Sorry I haven't updated in a bit, i've been busy, it being the end of the school year and all. If you do review, can you tell me if it goes smoothly? Is it quick paced at all? I'm so weird with the questions, but I do enjoy seeing what I can make better.
The first time devil is mentioned in the is chapter, it's word number 666 :D
***
Maurice backed slowly away from the large, unsoiled window, shaking his head, his eyes wide in disbelief. Roger turned his head a bit, eyes shifting to follow his friend's quirky steps.
"No…no…how did they find us so quickly? How did they know?"
Roger watched, and, coughing slightly, peered around the tied-up drapes, to watch the police below. They were outside of their cars, not moving, talking to each other and casually looking at the house. Some were looking around for cars, to see if the home was obviously vacant. He looked back at his friend, who had now curled up in a ball on the ground. Roger rolled his eyes, Maurice always overreacted. He sauntered over and picked Maurice up by his shoulders, which drooped once up. Maurice shifted his gaze down at the slightly shorter boy, whose eyes pierced through his. He shifted his gaze downward at once.
"Are any of the maids home?"
Maurice looked up, then back down. "No."
"Maurice," Maurice lifted his eyes "how well can you act?"
***
"I'm not sure if this is a really good idea…I'm not really sure-"
"Don't worry about it, you'll be ok."
"I'm not that good of an actor, I was only in one play…can't we just-"
"No, we can't go. They've seen the drapes move, they know someone is home. If no one answers the bloody door they'll know I'm here. So you've got to do this."
"Maybe-"
"Maurice."
Maurice sighed, defeated. Roger smirked.
"I'll hide in that little secret room behind the bookshelf. Try the best you can to divert them elsewhere."
Maurice nodded sullenly as Roger moved off into the other room. He heard the bookcase door open and close. He sighed and went back to the kitchen, he attempted to make it a bit messy, how you'd expect an 11 year old to wake up. He walked over to the counter and picked up a small poppy seed muffin. He ventured back to the table and sat down, muffin in hand. After waiting for what seemed like hours, there was a knock on the door. He stiffened and sat blinking at the muffin. There was another knock. Someone was yelling through the door.
"Hello? Anyone home? Police." There were a few other murmurs behind the door, and some smothered laughing.
Maurice got up, the chair scraping on the floor. Clutching his slightly squished muffin (the knock half startled him) he walked into the fancy-manor foyer of the house. He stopped at the door, eyes frozen in fear, as if the door was some menacing knife-wielding stranger. The grandfather clock next to the door sat there ticking, mocking his heartbeat. He squinted at it. 2:37, his parents got home at 3. He whined quietly.
"Maybe no one is home."
"We could always knock the door down."
"Don't be so hasty. Wait a few minutes, I thought I had heard something scarping on the floor earlier."
"Maybe they have a dog."
Maurice cursed his parents for thinking him to young for a pet.
"If it was a dog, I'm sure it would've barked."
"What if it's lying in wait?"
"Yes 'cause a dog is smart enough for sabotage."
"Hey…it could happen."
One of the other police men scoffed.
Maurice took in air sharply, as he reached for the handle. He watched his reflection in the silver lined knob, his hand getting bigger and bigger in the small circle mirror, his head spinning, the ticking of the clock growing louder and louder-
"Hello there."
Maurice looked up into the face of a policeman; the one he recalled was trying to calm Roger's mom down earlier. Maurice thought back, and had no recollection of opening the door. He stared at the man, his eyes glassy, dazed.
The police man hesitated before talking to the spaced-out boy. "I'm Officer Audrey." Maurice stared up at the man, not registering.
The fatter of the 3 police men started talking "I think you scared him Audrey, poor little devil."
Maurice's eyes grew wider with fear, the only non-talking police man noticed.
"Alright, so like I said, I'm Officer Audrey, these are Officers Cleminse and Tyson, are your parents home?"
Maurice shook his head.
"Mind if we come in?"
Maurice shook his head again, and moved over stiffly to the side. The policemen walked in, looking around cautiously. While Audrey and Cleminse inspected the room, looked at pictures, behind things, inside the mocking clock, Tyson was eyeing Maurice suspiciously. Maurice looked back, as innocently as his acting mind would allow.
Officer Cleminse began speaking. "Have you seen a boy, by any chance?" Maurice blinked. "He's a little shorter than you, with jet black hair, a little sinister looking?"
