10th Kingdom – Chapter 3: To Grandmother's House We Go!
Over the bridge and through the park, they traveled. Angel shivered through her teeth as she remembered the hideous faces and fang-like tusks. She thanked whoever was in charge up there Virginia was street smart and could think quick on her feet. Putting her hood up, Angel felt the trek they journeyed on was longer than usual. Grandmother's house- well apartment suite- took approximately half an hour. Paranoia led her the way thinking about the three strange beings.
Who had never heard of an elevator? Or had an OCD with shoes? She couldn't let it go that it was not a coincidence the day has been. First running over a dog that jumped out of nowhere, then that strange fellow at the restaurant? And now pink sprinkles all over fallen innocents? She hoped her father would know what to do if he should awake to an apartment torn to bits.
At her heels was the dog, Prince. She fluffed the fur on his head and caught up to her sister who remained silent.
"It doesn't make sense," she mumbled.
Angel said, "Not everything has to make sense,"
"But don't you find it odd?"
"Which part? The dog or those… trolls?" she asked.
"All of it!" she exclaimed. "I'm going psycho Angelica! I'm living in a non-stop continuous cartoon of reality!" Virginia placed a hand to her forehead and sighed heavily. "It's not enough that we both have to work while dad sits around doing nothing to support us but this! This is where I draw the line," she said building her anger.
Her little sister sneered, "Oh like you could do any better! You had dreams but you willingly left them to help the family; I still have dreams and I had to force them aside,"
She lowered her gaze in apology. "I know. And for that I thank you. Tough times call for sacrifices. Even if the sacrifice doesn't win us anything,"
Angel left it at that. She dreamt of going to college, having a start to a political career. It didn't end there as she imagined herself a mayor of New York City. She smiled to herself. Then she took a glance around the apartment buildings sagging in, the once-noisy street dead, and the lonely paved path with the occasional crack. Swallowing her pride she sighed.
Prince nipped at her hand. She looked down and patted assumingly. She whispered to him, "One day…" she left it at that.
However she wished that one day would come sooner than later.
It was not too long they approached the correct amber-colored building with lavish designs. Stalking up to the correct floor, Virginia pushed the spare key into apartment number 201's lock and twisted the door open. The long hallway revealed doors to the left and right with in the middle a viewing window. Unfortunately other buildings and an alley way, obscuring the sky and beautiful paths to Central Park, tainted the view.
Virginia sighed in relief. "Grandmother?" she called.
Angel closed the door behind them and knelt to Prince. "I think you'll enjoy this better than our hovel of an apartment," she said gazing at the coral scheme of blues and golden French symbols in the striped wallpaper. The crystal door knobs sparkled in the evening glow of the on-the-wall chandelier lights. It was all fit for royalty… despite the lowered cost.
"Who is it?" an elderly barely noticeable Canadian accent rang through her closed door.
"Grandma," Angel smiled as the door opened.
The girls' grandmother was in her nightgown smoking a French cigarette with her make up still on and freshly painted for any arriving guests. She smiled causing the sags in her wrinkles to lift. Her thinning blonde hair was cut short and her long fingernails clutched at her French poodle, Roland. Her room was dazzling with old antiques from her days as a debutante with her pink touch on the furniture, the luminous diamonds and jewelry, and the waft of sprits of perfumes lingered and heavily drowsed the girls' noses.
Her grandmother laughed and got out of bed to behold her two lovely granddaughters. On the outside she gleamed at the sight of them, in the inside she pitied them for following a second-rated job with minimum time to spend on luxuries or embrace feminism.
"It's only us grandma," Virginia said. Angel had a hand on the back of Prince making sure he didn't jump at strangers.
"For a moment there I thought it was your mother," she laughed so easily at the open wounds.
"Well we're sorry to disappoint you," Virginia mumbled.
