Bright walked down the hallway. He had left his house early that morning and intended to return late. He was trapped in that house with his family for three days. There wasn't a person alive who would blame him for staying out late.
"Hello cousin dear," Jig said walking up behind him. He looked at her and scoffed.
"What do you want?" he asked her. It was known that she was a friend of Ephram Brown, a person he considered, despite everything, a threat.
"Oh you're just glowing with warmth Bright," she said sarcastically. He sighed.
"You're right. How are you feeling?" he asked her insincerely. She smiled the same.
"Well once I stopped coughing up radioactive material I was fine," she told her.
"Good. Bye," he said starting to walk away. She grabbed his arm and turned him around to face her. The expression on her face had turned serious.
"You do realize that if it weren't for him, Colin would be completely screwed," Jig told him. Bright frowned.
"Don't," he snarled at her. He pulled his arm from her grasp and continued walking away.
"You're just mad because he's helping to fix all of your mistakes!" Jig yelled after him. He stopped for a moment, and then continued down the hall. Jig sighed disappointedly and walked the opposite way down the hall.
Jig walked around the bend before stopping when she heard the faint music. She turned her head and realized she was standing in front of the doors to the auditorium. The bell for lunch just rang so Jig walked over to the door without any obstruction. Quietly she opened the door and peeked inside. Ephram was on the stage, playing the piano. Jig had heard a lot of music in her life, but this one she didn't recognize. She stepped fully into the auditorium and walked slowly on tiptoes toward the stage. Still Ephram didn't notice her; he seemed too consumed by his playing. Jig walked all the way to the stage platform without being noticed. Ephram was a much better piano player than the music teacher that had lived across the hall from her. When he finally finished Jig clapped and cheered, the sounds echoing throughout the entire auditorium. Ephram jumped upon seeing her and quickly removed the sheets of music off of the piano and to the seat next to him. He looked at her in absolute horror. She smiled.
"That was beautiful. I bet she loved it," Jig told him. He looked around himself nervously, as if planning an escape.
"I don't know what you're talking about," he said forcing a confused smile. Jig walked around and up onto the stage.
"How long did it take for you to write that, anyway? It probably didn't seem like long, though. It was a 'labor of love,' right?" she asked him. The closer she got to him the more uneasy he became. He never wanted anyone but Amy to know about that song, let alone hear it. It was Amy's and no one else's. Jig saw the displeased look on his face so hers soon reflected much the same.
"I wondered why you weren't in lunch, so I came looking for you. Plus, Wendell saw me so…" she said, figuring a conversation with Bright might not be the best thing to bring up at this time.
"You said 'if' before. Why?" Ephram asked her seriously. The question caught Jig a little off guard so it took her a few moments to respond.
"I had a fever Ephram, I was delirious or something…"
"You still said it."
"I didn't mean it! Dammit Ephram! Why do you always have to take everything to heart?" she whined. He sighed and looked away from her. Jig sighed and rubbed the space between her eyes.
"You want to go for a walk?"
"Delia! Delia get over here! I need my two little gumdrops together!" Mrs. Violet yelled to her. Delia was in costume and felt like falling off the face of the earth. She walked onto the stage and up to Mrs. Violet and the other gumdrop. Delia looked over at the other gumdrop. Murasaki frowned back at her.
"You're a gumdrop too?" Delia asked her. Murasaki nodded.
"Is this how you envisioned your life?" Murasaki asked her. Delia shook her head.
"Okay you two! I don't want to hear you talk! I want to hear you sing!" Mrs. Violet told them. Delia and Murasaki sighed in unison and began their 'Gumdrop Song.'
"Aren't you cold?" Ephram asked Jig as they were walking through the woods. Jig laughed a little at the question.
"No! Actually! I'm warm! I'm so warm in fact, I'm only wearing three shirts instead of four!" she told him. Ephram looked surprise.
"Really? Wow, you must be adapting," Ephram responded surprised.
" 'Adapting.' You make it sound like I belong in a Darwin theory," Jig told him and he smiled. They both fell silent for a bit as they walked. After a few moments Jig reached out her hand and stopped Ephram from walking.
"What?" he asked after being halted. Jig just raised her finger to her mouth to silence him. Now they just stood in silence for a few moments. After a while Jig let go of him and shook her head.
"Must have been nothing," she said.
