CHAPTER 12 - Swimming with Mallory
Mallory sighed deeply and closed the door softly behind her. It was the second day that Broadway had locked herself in her room, claiming to be ill, but Mallory knew better. Something was bothering her sister, and Broadway almost never spoke of these things out loud. She slumped against the back of the leather sofa in the private lounge and rubbed her eyes with her knuckles. Mallory thought about the situation and tried to find some sort of connection. Maybe Broadway was just stressed out, and rightfully so. She had risked her life a few days earlier for someone she didn't know. For someone who wasn't even alive. Come to think of it, Mallory hadn't seen the Prince around for the past couple days, not since she had left with Arthur for the town of Brahms and she couldn't help but wonder if something had happened with him to frighten Broadway away from everyone.
Mallory was so deep in thought she didn't sense the sudden temperature change in the room until the couch cushions beside her sank below an unseen weight. She yelped and sat up quickly placing a hand over her heart.
"Relax, I'm not going to eat you." A voice replied irritably
"..Dennis? What are you doing here?"
"I could feel your thought waves and I wanted to see what was bothering you. It's not everyday I get something as strong as these." The psychic said calmly. Mallory sat back down and smiled a little.
"People who wouldn't know any better would think I'm crazy. It must look as though I'm talking to myself!" Dennis chuckled
"I guess tonight was a good night for me to become a naturalist then?"
"Whatever!" Mallory shot back. It was almost a playful gesture. There was a moment of silence between the two that seemed to last forever. She shifted her weight and sighed. "I wish I knew what was going on with my sister."
"Broadway? Teenagers go through the dirty-angry kid stage, just let her vent it out."
"Oh come on - that's not it! I really think that she's going through some sort of delayed trauma from the whole house incident. I've never seen her act like this, save from when we first brought her home. She locked herself in the attic for, gosh, I don't know how many days. Refused to eat or talk to anyone. I just wish I knew what was going through her head right now." Dennis sighed.
"She's feeling guilt and fear right now. I can't tell you why, but that's what I've been picking up from her lately."
"You can feel people?"
"Yeah, all the time. Just by looking at them I can tell what they're thinking or feeling." He smiled. "It's one of the cooler things about being a freak." Mallory frowned.
"You're not a freak, Dennis, I think you have a beautiful gift."
"Beautiful? Beautiful! If I touch anyone, even for a second I go into seizures! I can see a person's entire life flash before my eyes in five seconds, everything lie they've told, everything they've done, or had done to them - some 'beautiful gift' indeed!" Dennis shot back fiercely. Mallory opened her mouth to reply but looked at the ground instead. Blame washed over her features like a wave and she got up suddenly.
"I'm sorry Dennis, I shouldn't have said anything. Goodnight-"
"No wait!" He stood and blocked her way, forgetting that she couldn't see him. Mallory stepped against him and all of her thoughts rushed into Dennis' mind. He shook violently and grasped for something to steady himself, finding only the doorway. The smaller girl cried out again and stepped back. She stuck her hands in her sleeves and reached out to where Dennis had blocked her path. Her clothed hands found his shoulder and she rubbed it gently.
"Dennis? Dennis, can you hear me, are you alright?"
"Yes..I'm..I'm okay. I forget you couldn't see me." Mallory got up to leave again. "Wait, don't leave, yet. Look, I didn't mean to freak out on you like that. I guess I'm just not too good with compliments." Dennis studied her features. They softened and Mallory yawned.
"Alright Dennis, I'll stay here for a little bit more, but I have to get some sleep. It's almost ten."
~*~
Broadway's stomach grumbled again, though by that time she was beginning to get used to the sick feeling within it. She clutched the necklace tightly in her hand, the sweat making the charm hot and clammy. She had woken up yesterday morning and found it tangled with her fingers. The thought brought the sting of fresh tears to her eyes. Broadway cursed again and shook her head, checking the clock at her side table.
