seven
The air smelled like the ocean and dead leaves. Bundled in my jacket, I sat outside my room on the balcony. I set up a little folding chair I got for the beach with an umbrella clipped to the back to stop the drizzle from hitting me, waiting for Ken and Viktor to come back.
Mom had waited up with me for a while but finally went to bed. She said Ken would call her if he heard any news. That was the thing about my mom she could sleep through all kinds of stuff. Nothing fazed her really, at least not the normal things that should.
Mist crept out of the woods, giving the area a strange dreamlike quality. My television blared from my room; I could hear snippets of the local news and the forecast for the weekend. It was going to rain…again.
“What else is new,” I grumbled, hunkering further down in my chair. The temperature dropped drastically and my breath came out as a white cloud.
All I could think about was Viktor and whatever that thing was. I didn’t get it. Why would he want me to leave and not come with me? No matter how many ways I twisted it in my mind I kept coming back to the same answer. Somehow, he knew what it was and somehow he knew it put me in danger…but what about him?
Time passed really slowly, like it always did when you were waiting for something to happen. The steady drone of the rain hitting my umbrella lulled me and my eyes drifted shut. I kept them closed, merely listening for the sound of a car. My thoughts turned to Vincent and how he had acted earlier.
It was weird. Why did he leave without saying good-bye? I suddenly wished I had his number so I could call him and ask or just talk to him. My stomach twisted with worry.
The wind picked up, howling through the trees. A scratching sound came from beside me. Jolting upright, I looked around for the source. My heart beat rapidly against my ribs. I got up and leaned over the railing. One of the branches of a tree beside the house scrapped against the siding.
“Stupid tree,” I muttered and finally climbed back inside the window. I was damp and cold and had lost the feeling in my toes and fingers. Once inside I didn’t know what to do, so I decided to take a quick hot shower to warm up and kill some time. Grabbing my toiletries, a pair of yoga pants and a few other things to wear, I headed to the second floor. The stairs groaned under the weight of my feet. I glanced down the hall, my mom’s light was on, but that was nothing new. She slept with it on most of the time…she usually fell asleep with a book in her hand. Maybe after I showered I should try to read to help take my mind off of Viktor.
I stayed under the hot spray of water longer than I intended. Once the water started to cool, I turned off the faucet and climbed out. The tiles were damp under my feet. Hitching the towel under my arms, I quickly dried my hair. Glinda’s number was still in bold black on my arm with some kind of black bird underneath she had doodled. I would have scrubbed off the number but wanted to program it in my phone.
After getting dressed and brushing my teeth, I left the bathroom and went back upstairs.
Opening up my door, I stopped. Cool air wafted across the room. The big circular window squeaked, blowing forward in the breeze.
“I thought I shut that.” I set my stuff on the upholstered chair I used for reading in the corner. Rubbing my arms, I walked over to the window and looked out. The fog was thicker now, obstructing my view of the street. There was still no sign of Viktor or Ken. Giving up, I shut the window and climbed in bed. My phone was blinking. My heart raced. I scrolled to the number and froze. It matched the one on my arm. I hit voicemail and listened.
“Amber this is Glinda,” she giggled. She sounded drunk. “What are you dooooing…? There was another eruption of laughter, and then dial tone.
I debated whether to call her back and programmed her number in my phone. What I would like to know is how she even got my number. Lifting a pillow, I pulled it into my lap, hugging it and stared at the phone.
Nothing happened.
Not that I thought it would but I had a strangest feeling of being watched. Shivering, I climbed under my comforter and pulled it up to my chin. I looked at the television. Twilight was playing… again.
“Ugh!” I smothered my face with my pillow.