The next day, I came back to the house with my things from the apartment packed in the back of my car. I decided to take up the offer and just live in the house, I owned now anyways right? With a heavy breath, I got out. I had made a call a few hours ago to a friend of mine to help me clean and he said he was bringing backup. I didn't understand what that meant, but I would be grateful for as many people as possible. A white van with the words 'we clean for you' pulled up next to my car and I smiled when Billy poked his head out the driver's window. "Hey," he grinned, looking me up and down. I was wearing a dark grey tube top and black mini skirt. It showed off the pale skin of my toned stomach and shapely legs and I was wearing a pair of black pumps. My raven colored hair fell around my shoulders and to the middle of my back and my ocean blue eyes were framed with black rimmed glasses. I laughed "Eyes up here Billy." He quickly looked up from my medium breasts and chuckled "Sorry, you just look so damn sexy in that." "Thanks, what's going on?" "I told I was bringing a few people." "So, you hired a team of clearers?" I asked as five men and women jumped out of the back with supplies. Billy got out and sighed "Yep, thought we could leave them to work and you and me could go back into town for lunch." I shook my head, smiling wide "Sure, but let me talk to them for a second?" He nodded and slid into the driver's seat of my convertible. I strolled up to the strangers and sighed "Hey, thanks for coming. I'm Jasmine, I just want to tell you a few thing. Do not go into the basement. That's off limits. And with the guns, just place them in an empty room upstairs please." They nodded and I hurried back to the car before they could ask any questions.
Billy and I spent hours at a little café called 'Heaven's Will Café' we used to come here all the time as teenagers just for the peaceful music and delicious coffee. The owner loved having us because we didn't try and cause chaos like most people our ages, he even gave us free coffee sometimes.
During our time, we laughed at old stories from our past and at what we'd been doing with our lives. I told him that I was working as an author. "I told you," he chuckled "I told you, you'd make an amazing writer! I can't believe you actually published though!" "Yeah, I've been sitting at home working on my new book." "So…you're the famous Jasmine Read, huh?" "Yep, that's me." I said, happily. We sipped our drinks until he looked over at the clock and jumped "Damn, it's almost seven!" "We should go and see how it's going with the cleaners." We silently drove back to the house, to see the staff packing up their things. When we got out they greeted us and informed that the house was done. I listened as the men chatted and walked inside. It was spotless. Everything was dusted and polished. Now I could actually see what all the furniture really looked like.
The walls were light tanned with a few photos on the walls. On my right, sitting against the wall was a tall, long bookshelf with many books. On my left was the floral couch that had tears and cuts in the cushions. A dark coffee table was in front of it with stains that refused to come out. Passed them was the kitchen. The counter had been cleared and wiped down, the fridge was emptied and there was a pleasant lemon scent. I smiled and walked to the bedrooms. My old one was dusted and the mirror was shiny and new looking. The other one was also cleaned. I found the weapons laid in the room closest to the bathroom at the end of the hall. All piled on the floor. In the bathroom, there was a green apple scent.
I heard Billy enter through the front door and made my way back down. His eyes were taking everything in like me. We smiled and I happily said "It looks great, right?" "Yeah, but…..the old furniture could go…" "Yeah, the movers should be here soon to deliver the rest of my things. For now, lets just get everything else inside." "Okay." He answered as we went outside. It took about half an hour to empty the car. I spent most of the time sitting in father's old bedroom, stuffing his old clothes into a bag and setting it in the closet corner then hanging up my clothes inside. Billy kept going up and down with loads of my clothes and other things. It took ten minutes to take all the plates, cups, bowls and food into the kitchen. And by that time, it was starting to feel livable again.
We struggled taking the couch upstairs and into the last empty room, setting it against the back wall. The bookshelf went in there with it. "This is going to be the library." I huffed, plopping down on the couch. He gave an airy laugh as he breathed heavy and sat beside me. He laid his head in my lap and I smiled down at him. We stared for a few seconds until a loud knock broke the trance. I quickly went to answer it. The movers had already started unloading my furniture by the time I opened the door. A man in overalls stood there with two others behind him, carrying my dark red velvet couch. "Delivery for Jasmine Read?" the man grumbled. I nodded "Yeah, that's me. Just set it all in the living room." as I signed my name on the clipboard. I handed it back and stepped aside as they unloaded the truck. Eventually, I went back upstairs and saw Billy in the library still. "Come on," I grinned "we're not done yet." With a groan, he stood up and dragged himself downstairs behind me.
It took the rest of the evening to redecorate. The red couch replaced the old one and so did the glass coffee table. A low table was against the front wall with a new television on top. Upstairs, we managed to get my vanity table from the apartment into my new bedroom. My work desk was placed in the library with more books and my laptop.
After that was done, we sat in the kitchen drinking water. A low grumbling sound caught my ear and my eyes darted towards the basement door. Whatever it was, it had been quiet today. "Ya know," Billy sighed, taking me out of thought "one of the cleaners said she heard something down there." "Really?" "Yeah, maybe I should go check it out." "No," I yelped "it's, ummmmm, it's been a long day! Maybe you should go home now and rest. I'll call you sometime so we can hang out again." With a slight nod, he left.
I stood there for a few minutes, or maybe hours, staring at that door. The thing was shuffling inside again, making quiet noises. I took the note out from daddy and read it, then reread. It ate meat. Okay, so…..how about steak? Maybe it'll eat that? I looked in the fridge and took out a slimy steak. Since it had been in the car part of the day, it defrosted. I cooked it for a few minutes in the microwave, making sure it was warm.
With shaky hands, I took a big flashlight and the plate with a steak on it. Silently, I inched my way down the stairs, scanning the dark basement the flashlight. It was disgusting. There were rotting animal carcasses and bones everywhere, a pile of feces in the corner. I gaged for a moment. A silent noise, like feet pattering against the cold cement came from behind me and I zipped around, only to catch a glimpse of something like a brown piece of clothing flying up as the wearer ran by. "Hello?" I whispered "You don't have to be scared, I brought food. I know you've got to be hungry. Ya know since my dad died and all and you didn't get fed after that." I cautiously stepped forward and murmured "I won't hurt you, I promise. I'm here to take care of you." A large figure stepped into the light. He was probably a foot taller than me and lean with dark green scaly looking skin. He wore a pair of dirty ripped black pants and a long brown coat. His hands dawned sharp claws and so did his toes. His face was long and thin, probably from the starvation he's been going through lately. He had long dark red brown hair surprisingly and amazing grey eyes.