Angel recovered, "Would you mind if we stayed the night-"
She took her cigarette out of her mouth with a puff and tapped the end of it on the ash tray. She leaned back on a fluffed pillow eyeing them.
"You know she'll come back one day. She'll just swan in, without a word. You don't think she could be in Aspen, do you? She always loved the snow." Angel looked down remembering little of her mother. At six a child barely can recollect coherent thoughts without day dreaming of lollipops and cool breezes at the beach during the hotter times in New York.
Virginia laughed uneasily wanting to avoid any talk about their mother. "Well I think she would have come back by now. I don't know, 14 years is a long time for upright skiing,"
Their grandmother scolded, "Don't be cheap dear," Angel rolled her eyes; her grandmother was born rich and she lived in luxury. Despite her wealth, she never gave money to them believing a woman's right to luxury is through the man who provides it. Grandpa has long past and she flitted her money here and there to accommodate herself.
But that doesn't mean Christmas and birthday gifts weren't inexpensive.
She gets up to pour her and Virginia, who was of age to drink, a glass of champagne. It was unfortunate that grandma already opened and emptied most of its contents down her throat.
Then she looked at Prince and shrieked. "Gah! What's that?" Roland picked up the scent of another dog and started to yap annoyingly.
"This is a stray I picked up today," Virginia introduced Prince. Angel rolled her hand over his fur and hugged him like it was her first and only pet… It is her first and only pet.
Grandmother shooed him away. "Well just keep him away from Roland. He's probably got fleas," she distressed.
Virginia rolled her eyes and shushed the poodle's incessant yapping. Angel mumbled to Prince. "C'mon, do you have fleas? No, you don't have fleas,"
Roland continued his barking while looking up growling at Prince who seemed utterly bored. Grandmother handed a very low glass of champagne to the eldest grandchild.
"Thanks,"
"You know you could still be something in society, Virginia, Angelica," she said leaning back on her pillows. "I have connections, you know. Your mother's debut at the Ritz Carlton was a… coronation! At 19 she could have any bachelor in the whole of New York… And what does she end up with?" She day dreamed her old life and the glitz and glam of New York society. She sneers when she reminds herself how her only daughter's life ended.
"Dad," they chorused holding out the ash tray.
She scoffed. "Dad," She tapped the end of the burnt cigarette and continued puffing away.
"Don't throw away your life like she did, Virginia. I could see the thing happen all over again. You're a waitress for god's sakes! And your sister… Angel," she said softly. "Angelica, you could have been up in society working for the mayor f being a district attorney! I was very disappointed you followed in your sister's footsteps," she frowned.
Roland stopped his barking as Prince smacked his paw on his head, knocking out the dog. Angel rolled her eyes. "Yeah, Grams, I had dreams but not everything ends up like a fairytale,"
She squinted her eyes. She pointed a long red finger nail at her direction. "It's that sort of thinking that got the both of you in this situation,"
Virginia defended, "We had no other choice,"
"Who are you gonna meet? Some eligible short order cook?!" Virginia laughed but took it back under her grandmother's stern eye.
"No,"
Angel muttered, "Sounds better than being single,"
Grandmother sat back and looked up wishing for a better life for all of them. She always had high hopes of having beautiful, successful daughters who would provide the family like she did in her days. Now they are old enough to get out there and start making something of themselves, and they waste their life away.
Having enough talk, Angel stood up. "I don't know about you, but I'm tired. Goodnight, Virginia, Grandmother," she said. Prince followed right after her awaiting for a chance to lay and rest.
Across the hall was a smaller room equally pink and dazzling as her grandmothers but built for younger generations. Still tuck in the drawers where spare clothes for when they camped out at grandma's because Dad picked up extra shifts. Prince sprawled on the bed and wagged his tail.
She smiled. "Now you see what I have to go through with," she said looking through the chests for some night clothes. "Always the same old story: 'When are you gonna go to college Angelica? When will you pursue your career in politics Angelica? Don't slouch, Angelica, the mayor of New York City does not slouch!' God, I wish I could redo my whole life and play it the way I want to," she mimicked her grandmother in her smoky, dry voice.
