Hey all. Here's my update. I honestly did not plan for it to take so long. I really am getting back into the story.
Tears, you asked about the donut. Donuts are, at least for me, mostly a comfort food or a snack. Sometimes being with certain company or in a particular place can really steal the appetite from you. So Alice was just meandering through the streets, trying to preoccupy herself and clear her mind. It was unconscious but a way to comfort herself. Glad you asked :)
The Megalamoose likes long reviews, they make her happy and motivated.
I was at my aunt's house. It was an annual thing we did with my family; leave the city and stay with some family out at their farm.
The clear pond stretched out before me. My toes wiggled into the soft grass underfoot. A smile slid onto my features as I prepared to run and jump into the swimming hole. I was a good fifteen feet away from the body of water when I started to run. My bare feet slapped lightly on the ground, I threw my arms out, catching the breeze. When I reached the edge, I threw myself into the air. It was radiant, a simple joy overflowing my senses.
The cool water surrounded me. It was everywhere. Above me, below me, in me. I wished I could breathe in it, and for that moment...I could. Light streamed down, I opened my eyes and marveled at the beauty this clear pond beheld.
Yet, something didn't seem right. I couldn't tell what it was at first. Slowly the goosebumps travelled up my arms. Then, I couldn't breathe. I clutched at the water, which seemed to be pulling me down, down now. The temperature, which had been warm and gentle…was now cold, cold, cold.
I screamed, no bubbles issued from my mouth.
Something latched onto my ankle. I glanced down below me, a hand emerged from the weeds…deathly white in color. I screamed again, thrashing away. Not again! Not again! I struggled to swim up, wildly throwing my arms above me. Without warning, some other hand plunged into the water towards me. It was green and only had three fingers. Grabbing my wrist, it gave an even harder yank.
So there I was, trying to get to the surface…drowning in this cold, cold water. Two grips pulled me in different directions. My heart began slamming loudly against my chest, impossibly loudly. It grew louder, louder, louder…
THUMP, THUMP, THUMP
I sat up. Cold sweat drenched my forehead, my cheeks, my arms. My room was swathed in darkness, the cool night air drifting in from my window. No choking water surrounding me, just my safe sheets and pillows. Yet what had woken me continued to send chills down my spine.
THUMP THUMP
I had no time to relax from the nightmare I had experienced. The dull sound came from what sounded like the other side of my apartment. I hesitated, still getting my bearings.
Then my doorbell sounded, and resounded. It was from my door. I glanced at my clock: 3:30 AM. Someone making this much of a racket couldn't be dangerous, could they? Then I realized who it could be. Who else would bother me at this time of night? I slipped off my bed and made immediately for the door.
Hunter was standing out there. His face was lined with worry, making him look older than I had ever seen him before. He was wearing nothing but a T-shirt and jeans, and just lifting his hand to bang on the door again.
"Alice!" he gasped.
"Hunter," my breath was squeezed out of me a little as he nearly tackled me to the ground with a hug. And, I found I needed it too.
"Why don't you come in?" I croaked, my throat and mouth was dry. "You must've been freezing out there."
"Alice, you're alright! I mean, are you alright? I was so worried about you. I woke up and he was gone, and I got suspicious and…" Hunter was babbling, but the ice in my blood said that I knew exactly what he was talking about.
Time to play it cool. Hunter could not know what happened. "Shhh, please, Hunter," I soothed my voice, trying to keep my own coutenance calm. "Hey I'm absolutely fine, other than being a bit shocked from being woken up at half past three in the morning."
He swallowed, quiet for a moment. Then his voice was low, and the tone rather frightened me.
"Alice, you're telling me that no one came here. You've been by yourself?"
I unstuck my throat, "Yes." It shook a little, I cringed inwardly but bounced back, putting on my motherly mask. "What's going on Hunter? Are you okay?"
"Shh, just listen to me. I was hanging out with this guy, Chase, a friend from highschool. He came by and we watched TV and stuff for a little while. We talked a bit. I went to the bathroom and when I came back he was looking at family pictures, he asked about you. I answered quickly and we moved on, I thought I saw him glance over at the picture a few times but I didn't think anything of it. I fell asleep…" This was starting to sound familiar, I started running through excuses in my mind while listening intently to his story.
