The Temple Walls

Sometimes, you need to slow down and take a closer look at what you left behind...at what was written on the temple walls.

Co-ordinates: Hillwood: 40°41'34"N, 73°59'25"W; San Lorenzo: 4°55'22"N, 52°19'37"W; Washington DC: 38°53'42"N, 77°02'12"W

Hillwood Was Never Home

40°41'34"N, 73°59'25"W

July 24th, 13:45

Warning: This chapter contains swearing.

Hillwood appeared to have become suspended in time during the past six years, in which Helga had easily avoided travelling anywhere near her hometown. Vine Street had accumulated a growing number of potholes, and perhaps Mr Green had given his shop a new slick of paint – but everything else remained the same. Helga eased her rental car around the corner, and onto Amblestrand Boulevard, which hosted rows of evergreen trees that required several years worth of pruning. Ambelstrand lay within a modest area of Hillwood, filled with small apartment blocks and semi-detached housing. Gerald and Phoebe Johanssen resided within number seventy three; a beige brick building with a bright white front door. Slowing the car to a halt, Helga tapped her fingers slowly against the leather steering wheel and reminded herself there was simply no other option.

Warm summer breeze tickled her skin as she stepped from the car, and assumed the most confident posture she could manage. Winding her way through the garden path, Helga focussed her mind upon her objective: answers. She'd have been foolish to attempt a simple phone call, for she'd have been hung up on swiftly, but she did require Gerald's help. In that case, confronting him directly had presented itself as the only hope she had.

Helga eyed the door warily, and pushed against the small doorbell. Instantly, the sounds of movement echoed from the hallway, and Helga soon found herself face-to-face with her childhood best friend.

"H-Helga..?" Phoebe stammered uncertainly, her eyes wide and disbelieving. "Oh my, it's been so long..."

"Yeah, so long..." she responded bitterly, unable to mask the resentment lacing her tone. Helga grit her teeth, as Phoebe froze and chewed her lip anxiously, clearly uncertain how to respond.

Phoebe's eyes darted down the short hallway, then back to meet Helga's. "Uh, would you like to come inside?" she offered politely.

"No, I just need-"

Suddenly, her next words faded from her conscious mind, as Gerald Johanssen stepped into the hallway. His eyes met her own with a chilling glare, as hostile and unforgiving as Helga had imagined it might be, perhaps even more so. Noticing the silence, Phoebe peered backward at her husband.

"Look who came by, Gerald..." she announced tentatively.

Gerald flinched visibly and stalked toward the door, stopping once he stood directly beside Phoebe. "What the hell is she doing at our house?" he growled, his words were for Helga herself although he refused to directly acknowledge her presence.

Phoebe winced, shifting nervously and eyeing him pleadingly. "Gerald, be civil." she implored.

"No fucking way." Gerald declared, glaring directly in Helga's direction. "Not when she decides to show up after nine years of avoiding us and, what, expects us to welcome her?" he narrowed his eyes further, daring her to confirm his suspicions. "What do you want, Pataki?"

Helga faltered, beneath the weight of his anger, for mere moments before agitation took hold. She wouldn't dare continue to be treated as the villain, after all this time. Her eyes met his, and she matched his withering glare. "I just want to know where the heck I might find your good-for-nothing best friend."

"Oh, you mean your husband, Helga?" he immediately inquired, feigning sarcastic interest.

Helga bristled, "I would hardly call him that."

"Yeah," he scoffed, "well what would you call him? Last time I checked, Pataki, when you swore under oath to love and stand by somebody it was supposed to mean something."

Bitterness of years prior bubbled toward the surface, and Helga let her gaze drop toward Phoebe's left hand. "You'd know, wouldn't you Geraldo?" she demanded, her voice low and offended. "Didn't think me appropriate to invite to your lousy wedding, huh?"

Phoebe's eyes dropped, "We didn't know your address, Helga." she murmured softly, "Or even what state you were living in..."

"No," she shook her head dismissively, "you just didn't want me there," her hand flicked toward Gerald accusingly, "Hair Boy was probably worried I'd be some kind of bad omen."

Gerald stepped forward, blocking Phoebe who appeared thoroughly distressed, and stepping directly into Helga's personal space. His exhale of breath was sharp, "Maybe I did thank that, Pataki," he growled, "maybe I didn't want you around to mess up our life the way you messed up Arnold's."

Helga's fingers twitched, curling themselves into fists at her sides. "I hardly messed up Arnold's life," she spat indignantly, "he used me until he was done with me, and made it very clear that I was nothing to him!"

"Did you ever stop to think that maybe you took things out of context, Helga?" he challenged, "Maybe you could have stopped and listened, instead of jumping to insane-"

"I refuse to fight over this for the hundredth time in our lives, Geraldo." she interrupted, hissing her worlds and swallowing the bile rising in her throat. "Case is closed."

Gerald spent a tense few moments watching her closely, his stance guarded. "Fine, case closed." he stepped backward slightly to grasp for the door-handle, "If you want to know where Arnold is, then you know what? Figure it out for your damn self because I'm sure as hell not going to tell you!"

Carefully he eased Phoebe backward, and out of harm's way, before retreating slightly into the hallway himself. Focusing one last disapproving glare in her direction, Gerald slammed the stark white front door closed and left Helga standing alone on the porch. She remained motionless, staring at the blank white surface for a few quiet moments, regaining her breath and suppressing the urge to scream.

A/N: Apologies for the sudden period of inactivity - unfortunately it looks as though the next few months are going to be very busy for me so updates on this story may be rather slow.

Thanks to Nep2uune for further input - you're certainly keeping me on my toes! Firstly, without giving too much away I can say that annulment is not possible. Secondly (and this is to Lionheart also) despite being his wife, initially the best she could do would be to declare him a missing person and the resulting investigation would eventually then prove him alive. Something like that could also then get her fired for filing a report under false pretenses. I also see that being a lengthy process, and Helga needs fast results here.

Of course, that said, you both have a very good point in that Helga could use that avenue if she so chose.