Just One (More) Night

a sister's account of her brother's night

Eero woke with a start, his head pounding and his eyes blurry. “What the hell?” he asked, sitting up and surveying his surroundings. “Where am I?” When his vision cleared, he took in the dusty furniture, covered with sheets, and the cracked windows, whose curtains were moth-eaten and torn. Moonlight shone through one of the windows, and Eero’s eyes fell on a small piece of paper lying on the floor beside him. He picked it up, narrowing his eyes at it suspiciously when he opened it and saw it was a note.

 

Eero,

Sorry about this, man, but initiation is initiation. You refused to go in on your own, so we had to do something. We really want you in this with us. On the bright side, by the time the drugs wear off, it should be morning, and initiation only requires that you spend one night. Just one night. In the morning, we’ll let you out. See you then.

Silvijn

 

Eero swore silently to himself, standing up and brushing the dust off of his ripped jeans. “’Just one night,’” he growled, kicking a chair. “I’ll kill them when I get out of here.” He walked cautiously around the small room, which appeared to be a family room, and went to look out the window. The light from the full moon illuminated a brilliant garden. He could see the mint, roses, and nightshade from where he was standing, and it took his breath away. Since he had to stay there for the night, he decided he would set out to find the garden. It was familiar territory to him, as his mother was an alchemist. With his chin up (and his brown hair only slightly messy), he walked out through the decaying doorway into the hall.

The hallway was brighter than it should have been, having no windows and no visible means of light, and he could see small stands and tables along the walls at regular intervals. Eero crept carefully along the hall, feeling along the wall even though he didn’t have to. Small droplets of red led him to the end of the hall. He followed them, choosing not to think about what they could be or how long they had been there. At the end of the hallway, there were two doors on either side of the hall, and there was one at the end of the hall. Eero closed his eyes and tried to picture the garden again and where it should stand in relation to the large house. He nodded and, assuming the door in front of him led to a staircase to take him down to the first floor, he pulled the door open.

He smiled to himself and started down the long staircase. At the bottom, there was another door, and he rolled his eyes and pulled it open. He stepped cautiously into the large room. Unlike the room he woke up in, this one was completely empty. The emptiness made him even more nervous than he already was. “I get that it’s an abandoned house, but at least the second floor didn’t look so abandoned. It looked more… temporarily available,” he mumbled to himself. He took his time looking around the room, just in case he needed to know how to get out in a hurry.

The windows in this room were nearly perfect. They weren’t even dirty. The only problem with them was that they looked out into a forest… a very, very dead forest. The lack of light from the windows made it extremely hard for him to continue his surveying of the room. He took another step into the room, and the rotting floor boards under his feet creaked with every tiny movement he made. “Fantastic,” he growled. “Alert the freaking ghosts to your presence, Eero. Good job.” The wind howled outside, shaking the trees and rattling the windows. “Just one night,” he said, attempting to calm down. “Just one.” He pulled out his cell phone to check the time, and he sighed when he saw that it wasn’t even close to midnight.

“Just find the freaking garden,” he muttered, stepping forward carefully but still failing to avoid the creaking boards. He moved to the wall, feeling his way along until he came to a door. Sure that it was the way to the garden, and turned the doorknob triumphantly. Not seeing any light, or a garden for that matter, he peeked through the doorway cautiously.

Through the doorway there was a window and the largest pair of eyes he had ever seen. The girl was younger than him, but looked serious enough to be a professor as she turned towards him, making it clear that he was interrupting something.

“Who are you?” he asked, since it was rather hard to tell what with the smock and all.

“Me? Oh, I’m lots of things. I just haven’t decided which one I want to be the most of.” She paused and brandished a pencil in his direction. “What do you think?”

“Pardon?”

“Well, what do you think? About me?” Stomping her foot in impatience, she waved the pencil in agitation. “Come now, you must think something! Why, I’ve never met someone who couldn’t think, not really.”

He found it harder than he should have expected to answer. “Well, I haven’t ever seen anyone who could be quite as scary with just a pencil.”