She sat down on the bed and stroked his fur. "I've always wanted to be something," she whispered. "But every time I get close, my opportunity slips away because I'm not qualified enough. I'll never prove my family my talents, it's as simple as that,"
Prince whined and laid his head on her thigh. She petted his head. "I wish I was like you. A dog. You don't have to wake up every morning wishing this were all a bad nightmare. You can walk and do whatever you want without being criticized because you messed up. You can always run away… start anew… and never look back without hesitation," Her eyes glazed over thinking.
Prince internally chuckled at the woman's speech. Little did she know he had to do all that and more. Before he was transformed he would have to wake up and expect another day of obligations and responsibilities to fulfill. People did criticize him on his behavior and actions. And when he thinks he can run away, he always looks back knowing he cannot leave a country in desperate need of him and his guidance.
He whined and closed his eyes as she stroked his head. He liked escaping for once. Let the pressure be off and let someone else take charge. But he mentally slapped himself for thinking that.
Listening to Angel opened his eyes and cranked the noggin of his once again. He never thought about other's sufferings, only his. He was selfish enough to think he was the one person that had it the hardest knowing out there, in this world, opportunities are limited and the people aren't as forgiving. He empathized his companion as she cuddled with him.
She half-smiled. "One day I will take charge of my life and show the world what I can do… but for now, so much for my happy ending," she said before changing in the bathroom. She got under the covers with Prince lying next to her. She didn't mind his companionship, she felt normal with him and could talk to him about things she would never tell her sister.
She turned off the light switch and fell fast asleep.
Two rampant knocks on the half-chopped door were heard. Mr. Murray nearly imploded when he saw the devastation of his tenant's apartment. Through the cracks and pink weird dust, he saw the vicinity worse off then before. He huffed and knocked again. He was through with his employee's lazy slack.
A half asleep Tony Lewis appeared from the other side of the door. He stiffened and grabbed his hat on.
Mr. Murray shouted, "So of course you never fixed the pipes like you promised, that I've come to expect. But this!"
Tony gulped. He was in for it now. "Well this- Well I-I can explain all this- I'll get right on it, Mr. Murray,"
He held a hand and stepped back. "No I'm gonna get on it, is not good enough! I want you and your daughters out of this apartment today! You're fired!" he shrieked before stomping off.
"Fired? What- Mr. Murray!-"
"What you big jerk?!"
Tony sighed. He had it up to here with his boss, always kicking and screaming well how would he like it to work in crappy conditions working night and day to make decent pay? He didn't have to lift a single finger as he yells at his tenants for overdue rent and fixtures needed to be repaired. He sat on his butt drinking in his amount of money for the week on his royal behind!
He narrowed his eyes and wished… Wish. He could wish! "I wish you and your entire family would kiss my ass and be my slaves forever!" he wished on the top of his head.
Mr. Murray became red in the face. "What did you just say?"
Green smoke overcame him and the sneer on his face softened. He looked admiringly at Tony, as the wish took control. "Oh, Master," he said.
Things weren't looking up for the trolls. In the elevator they sat at different walls sulking. It was obvious to them they weren't capable to break this 'spell' and no amount of force or troll spit could undo this magic.
Blabberwort whined as her brothers stared at nothing in particular. Burly asked, "How long do you think the spell will last?"
"It can't last long," she whimpered through her oversized teeth and jaws.
"What 100 years?"
Things started to shimmer over the girl troll as she began thinking, which she hardly used. "At the most. Maybe only 50!"
"Well we'll just have to make the most of our imprisonment and agree not to eat each other!" he said stiffly.
"Absolutely, absolutely! We'll do the hundred years and maybe if we're only lucky we'll only have to do two-thirds of the spell and get out of here!"