"…when I woke up he was gone. It seemed just like him, he's always been a little dodgy but honestly, I do try to help him." He paused to glance around real quick, still suspicious. His eyes fell back on her. "The key to your apartment was gone."
I fought back the violent shiver that threatened my body.
"My jacket was also missing from…the back of the couch. I could've sworn I'd thrown it there. I remember he came to my house without one--"
"Hunter," I decided this was my chance to intervene. Meanwhile my brain was working out the fact that I'd seen Hunter's jacket laid out on the kitchen counter behind me. The man had worn it to my apartment. I turned around nonchalantly, glad the kitchen was dark enough for me to snag the jacket and hide it behind my back. I talked while I did this.
"First of all, this isn't the first time you've misplaced either the key or the jacket. Hit the light switch, please?"
He followed me in, and when he turned to get the light, I shoved his jacket behind the refrigerator. Strange, I know, but my only option at the time to keep away the evidence.
"Look, I'm sorry Alice. I was just so worried. I know Chase's had problems like this before, I was so, so afraid he'd come here." His gaze was so sad and yet loving, my heart was deeply touched.
"Dear brother," I walked over and put my arms around him. "I am so lucky to have a sibling like you." I meant it. For a moment I was quiet, caught in this embrace. My eyes stung, and I was taken aback by this sudden wave of emotion. Though I fought it back, one thought was profound in my mind.
What if Leo had not come for me?
"Okay," Hunter pulled me away to glance down at me, his face a bit curious. "I know you must have work in the morning. I'm sorry for waking you."
"Don't be, I enjoy early visits from my brother," I regained my composure, though my mouth was oh so dry. "Really early…"
He laughed a little, "Well don't look forward to them. You won't get them unless it's an emergency."
"That's probably very true," I agreed with a smile. "You sleeping on my couch tonight?"
His expression was suddenly serious again, his brow furrowed.
"Yes, I think so."
I could see what he was thinking. Just in case this 'Chase' decided to come. But he had already wreaked havoc here, and I was pretty sure that fella wasn't ever coming back.
As we walked out of the kitchen, I suddenly realized that the house should be a wreck. After all, that horrid man had destroyed half of my house while pursuing me. Before I could stop Hunter from turning on the lamp, he did. I prepared myself for the startled look that the mess would induce from him.
There was no mess. The room was definitely clean. Everything was untouched, just as I would have it any other day. I was floored, standing like a statue. Hunter didn't notice, grabbing the blanket folded over the couch and shedding his shoes. When I glanced over, he was getting comfortable.
"Aren't you going to bed?"
I nodded, trying to find my voice. C'mon Alice, you need to act completely normal. "Goodnight, Hunter. See you tomorrow."
He nodded, reaching for the lamp switch. I shuffled off to my bedroom. The door handle was still missing, a weird oddity. What kind of person removed the door handle when he broke into someone's house? I tried not to think about it, it was making me sick. When I closed it as much as I could, I also realized that the broken glass from the candle was cleaned up too.
He must've done it. Leonardo. But why?
I sunk onto my bed, still a little stunned. Wait…did he…knock me out? I definitely don't remember lying down to sleep. Yes. I remember that smug expression. That…egotistical cretin! I can't believe he had the nerve to...to do that!
My shocked suddenly abated, replaced with irritation. I threw myself down on the bed, squeezing my eyes shut. I'm never going to sleep now.
An alarm went off. My hand shot out of the cocoon of blankets to slap it off. Groaning, I sat up. My hand snaked its way up into my tangled hair as my eyes glanced at the window. It was early. I had fallen asleep, ironically after I had been so sure that I wouldn't. I slipped out of bed, going through the motions: shower, comb hair, brush teeth, get changed into my waitress outfit. My mind did not work, I focused on the little tasks at hand. I knew I would have to think about all of this, but I was happy putting it off till the last moment.