That had been a good enough answer apparently, as the girl grinned. “Thank you. And for that matter, I don’t know anyone else quite as excellent at giving compliments.”

“Do you have a name? What do I call you?” Eero asked, frowning. “And how did you get here?”

“Get here? I live here. I always have. And you can call me… Cora… I quite like that name.”

“Live here? What do you mean you live here? No one has lived here since…” he paused, then, and she nodded at him like he’d finally figured it out. “You mean you’re…”

“Dead? A ghost? A spirit? Haunting the house I grew up in until I finish whatever unfinished business I have? Something like that.”

“You’re quite cocky for a dead girl,” Eero said, smiling.

“And you’re quite cocky for a guy who’s facing off with something that he can’t kill but that could still kill him.” Cora smiled, then, and Eero smiled back.

“I don’t think you’d hurt anyone, Cora.”

“I have before. Lots of times. Why do you think no one comes here anymore?” Eero took a step back, and Cora laughed. “I wouldn’t hurt you, though. You’re cute, and you really know how to compliment a dead girl.”

“Thank you… I think… You know... You look kind of familiar.”

“Why are you here, anyway? I saw some boys drag you in here and take you upstairs, but I honestly thought you were dead.” Eero noted that she had ignored his statement, but he answered her question regardless.

“It some stupid initiation for the fraternity. I told them that I didn’t want to do it, but they quite obviously made me do it anyway. They drugged me.”

“Why didn’t you want to do it?” Eero paused for a minute.

“I’d heard that it was haunted, and I don’t believe in bothering the dead. I don’t even visit my mother’s grave,” he said finally. “It just doesn’t feel right to me.”

“That’s sweet, I guess. No one else cares who they bother. Those other boys certainly didn’t. They knocked over my easel dragging you up those stairs and into that room. That’s usually my work room, but they ruined it,” she pouted.

“That’s what was on the floor then?” he asked.

“What?”

“The drops? On the hall floor upstairs? It was paint?” Cora laughed loudly and shook her head.

“No, those were blood. I only work with pastels and pencils.”

“Blood?”

“Yeah. Duh. I told you I’ve hurt people before. Didn’t you believe me?”

“I did believe you, but I didn’t think that was what you meant…”

“What else would I have meant?” she asked, genuinely confused. “When you hurt someone, you hurt them.”

“There are other ways to hurt people.” She shook her head.

“There aren’t.”

“How did you feel when they knocked over your easel?” Eero asked. She raised her eyebrow at him.

“Well, I certainly wasn’t happy about it.”

“But how did you FEEL?”

“I felt like I wanted to hurt them.” Eero sighed.

“You’re not getting it. That’s okay. Why didn’t you hurt them?” Cora shrugged.

“I don’t know. I guess I just wanted them to go away so that I could clean up my stuff.”

“Did you scare them?” She shook her head.

“Of course not! I just waited and watched them leave. The fat one dropped a piece of paper beside you, and I was going to read it, but I felt like I would do something really stupid if I didn’t just pick up my stuff and leave.” Eero nodded.

“Well, as irritating as they are, I’m glad you didn’t hurt them. I’m glad you didn’t hurt me, either.”

“Honestly, I thought about it,” she said, rolling her hair into a bun and putting her pencil in it to keep it in place. “But it’s been a really long time since I’ve had anyone to talk to and an even longer time since I’ve seen a guy as cute as you.” Eero leaned against the doorway, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Is that so?” he asked smugly. Cora nodded and stepped closer to him.

“I think we should get you into better light so I can REALLY see what I have to work with here.”

“Pardon?”

“I think I’d like to draw you,” she said slowly, as if she had to think about every word.

“Well, if that’s the case, I was going to check out the garden. There seems to be plenty of light out there.” She nodded, picking up a blank canvas from the floor and folding up her easel.

“Then let’s go. I haven’t been to the garden in ages.” She tucked her easel under her arm and pushed past him. “Come on.” She led him back into the empty room and back up the stairs.

