Okay, thanks once again for the reviews, I've always wanted to be one of the authors that gets a whole lot of reviews and so far, things are going very well, thank you so much! And, sorry for the long wait on the actual Death-causing event, it's coming next chapter, promise! Now, this is a strange question but if there's anyone out there that has any episodes of the television series "Higher Ground" which stared A.J. Cook, please e-mail me or say so in a review, because I'm dying to see that show! So, thanks and on with the story.
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Chapter Six
Do You Realize?
Altessa couldn't think of anything worse then spending the better part of her afternoon with her parents. But that was exactly the way it appeared things would be as she sat at the breakfast table, listening to her mother rattle on about the open-house they were due to attend in a few hours.
The teenager sat sandwiched between her brother and father, aware that she was under the silent scrutiny of her father and feeling slightly embarrassed in spite of herself. She never liked people to stare at her, always worrying that they wouldn't like what they saw, she almost never did when she stared at herself in the mirror.
Unable to take the staring anymore, Altessa looked away from the surface of the table and stared at her father, locking eyes with him; Doug met her stare with his blue eyes, looking into her green ones (which were often the topic of many a family joke, since no one else had green eyes) and found that it was almost impossible to keep her gaze. He was ashamed to admit that his daughter unnerved him, that a year ago she had become something that was strange to him, unfamiliar, suffering still from the cruel blow that Fate had dealt her. There was almost nothing familiar about her anymore, which made Doug feel even guiltier to realize, despite the fact that it was the truth. 'What happened to my fun-loving daughter?' He questioned silently, though he knew that a part of Altessa had died a year ago.
"Okay, so," his wife's words jarred him from his thoughts and he looked away from his daughter, ashamed, focusing on Amanda. "everyone get ready and around noon we'll leave to go to the open-house."
Altessa frowned, brows knitting. "Mother, you said I could go out today with Morgan and Shane." She reminded, willing to say anything to get out of a family-event. It wasn't her brother or father she wanted to get away from, it was her over-bearing, uncaring, semi-dense mother that had her running for the hills.
"Well, I'm sorry Altessa but this is a family thing." Amanda retorted, not noticing how her daughter seemed to wince at her second to last word. "If you really want to go out with them, invite them along to come with us and I'll drop you guys somewhere afterwards."
Altessa rolled her eyes at her mother's words, standing up and heading out of the kitchen. "I don't even want to spend the day with you, I doubt my friends will." She muttered, knowing that her mother wouldn't hear her words.
No one even noticed she had left the kitchen.
* * *
3 and a half hours later
The house was loom, with large glass windows, flanked by stark white shutters; its roof was clothed in fading shingles, sloping upward, pointing into the sky. The face of the house was cream white, with a powder blue door and a wrap around porch, complete with porch swing and rocking chairs.
The early 1900's Victorian style house caught Kimberly's eye as Thomas' black SUV passed by it, on the way to their favorite deli and coffee shop. She had noticed it before but before it hadn't been for sale, which was the next thing she noticed about it.
"Thomas, look at that house," Kimberly gushed, turning around in her seat to give it her full attention, the habit of peaking into houses for sale returning.
The police officer rolled is eyes, knowing that his girlfriend's house fetish had taken over again; perhaps it was simply the fact that they lived in a crappy apartment that made Kimberly wish to look at every house or sale, or maybe it was simply a woman thing but he wasn't eager to stop and look at a house they could never own.
"It's great Kimberly." He muttered half-heartedly, fidgeting with the radio and not bothering to glance at the house.
Kimberly turned around a few more inches, pulling through the gritty windows, staring at the house as it faded in the distance. "Thomas, there's an open house today, we should stop and look around, it'll be fun." She told him quickly, whirling around. Her words came out in a rush and for a second, he almost asked her to repeat herself.
Knowing that they were surely going to retrace their tire-tracks, Thomas sighed and pulled the SUV over to the curb, letting it idle as she continued to pester him. He had never seen her like this -so childish and aloof- in a while and couldn't help but smile at her, wondering if she used to act like this all the time, before the accident a year ago.
"We can't just show up at every open house in Long Island." Thomas mumbled, trying desperately to get out of visiting the house, a smile on his face none the less.
"Sure we can." Kimberly grinned, the grin of a woman who knew she was about to get what she wanted. "That is the point."
