." He whispers. I wave my hand at him, I take more steps down. He stands at the edge leaning down to try and see me hit refuses to go down.
As I reach a step that bends under my weight a wrench flies at the wall, I think that would have hit me if Riley didn't slow me down. I turn as I definitely hear something, not like the wrench hitting the wall. I see a shaded figure near the wall. It is messing with something? It's...
"Grace?" I asks. It doesn't answer. I take the last few steps but duck, avoiding where the wrench hit. I creel towards the figure that keeps doing something to a lump on the wall. I am a couple feet behind it as I inch my hand towards my pocket before pulling out my phone. I flash a light on it. It shrinks back at the sudden brightness.
"What!" It calls out. I let out a heavy breath. "Grace did you forget your hearing aid?" She sayings still trying to adjust to the light as she points her ears towards me. "What?" I ignore her, she obviously did. I glance towards the breaker box.
I just sort of walk past her, she moves back, I look at each black switch. I flip each one. Nothing. Again, again nothing. Strange. "What is wrong with it?" She shakes her head and punches her shoulders close, "I don't know!" She yells, due to the lack of a hearing aid.
I sigh, whatever, not my problem. I walk back up as I see Riley sitting down, palm to chest, when it goes to high he pushes against it. I crouch down, "It's fine, the lights just shut off and your mom is trying to fix it. Why are you even banned from the basement?"
They nod as they hold their breath and let it back out too quickly. I try to show him how to control his breathing, I might need to grab his inhaler. But no, he eventually settles as his muscles give in and make him lay down. "I don't know."
I rub the side of my head as i think. "If you want you can pack and chill with us till your house has it's lights.". He immediately sits up and looks around. He leans towards my ear as he whispers, "The threads keep trying to climb my nose." I stand up to get distance and rub my ear. Okay? I just smile, it hurts my muscles, but eh. "Go pack."
***
While he packed I gave his mom her hearing aid. It was covered in web for some reason so I wiped it with my clothes. She thanked me and told me it was for the better if he stayed till she fixed it. I told her she can stay with us till an electrian came by, but she wanted to fix it herself.
When me and Riley were walking back on of our other neighbors came down. I think her name was Judith? She hobbled down and asked, "I need some help please. My ac needs to be cleaned a little." My hands tense up, it would be rude to rub my face though. "Okay, I'll help." I turn to see immediate panic in Riley's eyes as he looks between me and where I assume is my house. They all look the same and it's too dark to see the licence plate of my car, I don't have the best memory.
I'd refuse them but that'd make Sally worry. I dig into my pockets and pull out my keys, this may be stupid, "Riley these are the house keys. Go and let yourself in, I'll call you when I'm there." His eyes still are wide as I looks at me and back at the house. I press my lips together as I turn back to Judith. When Riley realizes I won't go with him he sprints, almost immediately running out of breathe, but he makes it. I don't think he'll manage the door though. I quickly text Sally as I walk up Judith's drive way. When I reach her house, their breaker box also probably isn't working. Wonder if these houses have a generator to check too?
I follow her as she gets me into the living room. I immediately see the ac, I crouch down and pull out the filter. I grab the grey hair out of it. It has some green, wet plant on it too? It makes my skin tingle and my nerves fire. I shake my hand to make sure it's all off. Cobwebs come off too. I place it back in. I stand up as Judith starts to cough. Like bad.
"Are you okay?" I worry as she nods but then coughs more. As she pulls her elbow away more strings of web float through the air. "Should I call someone to help you?" She shakes her head as she as politely says, "No, no, dear it's fine, beside my husband is in worse condition." I pause. My guts starts to twist as it says to go check on him. He's old, delicate health.
"Can I check, I was supposed to be a nurse maybe I can help?" Her face relaxes as she thinks about it. She opens her mouth then closes it. One of her eyes begins to shut almost but it opens right before. "Yes, let's go. Thank you so much."
I smile and save it off, "it's fine." We go upstairs, at Judith's seventy four year old pace. As we turn and enter the bedroom it's annoying. I constantly have to swat my hands around as they haven't dusted in so long.
Judith's husband...uh...David, lays there. I think he is David. He doesn't move. As I walk closer I brush off dust that clings to my face. I touch his wrist to feel his pulse. I feel something? Too little though.
I leaned down as I press my palm against his chest. He hasn't even said anything? It's rude to touch someone like this without consent but I'm starting to think he needs an ambulance. I don't feel his chest moving. I bring my ears closer to his mouth, the smallest amount of air leaves his mouth as his dry body opens it. A murmur of, "Delicious." Comes out. I feel something touch my ear, I smack my ear as I stand right up again.
I turn to Judith coughing a lung again. I turn to see the mouth still open. The dust keeps blowing towards me with not wind. I wipe my face more as I make sure it's not my hair in my face.
David's mouth opens more and more. I hear a crack. His eyes open to two bloodshot basically pupil-less eyes,bears start to spill out as they are transfixed in me. I hear a drum roaring in my chest as everything I see is highlighted somehow. A lump travels up his throat. Big enough to cut off air flow. I take a step back as he starts to choke. Oh, oh, my muscles crave to rush forward but my chest keeps me in place. As the lump, that is the size of grape fruit, travels up finally his jaw snaps out off shape. It broke, it dangles as one final pushes of his throat hurls an black ball the immediately separates. Tiny specks travel all other his body. I can't do anything but watch.
I am freed as I hear a cough behind me. I turn to see Judith hunching slightly in pain. Oh fuck. David's spine arches as his body writhes. What else is in there? His back slams down as his body deflates. A bunch of thin strains float in the air.
Judith is trying to sob her coughing is messing it up. My chest feels heavy and a paranoid thought of me doing that causes tears to prickle the edges of my eyes.
I freeze, I cannot move. I ache, no, I need too, but I can't. I cough.