Chapter 50
I undressed slowly, shedding one article of clothing off at a time. I took the tie out of my hair and stared at the stranger looking straight at me in the mirror. Her eyes were severely swelled and her white skin was paler than usual. The remaining crumbled mascara slowly melted down her face as it mixed with more tears. I felt the warm water and entered the shower, closing the curtain beside me. What went through my mind was the same thoughts as before: Gregory. It's been only a day, but it was constant pain of knowing that I might not see him ever again. It took about an hour to finish washing up before I got out. Everything seemed to be in slow motion, like nothing had to get done right away. After redressing into new clothes, I crashed on my bed again.
I picked up my cell phone and dialed my house number. Whenever I got the chance, I'd call my mother to check up on how she was doing. We were close, and it was sort of killing the both of us to be away from one another. It was sort of my idea to come here in the first place. I convinced her that this opportunity comes once in a lifetime and I should take it when it's in front of me. The dial tone rang a few times. I looked at the clock, making sure it wasn't at an odd time. It was about four in the afternoon, so it would make it about eleven in the morning back home.
"Hello?" It was good to hear her voice.
"Hi Mom," I sniffed.
"Honey what's wrong?"
"Uh, you know that boy I was telling you about?"
"Yeah."
"He moved away," I bawled. I had to think of an excuse rather than tell her that my boyfriend was wished human, but has departed from earth forever.
"Okay calm down. Oh sweetie, I wish I could give yah a big hug right now. I wish I could make you feel better."
"I wish you could too. It hurts too much."
"Would you want to come back home? I miss you."
"No, I can't. I need to stay here, but I miss you too."
"You're going to make yourself worse by staying."
"No. I miss home, and you, and everyone, but I can't leave yet. I said I'd stay the school year."
"Okay Britt. You know you could always come home whenever you want. How was your Halloween party?"
"It was fun." I closed my eyes and pictured Gregory twirling me around. "We danced a lot."
"Well that's good. Yuh know, you should be happy for the memories you've shared with Greg. Maybe you two will meet up again."
"I don't think so," I breathed.
My mother and I talked for about two hours until we finally hung up. For the time being, I felt better, but not enough to make me stop thinking about Gregory. Aunt Dottie called us down for dinner and we all gathered around the table. Again, everyone stayed silent, afraid of saying the wrong thing. I found myself playing with my food more than I was eating it. Tony stopped eating all together.
"Guys you gotta eat something. You can't starve yourselves," Uncle Bob finally spoke out.
"I'm not hungry," I bluntly said.
"Neither am I," Tony settled.
"At least eat the mashed taters. Something," he pleaded.
I took a spoonful of mashed potatoes and force-fed myself, dropping the spoon to the plate and taking them to the sink. Tony soon imitated me. We both walked in unison back to our rooms. His door was now off of the hinges and resting on the broken armoire in the hall. I closed the door to my room and threw the covers over me once I climbed into bed. It didn't take long for me to fall asleep.
I fluttered my eyes the next morning as thunder vibrated in my room. I frenetically grabbed my clock to see the time. It was eleven o'clock in the morning. Oh my God, I overslept. I rushed downstairs and Aunt Dottie was watching the food channel in the living room.
"Aunt Dot, I missed school. My alarm didn't go off," I said sitting next to her on the couch.
"I turned it off. Bob and I decided to let you and Tony stay home today. You both really need it."
"Thank you." I hugged my knees and stared at the floor.
"I talked to your mother this morning."
I didn't say anything.
"She's very worried about you yuh know."
"Yeah," I mumbled.
"It wouldn't be a problem for us to get you a plane ticket home."
"I can't leave this place right now. I have to stay."
"Alright. I won't push you to go back."
"I'm going back to my room. I wanna do some painting."
"Okay. I have to leave to get a new door and dresser for Tony's room in a few minutes. The locksmith might come by. Just let him in and he's gonna fix the front door. The money is on the counter in the kitchen. Just make sure you're down here so he doesn't get any bright ideas."
"Alright."
In my room, I opened the curtains to let the sun in, but it was hidden by gray clouds far away. Thunder still shook the house, but no rain fell. I turned on the lamp and grabbed a case from under my bed. In the wooden box, were a number of paintbrushes and a variety of colored paints. I pinned my hair up, threw on an old apron, and grabbed a pencil to sketch out my current thoughts.
The old bell charmed outside. I turned to the clock and I'd been painting for over two hours. I set down the brush and hurried down the steps. I opened the door and my jaw dropped.
"Knock knock," Rookery rasped.
"Get away from me!" I tried closing the door.
He slid his foot in the way of it. "You're supposed to say 'who's there?'" He snorted, kicking the door from my hands and knocking me to the floor.
"How are you still alive?" I trembled.
"A little water wouldn't hurt anyone. Although my truck didn't make it out alive."
"Why are you here?"
"I've come to claim that stone."
"Tony already wished them human. You're too late. Why do you want it anyway? You have no use for it."
"Because my family has been looking for it generations, and it still has useful power. Give it to me."
"That stone doesn't belong to you!" I crab walked backwards.
"It doesn't belong to you either!" He roared.
"At least the people who it belongs to trusts me. I'm keeping it safe."
"I don't think so." He shook his head and clutched my shirt picking me up in midair. "Now do we have to play games again? I promise someone will get really hurt this time."
"That's the only thing I have left of them. You're not getting it. I don't care what you do to me," I spat in his face.
Uncle Bob stepped through the door. "What the hell are you doing? Get out of my house!" He picked up an umbrella in the rack next to the door and shook the point at him. "Put my niece down!"
Rookery looked at him with a comical smirk and dropped me. "I'll be back."
"No you won't! I'm calling the police!" he yelled. "I'll have you arrested for assault, breaking and entering, and harassment. NOW LEAVE!"
Rookery paused, then scuffed back outside. Uncle Bob slammed the door but it closed and then flung open due to the broken hardware.
Rookery laughed harshly and yelled. "And for the record, they're called Bobbies around here."
Uncle Bob flung the door closed again. "Why did you open the door for him?"
"I thought he was the locksmith."
"Did he hurt you?"
"No." I hugged myself.
"Where's Tony?"
"I think he's still in his room."
"Alright. I'm still calling the police. This guy isn't going to stop."
I headed upstairs after I was questioned by the officers who came by to investigate. I recognized the young one from yesterday. He took a few of my statements and I finally came clean about the mansion that went up in flames. They only had Rookery's first name, but it was a start. I checked in on Tony. He was at his desk, drawing.
"We must have the same mind," I said taking a seat on his bed.
"Is everything okay down there?" He asked, without taking his eyes off of the paper.
"Yeah everything's fine. Your dad is taking care of it. Tony, what did you do with the amulet?"
"It's right next to me."
"Do you think I could have it?"
He spun around on his chair. "But, it's the only thing I have to remember Rudolph by."
I understood, but I wanted it so badly. That was something that I could have as a memory of Gregory. I held my throat as it ran dry and uncomfortable. Then, feeling my neck, I forgot the one cherished piece of jewelry I as given a month ago: my heart necklace attached to black pearls and red lace.