With a sigh, Thomas relented silently and backed the car into someone's driveway, turning around to drive toward the house that was currently the only thing on the brunette's mind. Kimberly smiled to herself, leaning back in the seat; for a brief moment, she felt uneasy, and almost told him to forget the whole thing. But the feeling passed and she decided to remain silent, deciding to attempt to forget it and listen to a Flaming Lips song that had begun on the radio. But all the short drive, Kimberly wondered what had caused the feeling.
They were silent as Thomas pulled his car against the curb in front of the Victorian house, parking behind a run-down blue Cadillac. All ready, the sloping driveway was clogged with a variety of cars, their owners milling around the yard, enjoying the mid-spring weather.
Kimberly unbuckled her seatbelt but stayed in the car for a second after Thomas exited, staring up at the house; the uneasy feeling had returned but she pushed it away, climbing out of the car.
* * *
Altessa had to admit that the Victorian house was impressive but she would never say so out loud, even to her friends as they sat beside her. Her mother had just pulled their silver Explorer into the already filled driveway but no one had yet to move. Amanda was in the process of saying something when a new song stared and Doug whirled around to face his daughter, turning the volume on the radio up and drowning out his angry wife.
"Hey, Altessa, do you remember this song?" He questioned with a smile. "I used to sing it to you when you were little."
The raven-haired teenager raised an eyebrow and listened to the music, which didn't sound familiar to her. "Do you realize that you have the most beautiful face?" Her father sang along with the band on the radio, sparking a bit of recognition as well as a slight smile. "Do you realize we're floating in space; do you realize that happiness makes you cry. Do you realize that everyone you know someday will die?"
At those words, Altessa frowned slightly, brow knitting, lips pursed. Her father continued to sing, a large smile on his face, for a moment, seeing himself fourteen-years-younger, holding his three-year-old daughter, singing off-key to her. Those days were so far gone, a different life, and what felt like different people.
Amanda shut off the radio quickly, returning silence to the car once again; for a moment, Doug glared at her but remained silent. "Okay, let's go inside now, if that's alright."
No one said a word as they filed out of the car but the words of the song were still ringing in Altessa's ears: "Do you realize that everyone you know one day will day?" No matter how hard she tried to push them away, she found she couldn't.
* * *
Kimberly glanced around her, giving around a once-over, noting that there was certainly a diverse group gathered in the lawn, none of which she recognized, despite living in the area most of her life.
Straight ahead of her a small group was gathered, including a semi-plump woman, who appeared to be in her mid-thirties, with brown-sugar colored hair, who was having a heated discussion with a man who was surely going on seventy and a posh, blonde woman.
To her left a semi-large family exited a Explorer, the group consisting of two parents and four teenagers, who instantly parted from the parents. The bubbly blonde was already engaged in a story that was exciting to her but not to the other two, who listened with feigned interest. Kimberly continued to study the teenagers, seemingly drawn to the raven-haired female, who was the most reserved of the group.
She continued to watch her until the teen looked her way and looked eyes with her. Instantly Kimberly felt as though she knew-
-her from somewhere. Altessa frowned as she met eyes with the dark-eyed, dark haired stranger; she felt as though she should know who she was but her mind was completely blank when it came to placing her face. Staring at the unfamiliar woman, Altessa could tell that she was trying to place her as well.
"Altessa, earth to Altessa." Her gaze shifted from the woman to Morgan, who was snapping her manicured nails in front of her face.
"What?" Altessa questioned, feeling slightly agitated.
Morgan frowned, shaking her head. "You should at least pretend to pay attention, Al." She chided with false anger, though she was slightly upset that her friend wasn't paying more attention to her.
Altessa's boyfriend of two years, Shane Young -who was one year her senior as well as nearly parallel opposite- smiled at his girlfriend and draped his arm over her shoulder. "Right Morgan, what were you saying?" He asked with a lope-sided grin that had melted so many hearts at their high school.
Morgan sighed, throwing up her hands in mock defeat. "Great, no one listens to me." She moaned. "I was saying how strange it is that our silence teacher is here." At those words, all three teenagers turned to look behind them, seeing that her words were indeed true.
Miss Kristen McAnderson had been Morgan and Altessa's science teacher for two semesters and neither girl was fond of her; like most high school students, Morgan believed that teachers should only be seen in school. But there she was, surely dyed brown-sugar hair and all, standing with an old-man and a bored looking woman with a clipboard clutched her chest. But, Altessa couldn't have cared less, especially with the nagging feeling of remembrance she felt when she had locked eyes with the young brunette.
Kimberly frowned when she saw the young woman vanish, mingling with the crowd around her; she was startled when Thomas appeared beside her suddenly, already telling her that she had to meet the owner of the house and real estate agent. She let herself be dragged to the group, listening with one ear to the old man with powder white hair explain why he was selling his house.
