Keeper of the Night

Although it's a first chapter i'm submitting it as a short story with no intention of posting the rest of it. Enjoy.

“GET OUT! OUT OF MY HOUSE!”

I heard a door slam somewhere behind me. I headed out. All I knew was that I was headed somewhere, I was too furious to care where. Instances like these make me really angry. My mom kicked me out of the trailer, just because! She had no concerns as to where I would stay that night. She’s nothing but a self-centered b***h. I hate how selfish she is. She acts like I’m not even her daughter. It feels as if I have a troubled teenager as a mom.

I had nowhere to go.

It’s during these moments, when everything is crashing down around, that I would just go. My body just takes charge and mind slips away. Often enough, I find myself being carried me to a place of comfort. Ages ago I didn’t consciously have any. But I once found myself being carried over to Salus’s house. After that one times I found myself returning. In fact, that’s where I inadvertently go every time I’m this angry. I guess the engineer in my head wants Salus’s place to be my haven. Well now it is. If only that little engineer spoke up more often. He makes good decisions.

I tried to calm myself as my feet trailed the muddy ground of the trailer park. Mud… it was raining.

My mom.

Rain.

Muddy ground.

Everything was spinning. My fury was too great to focus on anything. I was glad that it was a 6 mile walk to Salus’s house. This would give me time to cool off and compose myself.

I felt cold wind on my neck. My dark brown hair never did keep me warm. I had a light complexion and I got many comments along the lines of “you should die your hair blonde”. But brown is the way my hair was when I was born and brown is the way it’s going to stay. I had freckles along my nose during the summer but now they were just barely visible. My brown eyes were ordinary, but I liked it that way. People would often tell me that I had trusting eyes. My face was pretty, but not the ‘front cover of a magazine’ look. I was simply ‘the girl from the neighborhood’ who was nice looking. I wasn’t stunning, people didn’t stare. But I got attention from the guys. Not head cheerleader attention, but enough for me. But it was cool to be casually good looking, especially when it came time to dress up. I could do that really well. I love the surprised look upon guys’ faces when I would show up wearing a dress and fancy heels. They look like they’ve been hit in the back of the head…

By the time I arrived at Carton Lane, his area, I was chilled to the bone. The rain had stopped but my clothes were soaked and the chilly autumn night had not been kind. Salus’s family had a nice 4 bedroom ranch-house. This was considered around here to be upper middle class. I tapped on the window of his bedroom. I saw him stir. What I would give to be sleeping in a real bed. I want a nice normal home. I knocked again, a little louder, I had to make sure to be quite. Salus’s parents would be real upset if they found him sneaking out of his house at this time of night, especially with a girl like myself. He sat up in bed. I saw him rub his eyes a few times while staring at the clock. 2:41. Yea, it was kind of late. I gave a single tap with the back of my finger nail. He glanced over. 2 minutes, he motioned, as he got out of bed and headed for his closet.

This was an ordinary ordeal. This is where I have always gone when bad s**t happens. I heard the back door squeak as he let it close slowly. He came shuffling across the wet lawn with one of his sweaters in hand. This was the old navy one. He only has 3 sweaters and it makes me feel real special when he gives one of them to me to wear. It’s like he was giving me a piece of himself. He looked dark and mysterious as half his face was illuminated from the sodium vapor streetlamps. This was ironic. He is the complete opposite. Wait. I look dark and mysterious.

He handed me his sweater, without saying a word. I turned and faced my back to him as I yanked off my crappy t-shirt and equally crappy sweater, sharing my bare back with Salus while exposing myself to the darkness of the night. I snuggled into his sweater and placed my wet clothes on the wooden fence that embraced his driveway. We walked in silence on the blacktop for a few minutes. Salus was the first to speak.

“What happened this time?” He asked groggily voice. The hoarseness in his voice made me feel comfortable.

“I had to leave.”

“I can.” He paused and cleared his throat, “Why?”

“Things got too crazy.” I replied tentatively, “I had to leave.”

“She’s crazy. I really don’t like your mother. She’s a selfish b***h, you know that?”

I pursed my lips, “You are so right.”

“Yea, well I don’t like her.”

“Neither do I.”

We continued to walk in silence. The peace of the darkness filled our conversation with its silent words. Nothing but the blackness of the night surrounded us.

“April,” He began, “You look like you need a hug.” He paused for a few moments. “But I’m not going to give it to you-or even ask if you want one.”

“Why not?”

“Because you’re going to say you don’t need one.”

I smirked. “Well I don’t.”

Salus was quick to respond, “Everyone needs hugs-and right now you need one.”

“Nope.”

Silence.

“I don’t need a hug.” I reassured.

“Okay” His “y” stretched out long.

We walked through the calm quietness for a few more minutes.

“Where will you sleep tonight?”

I shrugged.

“Common. Tell me.”

“I don’t know.” I replied meekly.

“It’s cold out-you need to sleep indoors?”

“I know. You always tell me that…”

We had walked a full loop around his neighborhood and had arrived back at his house.

“Stay out here for a few minutes, I’ll get the keys and you can sleep in the car.”

He started parking his car around the corner for nights like these.

He walked up his driveway to go into his house. I saw him stop and take my dripping shirt and sweater from the wooden fence. I wanted to protest, but I knew I shouldn’t. His parents would freak.

After a few minutes he came outside with his keys. “It’s around the corner, but you already know where it’s parked.” He whispered.

“Thanks man. I always say this, but this is really nice of you.”

He smiled and winked, “Okay, goodnight. Oh, I’m drying your clothes. I’ll bring it out tomorrow.” He paused to smirk, “Make sure no one steals the car.”

I smiled back at him. Or was it just a twitch on my cheeks. People don’t call it a smile, but I do. He turned to head back inside.

“Salus?” I called out.

“SH! What?” He whispered loudly.

“Could you come to the car also?” Wow. I sounded so vulnerable.

He wore a face of despondency, “I wish, but April… my parents would kill me if they woke up and I wasn’t in bed.”

“Okay” I hushed.

He smiled again and headed back inside.

Salus headed upstairs to his bedroom where he would spend the night without my company and I headed down the street to his car where I would spend my night without his. But neither of us felt alone.

© 2012 KillerWithWords

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TLK

"Instances like these make me really angry."

First thought: instances like what? I don't care yet.
Second thought: if you are really angry do you think "this makes me really angry"? Because that sounds pretty laidback in comparison with being actually angry.

Posted 11 Years Ago

11 Years Ago

Yes, April's narration can be pretty confusing as her story is told in retrospect...

Saichiro Wolftotem

"Often enough, I find myself being carried (me) to a place of comfort."*
"...dye* your hair..."
"...I had to make sure to be quiet*."
"...sharing my bare back with Salus while exposing myself to the darkness of the night." - That's beautiful.
“C'mon.* Tell me.”
"I wanted to protest, but I knew I shouldn’t." -Why would she want to protest?
I like this piece. It feels very familiar. There are a couple of rough edges, but those are easily taken care of.