A cry of cheers and prospect swept over the trolls knowing they think they had it all figured out.
Grandmother was the first to awaken from her slumber, not under any pleasant circumstances. The buzzer for the door buzzed alerting the occupants. Virginia was still asleep and Angel was half dozing off again with Prince cuddled to her side. Their grandma put on her multi-colored silk robe and fastened it over her slinky pink nightgown.
"Hello?" she called as she opened the door. She hoped it wasn't her landlord asking for more money at this earlier light. Opening, the door revealed a man with coiffed black hair with a blue pant suit. His face was starting to have a two o clock shadow and his eyes were devilishly. He carried beautiful bouquet of spring tulips in his hand.
Wolf had gasped at the sight of the old wrinkly grandmother. He remembered his part and started to act his play.
"Oh! I'm terribly sorry, there must be some mistake. I was looking for Virginia's grandmother," he said slyly as he turned his back.
"I am she," she announced.
Wolf grinned and turned back to her. "It cannot be. A sister perhaps or even her own mother but her grandmother?! You are a… dazzling beauty," he said lacing every compliment sweetly as possible.
Flattered, Grandmother played with his fluffed hair and blushed at this new comer. "Oh well I don't have my makeup on or anything yet,"
Wolf narrowed his gaze behind her looking and smelling for any trace of the dog. "May I come in? I do have flowers,"
"Yeah but who are you?"
Wolf smiled. "I am Virginia's suitor, her fiancé, her betrothed," he said showing the stolen picture of Virginia and kissing it fondly.
"Betrothed? She never told me anything about a fiancé?"
He closed the clasp of the pictures and grinned. "How like her, how modest! Most girls would brag and boast about the heir to an enormous fortune- but not Virginia,"
Grandmother's eyes widened, then closed. She dreamt of something like this for either of her grandchildren but never could she have imagined it would come true. He kissed her hand in respect and she saw money signs in her eyes.
"Well do come in. I- I'll just go on and get dressed,"
Wolf closed the door to apartment 201 behind him as he chuckled to himself how easy this had been. But all this chasing and back and forth business made his stomach growl.
Hmm, haven't had grandmother in a while, he growled in his thoughts.
Tony hummed a little song as his new slave got to business cleaning the apartment. It was life! It was fate to have anything he wanted. He grabbed a blue robe and a cigar he made Murray buy and decided to sit down and have a beer while ordering commands at his slave.
But when he got to the kitchen, he realized in the refrigerator there was only a single bottle of beer left. Dissatisfied, he decided to fix this problem.
"Okay Wish Master. Give me a never-ending supply of beer!" he wished robotically making sure his wish was slow and true.
He opened the refrigerator door and low and behold only two bottles appeared. "Two? You call that a wild night where you come from?" This time he opened the door and found about ten beer. He closed, then opened the door. Fifteen. Twenty. Soon it was beer galore!
"Hehe, Murray, Murray! Murray! The refrigerator just keeps…What are you doing?" he said trying to show his old boss the new fangled invention.
Murray inspected another pair of dirty shoes. "I'm worried that they're not clean enough, Master. Shall I lick your shoes again?"
Tony sighed, being the master seemed difficult with choices. "Let me see your tongue,"
Murray popped open his tongue. From the inside of his mouth to the tongue was black with dirt and grime on the shoes. Tony pulled a face.
"Alright, five more minutes. How is your mother coming with that door?"
Holding open the heavy door was Murray's aged mother. She wore a red suit with matching skirt. Her frail hands lifted the door while her puffed blonde hair leaned against the wood.
She waved at her master. "A-a… almost done there, Master!"
From behind him, Murray tried to kiss his butt again. Tony might have over done it with the puckering up. He slapped Murray's face lightly. "No, no. Once was enough. Here, open this," Handing him the beer. He sat down with the cigar at the Lazy Boy dreaming of new wishes.