She attempted to listen and nod when the time seemed right but no part of her heard Glen Harrison's words; Kimberly was still attempting to place the raven-haired girl and the feeling she had gotten when she had locked eyes with her. She sighed, wishing that she'd been able to at last talk to the teenager before Thomas had pulled her away.
The blonde woman, whom Kimberly had been introduced to as Juliet Barley, sighed impatiently and cast her glance skyward, narrowing her eyes at the mass of clouds which had begun to take-over the blue sky. The wind. which had at first been a gentle breeze, had picked up a great deal of speed, the smell of rain coming with it.
Juliet clapped her hands, ending Glen's explanation that the house was simply too big for him to live in, and causing everyone to look her way. "Ladies and gentlemen, let's go ahead and move into the house and start the tour." She motioned toward the Victorian as though those around her might have forgotten where they were supposed to go.
Altessa followed the assorted group into the house silently, brining up the rear; on her sides were Morgan and Shane, who were carrying on a conversation about something that happened long before she was in the picture.
Juliet shut the door behind the party, the slam echoing through the open house; Altessa jumped slightly and turned around the face the door, a small frown on her face. Juliet ignored her and moved toward the front again, already talking about the house's history. The teenager turned around again, taking in the architecture, the impressed feeling returning.
Everything was spacious, overly so, with an excess amount of space wherever she turned her eyes; to the left of the foyer was a sweeping oak staircase, leading somewhere unknown, into darkness hidden by a curving white wall. The kitchen was directly before them, the tile floor a checkerboard of white and black, causing Altessa's head to spin. An empty, cream carpeted living room was barely visible to the right, hidden by the crisscross of oaken, western style beams and a sloping wall.
It was a large house, far too empty for Altessa's liking, though she knew that it wouldn't always be so empty, filled with the possessions of the future owner but she didn't think that there would ever be enough objects to ever fully fill the void. There was too much openness, too many things could be hidden in the thousands of cracks and corners and she already had too much in her crevices to take on anymore.
These thoughts she kept to herself, letting her jade eyes rove the house and the people around her, stopping on the young brunette that was off to one side, still trying to place her and finally giving up. Altessa had the feeling that she would know soon enough who she was.
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The song "Do You Realize" is the property of Warner Bros and The Flaming Lips. I don't know if they originally sang it or if it's even a song old enough for Altessa's father to have sung to her when she was little but it fit so I had to use it.
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Chapter Six
Do You Realize?
Altessa couldn't think of anything worse then spending the better part of her afternoon with her parents. But that was exactly the way it appeared things would be as she sat at the breakfast table, listening to her mother rattle on about the open-house they were due to attend in a few hours.
The teenager sat sandwiched between her brother and father, aware that she was under the silent scrutiny of her father and feeling slightly embarrassed in spite of herself. She never liked people to stare at her, always worrying that they wouldn't like what they saw, she almost never did when she stared at herself in the mirror.
Unable to take the staring anymore, Altessa looked away from the surface of the table and stared at her father, locking eyes with him; Doug met her stare with his blue eyes, looking into her green ones (which were often the topic of many a family joke, since no one else had green eyes) and found that it was almost impossible to keep her gaze. He was ashamed to admit that his daughter unnerved him, that a year ago she had become something that was strange to him, unfamiliar, suffering still from the cruel blow that Fate had dealt her. There was almost nothing familiar about her anymore, which made Doug feel even guiltier to realize, despite the fact that it was the truth. 'What happened to my fun-loving daughter?' He questioned silently, though he knew that a part of Altessa had died a year ago.
"Okay, so," his wife's words jarred him from his thoughts and he looked away from his daughter, ashamed, focusing on Amanda. "everyone get ready and around noon we'll leave to go to the open-house."
Altessa frowned, brows knitting. "Mother, you said I could go out today with Morgan and Shane." She reminded, willing to say anything to get out of a family-event. It wasn't her brother or father she wanted to get away from, it was her over-bearing, uncaring, semi-dense mother that had her running for the hills.
"Well, I'm sorry Altessa but this is a family thing." Amanda retorted, not noticing how her daughter seemed to wince at her second to last word. "If you really want to go out with them, invite them along to come with us and I'll drop you guys somewhere afterwards."
Altessa rolled her eyes at her mother's words, standing up and heading out of the kitchen. "I don't even want to spend the day with you, I doubt my friends will." She muttered, knowing that her mother wouldn't hear her words.
