Sorry for not updating this one in forever. I do have a pre-written chapter, but it's absolutely terrible. I'm going to use it as a filler though 'cos my friend- KatCipriano1975- gave me a few good ideas to work with. I'm also going to try and carry on with Royals, Tobias's and Max's stories. Possibly Sage's and Lilly's as well.
To Guest 1- I hadn't read TFIOS at this point, but I suppose it could be :P And I do try, thank you! :D
To Guest 2- hey, slow down :P I'm still working here! :D
To Guest 3- I'm trying! :D I've got a few ideas for a possible sequel or short spin-off story, but nothing that amazing at the moment :/
Apologies in advance if this chapter is total schist!
"This is just lovely." Crystal wrinkled her nose. The two bedroom house Alvie had managed to secure could have been nice, but it had been left for so long. There was the faint smell of cat pee, rotten food and dampness. The stairs were bare; the carpet that had once coated them now rolled up and left to gather dust and spiders behind the door.
"It'll be OK." Alvie replied, moving carefully down the mildly long hall. The kitchen door was in the centre of the left wall, a cupboard under the stairs on the right, further down, spilled useless junk onto the ragged green carpet. Alvie stepped over all this and opened the door at the end. "Nice space." He commented.
"It needs cleaning!" Crystal argued. "I hate cleaning." Alvie nodded in agreement and understanding. "What about furniture and food and-? Why are you smiling like that?!"
Alvie didn't answer, looking back into the rectangular room. Directly opposite him was a door leading to an overgrown, small garden. Windows lined the back wall, grubby and curtain-less. On the other side of the room to this, set into a crevice, was a wide serving hatch, one of the doors hanging off its hinges.
"We can make this work."
"With what money?"
"Who needs money?" Crystal wondered if he had truly lost his marbles.
Then she understood what he was thinking. "We can't get caught." She warned. He smiled meekly, turning back to the mess he had got them.
With a wave of his hand, the carpet was suddenly dust free and fitted expertly to the floor. The roll of carpet sprung to life, as good as new, and folded itself over the zig-zag of the stairs. The horrible mouldy wallpaper peeled itself from the walls and gathered itself into a neat pile by the door. An invisible and giant hand wiped away the grime on the windows, inside and out, leaving them sparkling and squeaky clean.
She looked back at Alvie, seeing him nursing a nosebleed. Placing her hands on her hips, she sighed with mock sympathy. "You couldn't get a clean house, could you?" He blinked at her, but she was looking back at her tidier surroundings. "I guess it could be OK here."
The cleaning and refurbishing of the small house kept them busy and mostly indoors for the next month or so. Their neighbours popped around occasionally to greet them and bring cookies. Number Nineteen were insistent on helping them get some control over the garden. Crystal had seen their manicured and precise flowerbeds, organised patterns of richly coloured flowers and neatly trimmed, vibrant green grass and a weed-less path. Back and front gardens were practically identical.
"All the way from America?" Ellen asked, astounded. She was a short, middle-aged woman with tightly curled chocolate brown hair with grey flecks. Her husband, Tim, was of similar age, tall and well-built for his age, with very little grey hair and kindly blue eyes. He had braved mowing their laws and was now helping Alvie decipher instructions to build a bed.
"Yeah."
"You're so young! Did you win the lottery or something?"
"Um, no. We moved here to stay with a family friend, but Alvie found this place going cheap, so here we are." Ellen studied her dubiously and Crystal feared she knew she was lying.
"Are you here illegally?"
"What? No We've got visas and everything!" Ellen relaxed and gave a friendly smile.
"I was just checking, dearie. Our last neighbour was an immigrant." Her smile melted into a cold look. "Horrible man. Moved in at midnight and made such a racket! And the parties! Drugs and drinks and music at all hours of the night!"
"We're not like that." Crystal promised. "Alvie hates parties and loud music and I hate drugs." Ellen's smile came back.
"Lovely."
"Did he have cats?"
"Yes, nine of them. He bred them too. Disgusting animals, they were. They were so filthy, fur all matted and ragged." Crystal made a mental note that Ellen liked to rant. That would be good to avoid- she had an inkling that Ellen could talk for England.