“I thought we were going to the garden...”

“We are,” Cora said, nodding.

“Why are we going upstairs then?” Cora rolled her eyes.

“Because, moron, the garden is in the back.”

“Moron?” Eero asked, stopping at the landing.

“Well I don’t know your name, and you’re certainly acting like one.”

“Eero. My name is Eero.”

“That’s a strange name.”

“I was born in strange times.”

“What year is it, Eero?”

“What year do you think it is?” he asked, cocking his head slightly to one side.

“I lost track after I died, smartass. I didn’t care anymore. I wasn’t getting any older.”

“That doesn’t answer my question,” he said, following her again.

“I died in 2014,” she sighed.

“Well, it’s 2037 now,” he told her.

“It’s been 24 years?” she asked, her tears evident in her voice.

“It has.” She led him down the hallway to a door on the opposite end.

“The garden’s through here,” she said, opening the door for him. Another set of stairs lay beyond the door, and he slowly descended them, feeling along the wall as he went. “You don’t have to go so slow. There’s nothing down here except the kitchen.”

“It’s dark, and I don’t fancy falling.” He picked up his pace, however, and, upon reaching the bottom of the stairs, opened the door and stepped into the kitchen. The kitchen was brilliantly lit by the silvery moonlight.

“It’s falling apart, I know, but it never used to be like this,” Cora said sadly. “My mother used to love it in here. This used to be her place. She was always in here cooking, baking, or just sitting in here. Then, they left.”

“What do you mean ‘they left’?” Eero asked.

“I don’t know. The day after my accident in the pool, I woke up from my nap, and they were just gone.”

“Your nap?”

“Just because I’m dead doesn’t mean I don’t get tired, Eero.” Eero held up his hands in mock surrender, and Cora smiled. “When I realized that I was dead, which was right after it happened, I decided that I was just going to act like it never happened. I was going to spend time with them and stuff, even though they wouldn’t know I was there. I guess I hoped they would feel it or something. But, the day after, I took a nap around noon, and, when I woke up, they were just gone.”

“I don’t know what happened to them. No one really paid much attention back then, I guess. They just told everyone your story. They actually think you never had an accident. They think someone else had something to do with it.”

“That’s ridiculous,” Cora said, curling her hands into fists.

“I used to think that, too, but I’m not so sure now. You’re awfully angry for someone who has come to terms with the fact that they had an accident.”

“The garden, Eero.” Eero nodded, knowing that their conversation was over, and moved farther into the kitchen. “The door is on the left. Don’t go into the one on the right. That’s the pantry.” Eero nodded again and pulled open the door on the left.

“Did your mum grow her own vegetables and stuff?” he asked, stepping out into the garden.

“Yeah… ‘and stuff’. She fancied herself a bit of an… herbalist.”

“Well, the garden certainly is beautiful. How does it stay like this?” he asked, walking over to some nightshade that was in full bloom.

“I’m not really all that sure. It’s been like this as long as I can remember. I haven’t ever touched any of it. I didn’t really inherit my mum’s green thumb. Everything that I touch dies shortly after.” Eero stepped away from her again. “Plant-wise, I mean. The only time humans die is when I want them to.”

“Where would you like me to be for you to draw me?” he asked, changing the subject.

“Find the best light or your favourite plant or something. I don’t care. I just want to draw you.” She looked at him closely, studying the lines of his face and the brilliant colour of his eyes. “Actually, why don’t you follow me? I have an idea.” She transferred her blank canvas to her other arm with the easel and her bag of pencils to the pocket in her smock before grabbing Eero’s hand and leading him through the garden. In the middle of the garden, there was a large fountain surrounded by nightshade and roses.

“That’s an odd combination to plant together,” Eero said. Cora shrugged.