Hunter was practically dead on the couch, I did not wake him. I left a little note for him on the countertop, as I did so my gaze flickered to the refrigerator. I debated about that for a while, but decided to leave it there for the moment. I was sure he wouldn't come upon it. The man was known to get in the 'fridge, not behind it. I would find a way to get it back to his apartment without his knowing. I only felt bad that he didn't have a coat right now, I hoped he would stay in the apartment today.
Donning my own jacket, I exited the apartment and made my way onto the streets. Riding a bus to work was my only option this morning, I didn't complain.
As I took my seat, missing my Chevy, a sudden ringing from my coat pocket caused me to jump. My cell phone. I did not frequently use my cell phone, it was only a method of necessity for me. I just was not the kind of person who you'd see texting or chatting away twenty-four, seven.
"Hello?"
It was Mr. Barb, my boss. "Alice, you okay kid?"
I swallowed, why was this happening to me? I should just walk around with a sign saying "SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY" plastered to my forehead. "Yes, why?"
"Well you've taken off more than you usually do. I just wondered if something was up." He didn't dwell on the subject, I appreciated it. "You on your way to work?"
"Yes sir," I glanced out the bus window, rolling my eyes at myself. I was becoming way too paranoid.
"Good," he grunted, "I want you to set up shop then. I'm going to be late, due to a little…incident. Bett is sick, so we've got Jason and the newbie today. Got it?"
"Mmhmm." I had the key to the restaurant. It was good to have your employer trust you. Good things happen to you.
I said good bye to him, he was apparently in a hurry. Jason would be late, as always, but Mr. Barb let it slip because we couldn't afford to lose him. We all called it the "The Great Exception." Only he was allowed to sleep in (though Mr. Barb hated it and constantly complained), the rest of us loved our general well-being too much to argue. The newbie wouldn't be late, but wouldn't come this early either. So it would be me and…well, me, until Mr. Barb came.
The bus pulled to a stop, I got off and pulled my coat tighter as the cold air brushed against my face. Traffic wasn't big today, I hoped it would be quiet in the diner. I ambled off the bus, ignoring the driver as he shot me glances in attempt to hasten my departure. I was going to take my time as much as I desired to.
I walked a few blocks down to the diner. The sign was not yet turned on, yet the restaurant's name still stood out boldly: "Barb's Diner." The restaurant had been in my boss's family for a long time.
I inserted the key into the lock and pushed the door open. The bell rung, puncturing the quiet atmosphere inside the dark room. It wasn't much warmer inside, though it should've been. Breathing out, I took off my mittens and jammed them in my pocket. That's when I heard it.
A loud crashing sound came from behind the swinging kitchen door. Hectic beeping, something that sounded remarkably like the kitchen microwave (used for more personal reasons rather than serving customers--that was the ovens' job) echoed in the background. I also heard a loud groan, frustrated and deep…masculine.
This just wasn't my week, was it?
Yet, curiosity was what reared up. I didn't feel a twinge of fear or discomfort for some reason. Narrowing my eyes, I silently closed the distance between the glassy front door and the kitchen.
The lights were not on, only a tiny bit of natural illumination streamed in from the little windows. Steam rolled in thick clouds, and beeping sound increased…becoming positively shrill. I gave a little gasp and reached over to flick on the light.
The billows of steam cleared, revealing a jaw dropping sight. I stared for a long moment, unsure what emotion to feel. Something shook my frame, my own feeling. I…I was…I was laughing. The peals of laughter came out so hard that I grabbed onto the nearby counter for support. My knees shook and my curly hair fell around my face.
Leonardo, the one and only--the subject of all my recent thoughts--was frozen in the position of seizing the microwave, having lifted the large thing clean off the counter with his two hands in utter frustration and hopelessness. He was covered in some gooey yellow substance, its prominent smell identifying it as cheese. There were also flecks of white here and there; egg. The trolley of once clean dishes behind him were also splattered with melted cheddar and eviscerated egg, only half of the stainless steel bowls and platters had crashed to the floor. No doubt this had occurred in some clumsy movement. Or had it? This mutant turtle always seemed so graceful and sure of himself. I had to keep peeking from my lashes to make sure it was him.