A thud from upstairs and Tim's hearty laughter broke their conversation. Crystal looked up at the ceiling curiously. They had placed fresh coats of white paint on the ceiling, covering mould that refused to be cleaned away. She and Ellen were painting and cleaning downstairs while the men battled with the furniture upstairs.
Tim bounded into the room moments later, swinging on the door frame.
"Your boyfriend is a right laugh!"
"What did he do?" Crystal asked carefully. Tim chortled heartily again and Alvie materialised behind him, looking sheepish. His eyes flared white and Tim and Ellen momentarily stiffened.
"Tea!" Tim declared. "That's what I came down here for!" He cast his wife a pointed look. Ellen rolled her eyes, but dutifully set her paintbrush down, ambling from the room.
Rubbing his hands together gleefully, Tim beamed at the room around him. "This place is really coming together, it's fantastic!"
Their neighbours left around three that afternoon. Alvie sank onto the sofa and called him an idiot.
"What?" Crystal exasperated incredulously, having presumed Alvie was calling her an idiot.
"I move the wardrobe on my own."
"Idiot!"
"I wasn't thinking…" A brief flash of terror passed through his eyes. Crystal sighed and collapsed next to him.
"You made them forget, didn't you?" He nodded. "Well, that's alright then." She knelt up on the sofa and pulled the curtains closed. Alvie's eyes seemed black in the sudden dimness, but brightened to their usual stormy grey when he turned the lights on with a flick of his fingers.
Crystal settled next to him again, looping her arms around his shoulders. She was partially aware of the roller painting the wall of its own accord. Rolls of wallpaper unravelled and cut themselves to size, falling tidily onto the fold-up work table and allowing the paste brush to paste them. "Keep this up and we could be finished in a week."
"As long as no-one finds out."
"Always so negative!" He caught her eye again. "You've done really well, organizing all this." She waved her hand calmly at the magic DIY tools behind her. "You should show some positivity."
"How?"
"How?" She exclaimed. He winced, looking away. "For starters, you could smile." She shifted, sitting astride his lap to defiantly meet his gaze. Using her fingers, she made him smile. "And think about how you got us here; how you hid us; how you got this house and how you got me to come with you in the first place."
"You didn't have to."
"You're very persuasive." He looked confused and she laughed softly. "Of course I was going to come with you! Long distance relationships are a pain in the bum."
"We'll be OK though?"
"As long as we're clever." She twisted around and sat on him, resting her head on his shoulder. "Are the others OK?"
"Yeah."
"Sure?" She felt him nod and a small tug on her hair as he started playing with it absent-mindedly. "What's the matter then?"
"Are we doing the right thing?"
"What'd you mean?" He didn't answer immediately.
"I wiped their memories. Took you away from home. Is all this worth it?"
"It will be OK. Give it a couple of months and-" The doorbell rang, a gentle chorus of dings.
"Your turn." Alvie pointed out.
"I just got comfortable." She complained under her breath. With great reluctance, she rose to her feet, stomping across the room and down the hall. She didn't realise Alvie had followed her until she caught a glimpse of him from her peripheral vision. "Should I answer it?" She hissed as the doorbell rang again.
Alvie stepped in front of her, pulling the door open while leaving the chain on.
"Hello, neighbours!"
"Tim." Alvie relaxed a fraction, removing the chain.
"Did you know a car's been parked outside yours for the last hour?"
"What?" Alvie made to step out, but Crystal grabbed his arm and pulled him back. Tim looked at them in bewilderment.
"Should I call the police?"
"No, it's alright." Crystal tried for a smile, pushing Alvie out of sight. Jim didn't look convinced. "Is anybody in the car?"
"Yes, but I can't tell who?"
"Oh, it's fine, we'll handle it."
"What if they're some lunatic though?"
"They clearly haven't met me. Thanks, Tim." She closed the door on him, replacing the chain. "Alvie?" He had his eyes closed, a strong look of concentration across his features.
"I can't tell who it is." He said a minute later, opening his eyes blearily.
"Should we go out there?"
"No. It's… they're not… not those people… someone different…" He paused, looking uncertainly through the net curtains. "Someone... I think… I don't know…"
"Find out then!" He closed his eyes again and fell back into a deep focus.
Crystal sighed irritably.
What now?
Sorry it's so poopie! I'll try and do a better chapter next time!