"Ten." She thought distantly. Broadway knew that she wasn't going to sleep again tonight, whether it was because she was hungry or bored, or scared, she wasn't going to sleep. The wind blew through her open window and she caught the faint scent of chlorine from the lodge swimming pool. Broadway grinned and rummaged through her clothing until she found her bathing suit. Changing quickly, she grabbed a towel and headed down the hall, pausing when she caught sight of movement in the private lounge. Mallory was sitting on the couch by herself, though her quiet voice carried into the hallway. Broadway took a step forward and peered into the room. It was empty.
"Mallory..? Who are you talking to?"
"Broadway!? I'm..just myself. I've been worried about you - are you alright."
"Peachy. Look, I'm going for a swim, wanna come? The pool closes at eleven so I thought I'd go for the hour." Mallory smiled and nodded as if she was excusing herself from someone.
"Yeah sure, just give me a minute to change, ok?"
"Fine, I'll meet you out there. Don't take forever." Mallory gave her a small wave and Broadway continued down the hall and out onto the patio. The water was still and dark, the stars leaving their small dotted reflections on the surface. Broadway dropped the towel on the deck and gracefully dove into the water. Swimming was her favorite sport and she was a multiple award winner on the school swimming team. The temperature hit her like a smack in the face, though Broadway imagined it as a goddess slipping about her body and banishing away all the hurt and the pain she had felt the last few days. When she surfaced, Mallory was sitting on the deck casually, her feet dangling in the water.
"Hey - come on it, the water's great!" Broadway teased. Her sister shook her head slowly.
"No thanks, I'm fine right here." She paused. "Broadway, what's going on with you? Be honest - you haven't been yourself lately, I'm worried - everyone's worried. Have you eaten yet?"
"Yeah." Broadway lied, not particularly wanting to get into the subject, especially with Mallory. She would have them packed and back home in two seconds if she found out that Royce had attacked Broadway, and something told her that they needed to stick this out. "I just haven't been feeling well lately. I've been having some anxiety attacks and stuff." Mallory regarded her sister momentarily before slipping into the water.
"Okay, as long as it's that. I'm worried about you - you've been acting recklessly that past few days."
"I just did what I thought was right back there - there's no need to go all spazzy on me."
"I wasn't going all 'spazzy' on you, Broadway! Just try to look at things from my point of view- we stumble upon this..this house of ghosts and your first instinct is to make nice with one of them!?"
"He was going to die!"
"He's already dead!!" Broadway fixed her sister with the coldest stare she could muster.
"It was the human thing to do, Mallory. When I was on the streets people helped each other out - even if it looked like they were already dead." There was a moment of silence between the two girls. Finally Mallory cast her a sideways glance.
"Where did Royce get those bandages then?" The younger girl dipped her head under the cold water and swam back a few strokes.
"He was bleeding. I had to stop it." She replied when she resurfaced.
"Whatever." Mallory murmured. She reached for the side of the pool and hoisted herself out. "I think there's something else."
"I think you should shut the fuck up."
"Ah-HA! I totally hit a nerve, didn't I? It's true then - there's methods behind your madness?"
"Go away Mallory, I'm not kidding. There's no 'methods behind my madness' either. I just-"
"Just what?" Mallory cut her off, placing a hand on her hip. "Just saw something in him that no one else did?" Her words hit Broadway's soul and memories of the garage flooded her skull like the water from the pool. In one swift motion she had swam to the edge of the pool and lifted herself out of the water to stand next to Mallory.
"Get away, Mallory. Get away from me right now. You don't know what you're talking about and it's pissing me off."
"Whatever, Broadway, I was only teasing you. You don't have to freak out on me all the time." Mallory said evenly.
"Not everything can be taken as a joke, you know." The taller girl shrugged her shoulders and disappeared into the cottage. Broadway grabbed her towel and secured it around her body, not particularly wanting to go back inside. Something caught her eye and she knelt by the ground for a better look. "What the fuck..?" Imprinted on the deck of the pool were fresh footprints, but they looked as if they had been made with shoes, and not by Mallory or herself. She studied the path they made and felt anxiety knot into her throat. After five or six paces, they disappeared - not gradually faded as if they had evaporated, they had just stopped. Broadway studied the pathway and the how the footprints had the same cocky sway that someone else she knew had. Broadway pulled her jeans on over her bikini bottoms and tossed the towel over he shoulder. She had to settle things once and for all - and she headed to the parking garage.