"What shall I wish for next? I wish, I wish that I would have something to clean this apartment and I wouldn't have to lift a finger!"
Something roared from the closet. It smacked open and held an old fashioned vacuum cleaner roaring to life actually speaking! Tony laughed as it munched up the dust bunnies and mumbled how to get clean.
"Clean," he ordered. And under the spell the vacuum zoomed around cleaning the floor.
"Oh I'm so bad! I can't believe I'm doing this!" Wolf exclaimed as he spread paprika and pepper all over the tied grandma in the silver tray. The muffled noises from her through the gag were struggling. One second Wolf was kind and courteous, the next he captured the poor lady and tied and gagged her up in the kitchen.
"Oh but still… I do suppose you're better surrounded by potatoes!" He laughed manically dumping a tray of potatoes he found in a sack. Grandmother pleaded even though she couldn't speak clearly.
Wolf looked at the countertop spice rack. Shifting through everything he growled not finding the right ingredients. "Where's the garlic? The rosemary! Grrrr, what do I have to work with here?! Free-roll dried herbs?"
He opened the oven door and sized up the grandmother. "You're not going to fit in the oven are you? Not in one piece anyway, hehe," he said laughing heartily.
He sprinkled the seasoning all over her while singing. "Shepherdess makes quite a mess, but little lambs are lovely- Oh what am I doing?! I should untie you. Oh a poor old lady frightened out of her wits, I should untie you… but first I'll put a dollop of fat in the oven tray," he said running through different emotions. His conscious settled as he decided to eat her and then feel guilty about it later.
"Grandmother?"
Wolf froze. They were up from sleeping. "Uh oh, guests are up, breakfast isn't ready!" He grabbed a butcher knife and closed the kitchen door hoping whoever was up didn't go to the kitchen first.
Virginia stretched her arms, awaking the sleepy muscles in her system. Angel rubbed her eyes and then lowered her face back in Prince's fur.
"Your obsessed, you know that?" she said giggling to herself.
Angel wasn't a morning person and grumbled. "Go away,"
Virginia obeyed her little sister and rubbed her hungry tummy. She left the room to grab a bite to eat. "Grandmother?"
"In here darling," a high-pitched voice echoed from the room.
Turning back, she entered her grandma's room. It was dark and still heavily perfumed.
"Good morning. You want some coffee or toast or something," she asked opening the curtains. Rays of sunlight hit the bed and her grandmother curled in the cover not showing any sight of her. She whimpered. "What's wrong? Grandma? Do you have a cold?" she asked checking the covers.
Pulling them back, she gasped and screamed. In the little pink shawl her grandma had on the previous night was a man with black hair and scruffy features. His eyes turned golden and he growled.
"HAHA! Surprise!" he yelled.
Virginia jumped back and fell on her back. The stranger carried a butcher knife. Virginia winced into her blue tank top and dark blue shorts.
Wolf took in her appearance and found her irresistible. Her picture was nothing to what met his eye. "Oh boy, you're fantastic! Your picture doesn't do its justice! Wow!… oh no…How did this get here?" he laughed hesitantly dropping the knife. Virginia ran off but Wolf with his instincts stopped her before she ran to her sister for help.
"No, no! Oh no! By the way where is the dog?! Sleeping in if I know royalty," he muttered. He inhaled her scent and his wolf exhaled loudly. Virginia's breathing kicked up a notch not knowing what this man wanted.
"You smell great. I've had little teases of your scent before, Virginia; but in the flesh! Perfumes are not or me; I respond favorably to the natural audacity to a woman who flaunts her own aroma," he said passionately.
Virginia searched for something to defend herself. On the dresser there was a crystal vase. She eyed it before making her steps carefully closer to it.
Wolf continued on with his lover's speech, "And you, Virginia, you smell like Sunday lunch," he growled.
"You keep away from me," she threatened emptily.