The turtleman was no longer holding the microwave. It was crookedly set back down on the counter. I couldn't quite read the expression on his face at first. When he had first seen me, shock flitted across his features and froze his posture. Now I could see that the shock was turning into shame and embarrassment. He stood as straight and tall as could be and folded his arms. I straightened up, trying to control myself. He waited patiently, his expression emotionless.
The bit of egg dangling from his chin completely broke me down again. The microwave continued its shrieking; effectively drowning out my giggles, but you didn't have to hear me to see how hard I was laughing.
His resolve broke. "WELL?! Are you going to assist or NOT?!" He practically roared it at me. I wobbled over towards him, his ferocious aggravation did nothing to sway my temporary high.
"Watch," I mouthed at him, practically face to face with the stressed guy. I turned towards the wall, unable to hide a slight wince from the loud shrieking, I dearly hoped that Mr. Barb would be very late. Following the cord behind the machine, I gave it a good yank. The plug popped out of the wall outlet. The loud beeping noise ceased immediately.
"Agh," I stuck my pinky finger in my ear, trying to clear out the resounding ring in my head. "That was loud."
And suddenly I was grinning up at him. I knew I shouldn't feel like I had been justified. After all, knocking me unconscious last night was a small price compared to saving me and even tidying up my apartment.
And I felt…like I was looking at a different Leo. Albeit one covered in cheese. I giggled again. He did not look amused at the fact that all he had to do was unplug the cursed thing.
"Thanks," he grunted, I noticed the edge of hurt pride in his voice.
"No problem," I was still happy as a lark. "By the way, you wanna tell me what you are doing?"
He stared at me, fixing me in the gaze of those questioning eyes. I didn't understand his expression. My smile fell a few notches. Suddenly he shook it off, glancing over at the microwave calmly…breaking the tension. "Uhm, well y'see…I haven't had a good omelet in a long time. The old microwave in the den isn't working any more. I thought I'd drop by your work place and make myself a hot breakfast while I waited for you."
"…me?" I had been smirking a second ago, the smile was wiped completely off of my face. I was puzzled. My brain didn't wait for his reply to come to its conclusion, my mouth following it out almost as fast. "Oh come on, you're increasing the stalking?"
He was readjusting the microwave to its original position. Comically, he looked almost tentative to touch the thing. The corners of my mouth twitched up again.
"Obviously I told you last night I'd 'see you tomorrow,' so unless you didn't get the hint…"
I rolled my eyes, wetting a rag in the kitchen sink. "C'mon, stop avoiding the question."
"Right, we're going to have you come back to our home today. There are some things you should know…if you're going to team up with us."
I handed him the warm washcloth. I wondered what he had done to the microwave to get it to explode food all over him. I decided not to ask. He stared at the cloth in my hand before smiling a little and accepting it. "Thanks."
"Mmhmm. Oh yeah, and it's going to have to wait until after work," I agreed. I had had a feeling that there was so much more to the story of these guys. I had plenty of questions as well. "If I keep taking off, people will get suspicious."
He mopped at his face. I was already hastening to clean up the mess, picking up the dishes (thankfully none broken or dented) and transferring them to the large sink. I started up the faucet and squirted dish soap everywhere.
"I completely understand. That's why I also came to see you this morning. Though you are probably are fully aware already, we need to keep everything hidden." He was helping me stack dishes. My arms worked quickly to scrub off the splashed food, it wasn't hard and I was very practiced at this activity.
Suddenly he paused, causing me to do so as well. He glanced down at me from the corner of his eye.
"Are you doing alright?"
I knew what he was talking about, my hands slowed almost to a stop. I stared at a particular bubble for a moment before making eye contact.
"Yeah, I am." I smiled, unsure for a moment before adding with an edge in my voice, "Fell asleep pretty quickly last night."
I saw a pronounced smirk flash across his face. I tightened my lips a little, but there was a trace of a smile in my eyes. I rinsed a few dishes with the water hose.
"I didn't bonk you over the head or anything, just a little tap on the temples. It was for your own good. You were being…difficult."