Mallory sighed deeply and closed the door softly behind her. It was the second day that Broadway had locked herself in her room, claiming to be ill, but Mallory knew better. Something was bothering her sister, and Broadway almost never spoke of these things out loud. She slumped against the back of the leather sofa in the private lounge and rubbed her eyes with her knuckles. Mallory thought about the situation and tried to find some sort of connection. Maybe Broadway was just stressed out, and rightfully so. She had risked her life a few days earlier for someone she didn't know. For someone who wasn't even alive. Come to think of it, Mallory hadn't seen the Prince around for the past couple days, not since she had left with Arthur for the town of Brahms and she couldn't help but wonder if something had happened with him to frighten Broadway away from everyone.
Mallory was so deep in thought she didn't sense the sudden temperature change in the room until the couch cushions beside her sank below an unseen weight. She yelped and sat up quickly placing a hand over her heart.
"Relax, I'm not going to eat you." A voice replied irritably
"..Dennis? What are you doing here?"
"I could feel your thought waves and I wanted to see what was bothering you. It's not everyday I get something as strong as these." The psychic said calmly. Mallory sat back down and smiled a little.
"People who wouldn't know any better would think I'm crazy. It must look as though I'm talking to myself!" Dennis chuckled
"I guess tonight was a good night for me to become a naturalist then?"
"Whatever!" Mallory shot back. It was almost a playful gesture. There was a moment of silence between the two that seemed to last forever. She shifted her weight and sighed. "I wish I knew what was going on with my sister."
"Broadway? Teenagers go through the dirty-angry kid stage, just let her vent it out."
"Oh come on - that's not it! I really think that she's going through some sort of delayed trauma from the whole house incident. I've never seen her act like this, save from when we first brought her home. She locked herself in the attic for, gosh, I don't know how many days. Refused to eat or talk to anyone. I just wish I knew what was going through her head right now." Dennis sighed.
"She's feeling guilt and fear right now. I can't tell you why, but that's what I've been picking up from her lately."
"You can feel people?"
"Yeah, all the time. Just by looking at them I can tell what they're thinking or feeling." He smiled. "It's one of the cooler things about being a freak." Mallory frowned.
"You're not a freak, Dennis, I think you have a beautiful gift."
"Beautiful? Beautiful! If I touch anyone, even for a second I go into seizures! I can see a person's entire life flash before my eyes in five seconds, everything lie they've told, everything they've done, or had done to them - some 'beautiful gift' indeed!" Dennis shot back fiercely. Mallory opened her mouth to reply but looked at the ground instead. Blame washed over her features like a wave and she got up suddenly.
"I'm sorry Dennis, I shouldn't have said anything. Goodnight-"
"No wait!" He stood and blocked her way, forgetting that she couldn't see him. Mallory stepped against him and all of her thoughts rushed into Dennis' mind. He shook violently and grasped for something to steady himself, finding only the doorway. The smaller girl cried out again and stepped back. She stuck her hands in her sleeves and reached out to where Dennis had blocked her path. Her clothed hands found his shoulder and she rubbed it gently.
"Dennis? Dennis, can you hear me, are you alright?"
"Yes..I'm..I'm okay. I forget you couldn't see me." Mallory got up to leave again. "Wait, don't leave, yet. Look, I didn't mean to freak out on you like that. I guess I'm just not too good with compliments." Dennis studied her features. They softened and Mallory yawned.
"Alright Dennis, I'll stay here for a little bit more, but I have to get some sleep. It's almost ten."
~*~
Broadway's stomach grumbled again, though by that time she was beginning to get used to the sick feeling within it. She clutched the necklace tightly in her hand, the sweat making the charm hot and clammy. She had woken up yesterday morning and found it tangled with her fingers. The thought brought the sting of fresh tears to her eyes. Broadway cursed again and shook her head, checking the clock at her side table.
"Ten." She thought distantly. Broadway knew that she wasn't going to sleep again tonight, whether it was because she was hungry or bored, or scared, she wasn't going to sleep. The wind blew through her open window and she caught the faint scent of chlorine from the lodge swimming pool. Broadway grinned and rummaged through her clothing until she found her bathing suit. Changing quickly, she grabbed a towel and headed down the hall, pausing when she caught sight of movement in the private lounge. Mallory was sitting on the couch by herself, though her quiet voice carried into the hallway. Broadway took a step forward and peered into the room. It was empty.