No one even noticed she had left the kitchen.
* * *
3 and a half hours later
The house was loom, with large glass windows, flanked by stark white shutters; its roof was clothed in fading shingles, sloping upward, pointing into the sky. The face of the house was cream white, with a powder blue door and a wrap around porch, complete with porch swing and rocking chairs.
The early 1900's Victorian style house caught Kimberly's eye as Thomas' black SUV passed by it, on the way to their favorite deli and coffee shop. She had noticed it before but before it hadn't been for sale, which was the next thing she noticed about it.
"Thomas, look at that house," Kimberly gushed, turning around in her seat to give it her full attention, the habit of peaking into houses for sale returning.
The police officer rolled is eyes, knowing that his girlfriend's house fetish had taken over again; perhaps it was simply the fact that they lived in a crappy apartment that made Kimberly wish to look at every house or sale, or maybe it was simply a woman thing but he wasn't eager to stop and look at a house they could never own.
"It's great Kimberly." He muttered half-heartedly, fidgeting with the radio and not bothering to glance at the house.
Kimberly turned around a few more inches, pulling through the gritty windows, staring at the house as it faded in the distance. "Thomas, there's an open house today, we should stop and look around, it'll be fun." She told him quickly, whirling around. Her words came out in a rush and for a second, he almost asked her to repeat herself.
Knowing that they were surely going to retrace their tire-tracks, Thomas sighed and pulled the SUV over to the curb, letting it idle as she continued to pester him. He had never seen her like this -so childish and aloof- in a while and couldn't help but smile at her, wondering if she used to act like this all the time, before the accident a year ago.
"We can't just show up at every open house in Long Island." Thomas mumbled, trying desperately to get out of visiting the house, a smile on his face none the less.
"Sure we can." Kimberly grinned, the grin of a woman who knew she was about to get what she wanted. "That is the point."
With a sigh, Thomas relented silently and backed the car into someone's driveway, turning around to drive toward the house that was currently the only thing on the brunette's mind. Kimberly smiled to herself, leaning back in the seat; for a brief moment, she felt uneasy, and almost told him to forget the whole thing. But the feeling passed and she decided to remain silent, deciding to attempt to forget it and listen to a Flaming Lips song that had begun on the radio. But all the short drive, Kimberly wondered what had caused the feeling.
They were silent as Thomas pulled his car against the curb in front of the Victorian house, parking behind a run-down blue Cadillac. All ready, the sloping driveway was clogged with a variety of cars, their owners milling around the yard, enjoying the mid-spring weather.
Kimberly unbuckled her seatbelt but stayed in the car for a second after Thomas exited, staring up at the house; the uneasy feeling had returned but she pushed it away, climbing out of the car.
* * *
Altessa had to admit that the Victorian house was impressive but she would never say so out loud, even to her friends as they sat beside her. Her mother had just pulled their silver Explorer into the already filled driveway but no one had yet to move. Amanda was in the process of saying something when a new song stared and Doug whirled around to face his daughter, turning the volume on the radio up and drowning out his angry wife.
"Hey, Altessa, do you remember this song?" He questioned with a smile. "I used to sing it to you when you were little."
The raven-haired teenager raised an eyebrow and listened to the music, which didn't sound familiar to her. "Do you realize that you have the most beautiful face?" Her father sang along with the band on the radio, sparking a bit of recognition as well as a slight smile. "Do you realize we're floating in space; do you realize that happiness makes you cry. Do you realize that everyone you know someday will die?"
At those words, Altessa frowned slightly, brow knitting, lips pursed. Her father continued to sing, a large smile on his face, for a moment, seeing himself fourteen-years-younger, holding his three-year-old daughter, singing off-key to her. Those days were so far gone, a different life, and what felt like different people.
Amanda shut off the radio quickly, returning silence to the car once again; for a moment, Doug glared at her but remained silent. "Okay, let's go inside now, if that's alright."
No one said a word as they filed out of the car but the words of the song were still ringing in Altessa's ears: "Do you realize that everyone you know one day will day?" No matter how hard she tried to push them away, she found she couldn't.
* * *
Kimberly glanced around her, giving around a once-over, noting that there was certainly a diverse group gathered in the lawn, none of which she recognized, despite living in the area most of her life.
Straight ahead of her a small group was gathered, including a semi-plump woman, who appeared to be in her mid-thirties, with brown-sugar colored hair, who was having a heated discussion with a man who was surely going on seventy and a posh, blonde woman.