"What, did you hear something?" Ephram asked her worriedly. She waved it off.
"I thought I heard someone following us, guess I was wrong," she said.
"Following us? Oh, you meant you thought you heard Wendell following you," Ephram told her.
"Really though! If I killed him, would anyone miss him?" she asked and he laughed.
"Oh I'm sure, somewhere. Maybe in France…" he said and Jig laughed. They both fell silent again.
"I talked to Bright," Jig said since he was in a better mood now than before. Ephram looked at her surprised but then looked away before she had noticed.
"About what?" he asked her casually. Ephram viewed Jig talking to Bright the same way Bright viewed Jig talking to Ephram.
"His cheerful demeanor at first," Jig said and Ephram smiled.
"I bet that was a short conversation…"
"Record breaking."
"Then what?"
"Then I told him why he doesn't like you," Jig informed him simply. Ephram paused.
"He didn't hit you did he?" Ephram asked her and she laughed.
"No. Not that he could if he wanted to."
"Jig, why did you talk to Bright?" Ephram asked her seriously.
"He's my second cousin."
"No, really why?" he asked. Jig sighed and turned to face him.
"Because if he doesn't hate you it might be easier for you and Amy. I said it before. Bright's good will is important Ephram," she reminded him. He nodded.
"I know. I but don't think it should be your doing. I think I have to do that on my own," Ephram told her. Jig smiled.
"How noble," she said and Ephram smiled at the idea of being 'noble.' Jig looked behind them again as they walked. When she faced front again she sighed.
"Wendell's probably still in school," Ephram told her. She nodded.
"I know. I just can't shake this feeling of being followed."
"So is paranoia a common thing with you, or is this a recent development?" Ephram asked her.
"Hm, common…" she said and he laughed. The two fell silent again.
"You wanna go watch Mononoke-Hime?" Ephram asked her.
"Sure," she answered and they walked off toward Ephram's house.
Dr. Brown stepped out of his car in front of his house. He took a step forward but then stopped. He looked down the street to his right, and then down the street to his left. Every single house was covered from head to toe with Halloween decorations. There was nothing but black and orange as far as the eye could see. Every house, save one. His house was completely bare of all decoration. Dr. Brown walked up into his house; somewhat hoping no one would remember that he lived there.
"I think we need to go buy some Halloween decorations!" he called out as he hung up his coat. He then realized he probably wasn't heard. He heard erratic piano playing amidst laughter. He walked around and found Ephram and Jig sitting on the piano bench, both with their hands on the keys. Ephram played a few notes and then told Jig to try. Jig pressed a few keys and they both started laughing again.
"You are so bad at this," Ephram told her. Jig laughed.
"Oh and I bet you could do Mozart straight out of the womb."
"Mozart no, Beethoven I could do," he said and she laughed. Dr. Brown chuckled a little too.
"Hey guys," Dr. Brown told them. They both turned around to see him.
"Hi Dr. Brown," Jig said.
"Hi, Dad," Ephram said turning back around.
"What are you guys doing?" Dr. Brown asked them.
"Ephram here is trying to teach me how to play the piano," Jig answered him.
"Trying and failing," Ephram added.
"Not that it's his fault," Jig said.
"I never said it was my fault," Ephram told her and she laughed.
"Jig, do you want to stay for dinner?" Dr. Brown asked her. Jig looked ready to accept so Ephram stopped her.
"If I let him feed you I'd never forgive myself for your death," Ephram said. Jig laughed.
"I'm sure it's not that bad Ephram," Jig told him.
"Have you ever eaten charcoal?" Ephram asked her. Jig's eyebrows burrowed a little in surprise of the question.
"Can't say that I have."
"Then you don't know how bad it can be," Ephram said.
"If we order out can she stay?" Dr. Brown asked him. Ephram nodded.
"Good. I'll call Irv and Edna for you," Dr. Brown said walking out of the room. Jig turned to Ephram.
"Why does he want me to stay for dinner so badly?" Jig asked him.
"He wants me to have friends," Ephram said placing his fingers back on the piano keys.
"It's not a bad goal, Ephram," she told him.
"I don't need his help on it," Ephram said playing a soft melody. Jig sighed.
"You don't need his help. You don't need my help. Do you intend to do everything on your own?" Jig asked him. He glanced at her briefly before going back to the piano music.
