There are houses everywhere I turn. I don't even remember which way I came. It's really dark out, I'd say it's near midnight. My stomach rumbles, I haven't eaten in days. At least it feels like days. I've been on the run from these parasites for years, time means nothing to me anymore.
I should look for an empty house for food and water and maybe a possible rest.
*****
I've been observing this two storey, semi-detached house for about an hour now. There is no car in the driveway. The curtains are wide open and no lights are on. The owners must be away for the night.
How will I break in?
I try the door first of all, long shot I know, but it opens straight away.
Stupid trusting parasites, I smile to myself.
First destination: kitchen.
I scour the presses first for non-perishables to put in my rucksack. Granola bars, cookies, potato chips, I throw a tin of beans in there for good measure. Next stop sink. I fill my canteen up to the brim with lovely cool water, I stick my head under the tap and get a good gulp. Now the fridge. Leftover spaghetti bolognese; lovely.
I eat the spaghetti as fast as I can and throw some apples into my bag. If I ration properly this food should last me a week.
I walk down the hall from the kitchen to the living room. It's very neat with a lot of photos hanging all over the place. I take a closer look.
Above the television is a framed picture of a man and a woman with a boy of about 14. They are sitting down together and are looking at the camera with 3 big cheesy smiles. I look into their eyes; Souls, of course. What was I expecting?
I sit down on the big leather couch by the window and rest for a few minutes. My bones ache and crack. I can't even remember the last time I just relaxed like this. I close my eyes and sit still for 10 minutes. I decide to leave and go back into the kitchen to try stuff more food into my rucksack before I go. My eyes sweep around the kitchen and I notice something on the kitchen table. A note, it read:
Fires Burning The Stars Above,
Shredding Through The Leaves Of Doubt and I have gone out for dinner and a movie. There's a pizza in the freezer if you're hungry. Don't expect us back until midnight.
Love, Glass Spires.
As I finish the last sentence, my eyes dart the clock above the sink. 00:06. "Oh crap." I say.
There's a parasite in the house, and two that could be back any minute. I have to get out quick.
Just then I hear a car pull into the driveway. And faint footsteps upstairs.
"Oh crap" I say again.
I spot the door to the backyard just as I hear the front door opening. I have no time to get my rucksack, I run. I take in my outside surroundings, there are two sheds, flower baskets hanging everywhere, and a wall about as tall as me. I'm not really that tall, but I'm terrified of heights. This night couldn't get worse.
Oh wait, it can.
I hear a male voice yell "What the hell?" No time to think. I jump, my hands find a flower basket and I pull myself up the wall. I fall down the other side of the wall and run. I hear voices behind me, but they are getting fainter and fainter.
I run as fast as my legs will carry me, suddenly I stop, with the biggest stitch in my side. I can hardly breathe let alone run anymore. I am standing beside trees so I decide to climb one of them. For a minute my fear of heights comes back and I can't do it, but then the voices catch up with me and I realise I have no choice.
So I climb, very ungracefully but I do it just in time. I'm sitting on a very feeble branch but I don't dare move.
After a few minutes, I hear the parasites talking clearly.
"That person was human did you see that? Where did she go?" said a male voice " I have no idea we'll have to call a seeker. I thought this was a safe neighborhood!" a female voice remarked.
"We'll have another search around here and call the seeker in the morning if we don't find that human. Unbelievable..." the voices faded away.
And now I'm stuck up here for god knows how long.