His eyes roamed around at her figure complimenting her while at it. "Ah, beautiful eyes, beautiful teeth, all the right in all the right places. No doubt about it, I am in love!" he closed his eyes and puckered up. She narrowed her eyes and then took her chance to grab the antique and smash it over his head. Surprisingly he didn't flinch, but she didn't stand to watch. She ran out of the room, fleeing for any help.
Wolf opened his eyes and his lips curled into an eerily grin.
Angel stretched her arms and yawned. She smacked her lips together and wondered where her sister was. Prince occupied the other side of the bed still fast asleep. Angelica petted his fur.
"Now where is my darling sister?" she asked to herself. She heard a large crash and panicked. She quickly opened the door to see her sister rush past her and look like a chicken with its head cut off.
"What-"
"Get away- Come- watch out!" she said heavily out of breath and trying to open the window. She looked out and whined. Angel came over to her and heard growls from behind me.
She screamed as the strange man with a knife hurled towards them. He said, "Already with my mind at rest, now that I've seen you, eating you is out of the question. Not even on the menu!" to Virginia. He kissed the night strangely and set it away on a plush chair.
"Who are you?!" Angelica asked.
He guessed, "With my predictions being correct, you're the lovely Virginia's sister. Enchanted," he bowed but never left his eyes away from Virginia.
She had to protect Angel and herself. Who knew what would happen? She grabbed a broom with a flat brush at the end. She held it a stance.
"Don't you come anywhere near her," she threatened.
Angel was overwhelmed and stood frozen from shock. "Now I know this is gonna come out of the blue but how about a date?"
Virginia attempted to hit Wolf with the broom. He ducked. "Ahhh, we started badly, but I take all the blame for that," he aimed to get the girls. Angel squeezed her eyes shut and backed away to the wall. Virginia smacked the bristles at his chest. He huffed.
He leaned a hand on the window edge trying to feel for any broken ribs. "C'mon, give us a chance!" Virginia took a no with a crotch shot at him. He hunched in pain.
"Owwww, you're one dynamically, twisted-" She didn't give him another word as she hit him once in the chest and then his jaw. He flew back and out of the window. Angelica stepped by her sister to look down. By a stroke of luck, he landed in a pile of black garbage filled bags. He looked up before falling in unconsciousness.
"What the hell was that!?" Angel shouted.
Virginia dropped the broom. "Where's grandma?" she asked worried.
Angel ran down the hall and looked in her room. She found nothing but a fast asleep Roland and smashed glass pieces. She checked her room and bathroom. Prince stood up alarmingly and ran to Angel. As much as she would love some comfort or a sense of reality, they had to find grandma.
"OH MY GOD! GRANDMOTHER!" the screams of Virginia made Angel cringe. Following suit, Prince and Angel found Virginia in the kitchen.
They found the old lady tied up with a stack of potatoes surrounding her. Angel nearly fainted from sight. Both of the girls looked at each other and the window nervously. What happened? Who was he and what did he want?
Angel collapsed to the ground exhausted and too frightened to continue standing. Prince flew to her side and licked her hand. Virginia helped her back to her feet. Angel gasped for air and held her grip on the kitchen counter tops.
"Oh my God… Virginia what did we get ourselves into?" she asked coming to.
She stared at grandma. She went to untie her. "I don't know but we have to get rid of the dog," she said snapping out of it. Angel un-gagged her grandmother who shrilled and thanked the Lord for every thing in her life. Her mumbling ceased even after the bounds were untied.
"I'm sorry for everything in my life I've deceived, I thank you Lord for letting me live to reunite with my granddaughters who mean the absolute world to me-" she mumbled going a little crazy and overdoing the prayers. Angel finished untying her and started to clean up around the kitchen while Virginia promised her grandma everything was fine and they would take care of her and the dog.
She looked sadly at Prince, not wanting to let him go despite of her sister's fury.
Yeah... meeting your 'true love' and have in hand with a butcher's knife is reallllly not the way to go. :P