"Mallory..? Who are you talking to?"
"Broadway!? I'm..just myself. I've been worried about you - are you alright."
"Peachy. Look, I'm going for a swim, wanna come? The pool closes at eleven so I thought I'd go for the hour." Mallory smiled and nodded as if she was excusing herself from someone.
"Yeah sure, just give me a minute to change, ok?"
"Fine, I'll meet you out there. Don't take forever." Mallory gave her a small wave and Broadway continued down the hall and out onto the patio. The water was still and dark, the stars leaving their small dotted reflections on the surface. Broadway dropped the towel on the deck and gracefully dove into the water. Swimming was her favorite sport and she was a multiple award winner on the school swimming team. The temperature hit her like a smack in the face, though Broadway imagined it as a goddess slipping about her body and banishing away all the hurt and the pain she had felt the last few days. When she surfaced, Mallory was sitting on the deck casually, her feet dangling in the water.
"Hey - come on it, the water's great!" Broadway teased. Her sister shook her head slowly.
"No thanks, I'm fine right here." She paused. "Broadway, what's going on with you? Be honest - you haven't been yourself lately, I'm worried - everyone's worried. Have you eaten yet?"
"Yeah." Broadway lied, not particularly wanting to get into the subject, especially with Mallory. She would have them packed and back home in two seconds if she found out that Royce had attacked Broadway, and something told her that they needed to stick this out. "I just haven't been feeling well lately. I've been having some anxiety attacks and stuff." Mallory regarded her sister momentarily before slipping into the water.
"Okay, as long as it's that. I'm worried about you - you've been acting recklessly that past few days."
"I just did what I thought was right back there - there's no need to go all spazzy on me."
"I wasn't going all 'spazzy' on you, Broadway! Just try to look at things from my point of view- we stumble upon this..this house of ghosts and your first instinct is to make nice with one of them!?"
"He was going to die!"
"He's already dead!!" Broadway fixed her sister with the coldest stare she could muster.
"It was the human thing to do, Mallory. When I was on the streets people helped each other out - even if it looked like they were already dead." There was a moment of silence between the two girls. Finally Mallory cast her a sideways glance.
"Where did Royce get those bandages then?" The younger girl dipped her head under the cold water and swam back a few strokes.
"He was bleeding. I had to stop it." She replied when she resurfaced.
"Whatever." Mallory murmured. She reached for the side of the pool and hoisted herself out. "I think there's something else."
"I think you should shut the fuck up."
"Ah-HA! I totally hit a nerve, didn't I? It's true then - there's methods behind your madness?"
"Go away Mallory, I'm not kidding. There's no 'methods behind my madness' either. I just-"
"Just what?" Mallory cut her off, placing a hand on her hip. "Just saw something in him that no one else did?" Her words hit Broadway's soul and memories of the garage flooded her skull like the water from the pool. In one swift motion she had swam to the edge of the pool and lifted herself out of the water to stand next to Mallory.
"Get away, Mallory. Get away from me right now. You don't know what you're talking about and it's pissing me off."
"Whatever, Broadway, I was only teasing you. You don't have to freak out on me all the time." Mallory said evenly.
"Not everything can be taken as a joke, you know." The taller girl shrugged her shoulders and disappeared into the cottage. Broadway grabbed her towel and secured it around her body, not particularly wanting to go back inside. Something caught her eye and she knelt by the ground for a better look. "What the fuck..?" Imprinted on the deck of the pool were fresh footprints, but they looked as if they had been made with shoes, and not by Mallory or herself. She studied the path they made and felt anxiety knot into her throat. After five or six paces, they disappeared - not gradually faded as if they had evaporated, they had just stopped. Broadway studied the pathway and the how the footprints had the same cocky sway that someone else she knew had. Broadway pulled her jeans on over her bikini bottoms and tossed the towel over he shoulder. She had to settle things once and for all - and she headed to the parking garage.