Maurice repeated the word. "Sinister…? I don't know anyone like that."
"You're lying." Maurice jumped at how close Tyson had moved to him in such a short time. "You know him. Your mom said you two were often together."
"I-I-"
The other two other police officers had moved closer, the officer behind Maurice had both hands on his shoulders.
Audrey started talking, harsh, something you wouldn't expect from the joking man a second ago. "Listen. He killed someone. He won't refrain from killing you. Now tell us where he is."
Maurice scowled. "He wouldn't kill me."
Cleminse stepped in. "Of course he would, he's killed before, and he did it again, he'll do it to you too."
"That's a lie, Roger wouldn't kill me. You didn't know his father."
"As a matter of fact we did." Tyson, a tall skinny man, but unbelievably strong, picked the blonde boy up from under his shoulders and held him out in front of him. "Listen, tell us where your bloody friend is."
"He's-not-here." Maurice practically spat.
"He's telling the truth." The three men turned, and looked in the doorway, Maurice hung there, eyes narrowed and brooding. In the doorway stood an old woman. Her hair was broken and grey, and wilted on its roots. She had one of those white, bleached maid bonnets on, and a stereotypical red dress and white apron.
"Excuse me?" It was Cleminse. He did spit.
"He's not here. I saw him, I did, but last night. He was walking out of town, towards the city. He never came this way, or looked back. Now put him down." Tyson dropped Maurice, who landed with a thud on his butt. He glared up through his bangs.
"Come here Maurice." The woman motioned for him. He got up, glaring; his face red, and walked, head drooped, towards the old maid. "Well, he's not here, so you best be getting off the property, or I'll speak to the one in charge and have you all fired. Now be gone." The men appeared alert at the word 'fired' and took off out the door. Maurice looked up at the maid.
"Thank you Ms. Bayton."
"Don't thank me dear." She moved off towards the kitchen and began cleaning it.
Maurice rocked on his heels. "So…you saw Roger last night?"
"Don't be silly." Maurice blinked; she walked over to him and put her hands on his shoulders. "Of course I didn't see him. I'm not stupid," she smiled "I heard you with him earlier."
"But then why..?"
"I didn't say anything because there was no need too. Trust me, I know." Maurice looked at her confused. "Go get him, and take him somewhere. Here," she handed him a few hundred pounds, "for your travels." She put her hand on his head.
"But why?"
"Don't question what you're given. Now go. Don't worry, if you need anything just call this number." She handed him a slip of paper with multiple numbers written in clear, dark ink. "Now really, no questions. Just go, and be careful."
"Bu-"
"Go." She gave him a light shove. "I'll cover for you."
He looked back up at her, before stumbling out of the room.
***
Roger sat against the cherry oak bookshelf, the back of it dusty. There were various coats hanging from a small rack. He played with his charcoal black hair. There was the sound of running, and he lifted his head. Roger strained to listen. It seemed as if only one person was running, but he wasn't positive. Then it stopped. He blinked, and strained harder, tilting his head a little in the process.
"Roger!"
The bookcase flew open behind him, and he fell backwards, head hitting, and resting, on Maurice's upright shins. He lifted his head up a little and looked up through his hair.
"Roger!"
Roger groaned. "I can here you."
"Good. Listen, we gotta go. Now. Before anyone comes back." He moved back and Roger's head hit the floor. He lifted himself up and shook his hair a bit, to release any captured dust. Maurice stood waiting, grinning.
"What happened?"
"I'll explain later. Right now we got to go. Come on!" Maurice grabbed Roger's limp, unsuspecting arm, and dragged him into the foyer and out the door. Roger tripped on the first step, and Maurice laughed loudly. They started trotting down the driveway. Roger looked at the blonde, who was in front. His hair glistened, his head held high, he back straight. He looked like the epitome of happiness. Roger watched him for another second, before looking back. His gaze was drawn up to a second story window. There was a figure there, watching him. Roger peered into the eyes.
***
Ms. Bayton watched as the two boys ran down the driveway. She smiled at the happiness Maurice portrayed, skipping down the way. She then looked at Roger, who had stopped. She blinked, and he turned. He looked right up at her. His bangs danced gently on his forehead, blowing in one direction. His eyes were sinister, menacing, a hidden devil. She gazed at the boy, and waved.