To her left a semi-large family exited a Explorer, the group consisting of two parents and four teenagers, who instantly parted from the parents. The bubbly blonde was already engaged in a story that was exciting to her but not to the other two, who listened with feigned interest. Kimberly continued to study the teenagers, seemingly drawn to the raven-haired female, who was the most reserved of the group.
She continued to watch her until the teen looked her way and looked eyes with her. Instantly Kimberly felt as though she knew-
-her from somewhere. Altessa frowned as she met eyes with the dark-eyed, dark haired stranger; she felt as though she should know who she was but her mind was completely blank when it came to placing her face. Staring at the unfamiliar woman, Altessa could tell that she was trying to place her as well.
"Altessa, earth to Altessa." Her gaze shifted from the woman to Morgan, who was snapping her manicured nails in front of her face.
"What?" Altessa questioned, feeling slightly agitated.
Morgan frowned, shaking her head. "You should at least pretend to pay attention, Al." She chided with false anger, though she was slightly upset that her friend wasn't paying more attention to her.
Altessa's boyfriend of two years, Shane Young -who was one year her senior as well as nearly parallel opposite- smiled at his girlfriend and draped his arm over her shoulder. "Right Morgan, what were you saying?" He asked with a lope-sided grin that had melted so many hearts at their high school.
Morgan sighed, throwing up her hands in mock defeat. "Great, no one listens to me." She moaned. "I was saying how strange it is that our silence teacher is here." At those words, all three teenagers turned to look behind them, seeing that her words were indeed true.
Miss Kristen McAnderson had been Morgan and Altessa's science teacher for two semesters and neither girl was fond of her; like most high school students, Morgan believed that teachers should only be seen in school. But there she was, surely dyed brown-sugar hair and all, standing with an old-man and a bored looking woman with a clipboard clutched her chest. But, Altessa couldn't have cared less, especially with the nagging feeling of remembrance she felt when she had locked eyes with the young brunette.
Kimberly frowned when she saw the young woman vanish, mingling with the crowd around her; she was startled when Thomas appeared beside her suddenly, already telling her that she had to meet the owner of the house and real estate agent. She let herself be dragged to the group, listening with one ear to the old man with powder white hair explain why he was selling his house.
She attempted to listen and nod when the time seemed right but no part of her heard Glen Harrison's words; Kimberly was still attempting to place the raven-haired girl and the feeling she had gotten when she had locked eyes with her. She sighed, wishing that she'd been able to at last talk to the teenager before Thomas had pulled her away.
The blonde woman, whom Kimberly had been introduced to as Juliet Barley, sighed impatiently and cast her glance skyward, narrowing her eyes at the mass of clouds which had begun to take-over the blue sky. The wind. which had at first been a gentle breeze, had picked up a great deal of speed, the smell of rain coming with it.
Juliet clapped her hands, ending Glen's explanation that the house was simply too big for him to live in, and causing everyone to look her way. "Ladies and gentlemen, let's go ahead and move into the house and start the tour." She motioned toward the Victorian as though those around her might have forgotten where they were supposed to go.
Altessa followed the assorted group into the house silently, brining up the rear; on her sides were Morgan and Shane, who were carrying on a conversation about something that happened long before she was in the picture.
Juliet shut the door behind the party, the slam echoing through the open house; Altessa jumped slightly and turned around the face the door, a small frown on her face. Juliet ignored her and moved toward the front again, already talking about the house's history. The teenager turned around again, taking in the architecture, the impressed feeling returning.
Everything was spacious, overly so, with an excess amount of space wherever she turned her eyes; to the left of the foyer was a sweeping oak staircase, leading somewhere unknown, into darkness hidden by a curving white wall. The kitchen was directly before them, the tile floor a checkerboard of white and black, causing Altessa's head to spin. An empty, cream carpeted living room was barely visible to the right, hidden by the crisscross of oaken, western style beams and a sloping wall.
It was a large house, far too empty for Altessa's liking, though she knew that it wouldn't always be so empty, filled with the possessions of the future owner but she didn't think that there would ever be enough objects to ever fully fill the void. There was too much openness, too many things could be hidden in the thousands of cracks and corners and she already had too much in her crevices to take on anymore.
These thoughts she kept to herself, letting her jade eyes rove the house and the people around her, stopping on the young brunette that was off to one side, still trying to place her and finally giving up. Altessa had the feeling that she would know soon enough who she was.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The song "Do You Realize" is the property of Warner Bros and The Flaming Lips. I don't know if they originally sang it or if it's even a song old enough for Altessa's father to have sung to her when she was little but it fit so I had to use it.