18

Thomas remained in the basement all day and even the next day after the incident and this time the door was locked. He wanted no one inside and this confused me for a moment. He wouldn't open the door to get the tea Luda Mae left for him and he didn't even answer for Charlie when he knocked and demanded for him to come out. He was probably chopping up some meat. Now it was my turn to try and get him out. I knocked slowly on the door.

"Thomas… can I come in?" I asked. I got no answer and was just waiting for a moment. So I knocked even louder. There was no reply and I sighed and just waited for a few more seconds. I knew he wanted to be alone, so I began to move turn to the hall, but heard a faint clicking noise and turned back toward the sound. I sighed gently and moved to open it slowly. I cracked it open to see him moving down the stairs, his large form taking up most of the space in the hallway. I moved down the stairs and over to him as he was removing the intestines from the Chinese boy from earlier. His eyes were faded and staring up at the ceiling.

"Thomas." I said gently. "Are you okay?"

He placed the intestines in a large rusty bowl and just continued to work. He took a long knife and began peeling the boys skin off from his wrists to his shoulders. He didn't say a word. I walked over to him until my shoulder was beside his arm. He just continued peeling the skin away and even sticking a small piece of skin in his mouth beneath his mouth. It was like he was pretending I wasn't there. I sighed and wondered what I could do to get him to notice me. So when he raised his hand to put a small sliver of skin in his mouth, without thinking I grabbed the blood piece from his mouth and just chucked it in my mouth and now he just looked at me with annoyance and I felt as if was chewing on some slimy metallic piece of chicken skin. My stomach immediately tightened and churned as I felt my face visibly wince. I chewed quickly and swallowed it and Thomas just stared at me. I shook my head.

"I am sorry that woman insulted you, but you are far smarter than most people I have met… do not forget that." I said touching his shoulder lightly. He just inhaled and exhaled loudly and continued to carve up the boy. It seemed I was not getting anywhere with him. I looked down at the dead boy before us and then up at him.

"You remember when we were playing on the front porch of my mom's home?" I asked. I chuckled a bit more at the thought. "Well you stayed close to the porch not leaving it, and I chased butterflies, you mainly watched me." Thomas continued his actions, but he glanced at me to show he was listening. I smiled a bit more.

"And some boys came up to the house and began shouting at us. You remember what they said?" I asked and now he paused in his movements and looked at me with a more deeper intent. "They said "what's the difference between a nigger and a retard? Nothing they're both as stupid as dogs" Do you remember that?"

Thomas tensed and looked ahead his eyes not wanting to show the apparent anger in his eyes. I nodded remembering that day.

"And I turned and ran back in the house and you just stood there thinking I had just abandoned you to those boy's torment?" I asked. Now I placed my hand over his blood knuckles and slowly he looked down at me with softer eyes. I smiled now. "And you remember what happened next? Anton ran out the house, fists clenched without even thinking, because you know what his only purpose was in that very moment? He wanted to protect his little and her friend. He bloodied those boy's noses and knocked them all on their asses and made them go crying home to their mama's." Thomas closed his eyes now remembering that moment and I shook my head.

"And that is what you did for me today. You knocked that woman on her ass to protect me. You are far more superior and smarter than you give yourself credit for." I replied gently. "You have my back like I have yours." Thomas's cheeks rose through his mask as he smiled and lifted me off the ground and just sat me down in front of him. I guess now I had to get rid of this outfit because I was sitting on a corpse. He pulled his mask down around his neck slowly before capturing my lips with his and I moaned against him wrapping my arms around his. After a few seconds, he pulled back resting his head against mine, his fingers gently grazing over my cheeks and he just rubbed my neck softly.

"Thank you." he said lowly and I just gently raised my hands and moved to caress his face. He tensed a bit, but I continued smiling and he then leaned back into me.

"Tati, come on hon we're going into town to shop for the colder times!" Luda Mae called out, causing us both to look up at the black ceiling. My eyes widened and sparkled and I looked at Thomas.

"I'm glad Charlie trusts me to leave the house." I said and Thomas looked at me with mild worry. I shook my head. "Don't even think it. I will be back." He nodded and I leaned up kissing him lovingly and he returned it. I began to pull him closer to me, but we had to contain ourselves. Thomas helped me down off the table and he held my hand as I led him back up the stairs. A few hours later, once I was all clean, I was sitting in the passenger's side of the truck while Luda Mae drove.

"We are gonna get some thicker blankets and Charlie's going to get some fire wood for the furnace. We are going to survive the winter." Luda Mae said happily and I just smiled.

"Yes we are." I agreed and looked ahead. It only took us twenty minutes or so to get into the small run down town. Wow it really was deserted. Luda Mae parked outside a small clothing store. I remember it used to be a very popular clothing store when I was younger.

"Well let's go in and get some clothes." Luda Mae said and we stepped out of the truck. I immediately noticed the small hospital right down the road from the store and tensed as it looked so empty. I ignored my thoughts and just went inside. At the counter was a round old woman who looked to be reading an old magazine.

"Hi Pansy." Luda Mae chirped out. The woman looked over her glasses and smiled.

"Well hey Luda, how you doin' darling?" she asked. Luda Mae placed her hands over her hips.

"Well mighty fine. How about you?" she asked back. I decided to leave the ladies to talk and move down the quiet aisles that didn't have that many clothes, but it gave me enough motivation to still look around. I moved through the dresses noticing they were like the ones Luda Mae wore. Maybe that was a sign, I should pick something along the lines of her style. I mildly scoffed at the idea. No. I'm young, I was sure I could find something that fit my needs.

"Find anything you like?" I jumped and looked up to see none other than Tom in a white tank and blue jeans with brown boots on. Immediately I tensed feeling as if all the air was sucked out of the room.

"Oh shit."