I ran my tongue over my teeth, tempted to reply sharply. I did, just not verbally. Turning the water gun up, I pressed in the handle and sprayed a short burst of lukewarm water into the certain someone's face. Instant satisfaction. He spluttered, stumbling back; I was the one smirking now. I went back to rinsing dishes. He stared at me.
I pretended to look innocent."What…? You had a little bit of egg left on your cheek…"
Leo's features slowly unlocked and I saw a warm glint in his eyes. "Difficult," he repeated under his breath, turning his back to me to wipe the counter. For a split second I could've sworn that I'd seen a hint of a smirk on his face.
As I finished drying the dishes, I wondered what was up with me? Was it just seeing him in his predicament that suddenly put me in a good mood? I couldn't quite tell. "Well, not that it hasn't been fun…" I sported a sly smirk, "…but I think maybe you'd better get going before my boss gets here."
He tossed the dishrag into the sink beside me. The kitchen was now looking normal again, though I could still detect the scent of cheese. I flipped on the fans, hoping they would clear out the air in a matter of minutes. To my surprise he sniggered, leaning back on the counter behind him.
"Do you actually think I would come and cook something at any restaurant while there was a possibility I might be discovered?"
"What are you saying?" My mouth went the tiniest bit dry, my eyes narrowed into slits. I could tell what was coming.
"Don't worry, I made it an easy but tedious task for him to overcome. Just enough so that I would get some time."
I didn't know what to say. Part of me wanted to reprimand Leonardo, this seemed very unlike his personality. However, who did I have to thank for brightening my day? He went on to comment on that particular situation:
"Of course," he continued sourly, staring at the microwave balefully. "I certainly didn't make out fine, did I? Apparently I have a severe imcompetence when it comes to microwaves."
I laughed, "Apparently…but here…"
I crossed to one of the massive refrigerators. Inside one was where our sub sandwiches packed and ready to sell. They were just a side item, and generally we made them fresh by hand but we always had a few wrapped up and kept cold.
"I hope you like turkey," I pulled out the paper bag and shook the footlong inside a little.
Leo's brow shot up when I handed it to him. I guessed at what he was thinking. I entertained myself for a moment imagining him: First she attacks me with the water nozzle and now she's feeding me lunch, what the hell?
"It's thanks for cleaning my house last night."
He accepted the paper bag, a bit of a smile coming onto his features. "Came in handy, didn't it?"
I nodded, and leaned back. My thoughts took a more serious twist, why was I thanking him for tidying my house and not for the reason why it needed cleaned in the first place? Well, I had, last night. Somehow it didn't seem enough. I felt like I was greatly indebted to him.
"I'll find some way…to thank you…for what you did last night." I hated myself as I struggled to find the words. His eyes were surprisingly gentle, but I still had problems meeting their gaze.
"Hey…" he bent in closer, trying to to catch my eye. I immediately felt a sudden desire to pull back, to get away from him closing in on me. "Listen, Alice. I—"
He was cut off as the tinkling of a bell in the main room diverted both of our attentions. I inhaled through my teeth, my head whipping over towards the swinging door. I could hear Mr. Barb, his heavy footsteps coming closer...
"Alice? Are you in there? Why aren't the lights on yet?"
"Right here, sir!" I dropped my voice to a frantic whisper. "Leo, you need to--" I spun to look for the Turtle…only to find he had disappeared.
My relief hadn't had time to sink in before the door was pushed open with great force. I don't know what Leonardo had done, but it was enough to give Mr. Barb a slightly tinged complexion from irritation. I hoped today wouldn't be a bad one.
"I'm sorry Mr. Barb, ran into some complications myself." It was true enough, sort of.
He grabbed his spotted apron off a hook and threw it on. "Just get to work, Miss McKellen. I called Johnson to ask him to come in early. Jason will also be here." The last statement was definitely a finality. Jason valued his life, that much was certain. He would be here. I nodded and moved out of the room, grateful that I was able to wriggle out of any confrontation. He seemed distracted.
I set the coffee on; it was one of the favorites here, well known and highly demanded from customers. It was very calming doing something normal, being back at work…but I couldn't help the fact that I felt disappointed. I wished that there had been enough time for Leonardo to finish what he had began.