“My mum was an odd person. Sit.” Eero let go of her hand and sat gingerly on the edge of the fountain. “Wait right there.” Cora disappeared back into the garden, and, for just a moment, the fear that she might never come back consumed Eero. He looked around the parts of the garden that he could see and noticed some of the plants moving as Cora got farther away. He sat quietly with his legs swinging until he noticed the plants moving again. Quickly, he reached behind him and pulled a rose from the bush, biting his lip as a thorn tore open the soft flesh on his palm. As Cora appeared in the opening, he hid the rose behind his back.

“Welcome back,” he said, smiling. She smiled back at him and handed him a book. “The Alchemist’s Guide to Poisons?” he asked, raising an eyebrow at her. She nodded.

“Why did you pick a rose?” she asked, looking at the bush behind him.

“Well, I was going to give it to you,” he started, blushing, “but it seems you’re a little too quick to be surprised.”

“Why would you give me a rose?”

“Because you didn’t kill me, and that makes me happy?”

“Try again.”

“I’m serious.”

“You’re not. You’re blushing.”

“Just take the rose, will you?” he asked, holding it out to her. She took it carefully, but it withered in her hand.

“I told you,” Cora said sadly when Eero’s eyes widened. “It was a nice gesture, though. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

“What happened to your hand?” Cora asked, taking Eero’s injured hand in hers.

“Thorn... from the rose. It’s fine,” he replied, pulling his hand away from her and hiding it in his other hand.

“Don’t do that,” she scolded, grabbing his hand again. “Let me fix it.” She pulled a few bandages and some medical tape out of her smock pocket and patched up his hand.

“Do you always carry that kind of stuff in your pocket?”

“Used to, but death kind of breaks old habits. I haven’t done it since I died. That is, not until I saw a nosy boy staring down my butt and my roses and thought it might be a good idea.” Eero blushed and looked down at his feet.

“If it helps, it’s a very nice butt...” Eero was expecting the slap, but he wasn’t expecting her to allow her hand to pass right through his face.

“That’s for looking at me like that.”

“Why didn’t it hurt? You don’t usually pass through me.”

“I wanted to.”

“Why? I was doing something I really shouldn’t have, and I said something I definitely shouldn’t have.”

“Because maybe I want ed you to,” Cora whispered, winking at him. Eero raised an eyebrow at her. “Let’s get to the drawing now, hm?” She wrapped her hand in bandages and plucked some nightshade from where it grew. “Take this.” Eero reached out his bandaged hand. “Not with that hand, moron. The other one.”

“It’s bandaged.”

“It doesn’t matter.” Eero reached out cautiously with his uninjured hand and took the nightshade from her, allowing his fingers to brush against her bandaged ones for a second before pulling away.

“Now what?”

“Sit with your back to that middle thingy...” she instructed. Eero did as he was told. “Okay, now pull your legs up so you can rest the book on your thighs, and open the book to a random page.” Eero shook his head, smiling, and moved into the position she wanted him in. “Now hold the nightshade close to the book so that it looks like you’re looking it up.” Eero chuckled quietly, moving the nightshade closer to the edge of the book. He looked at the nightshade, cocking his head a little to one side, and put a finger under a line on a page about bay leaves.

“Like this?” he asked.

“That’s perfect. Have you done this before?”

“Not a single time, if you can believe that. I mean, I know I look like a model, but I’m not.”

“Shut up and hold still.” Eero smiled a little before resuming his position, and Cora set to work drawing, erasing, and redrawing. “Okay,” she said after a long while. The moon was hidden behind the house, but the sun still didn’t seem to be peeking over the horizon. “I’m finished.”

“Am I allowed to see?” Cora shook her head. “Why not?”

“I haven’t finished colouring it just yet. I need to find the right blue for your eyes. Come back tomorrow, and we can finish this. Your friends are here.” Cora picked up her things and helped Eero off the fountain. They walked, hand-in-hand, into the house and down to the front door.

“I guess I’ll see you tonight.”

“I said tomorrow...” Cora protested.

“And I said tonight,” Eero said factually. Cora blushed furiously and pushed some dust around with the toe of her shoe.

“I’m only 17...” Eero smiled.

“I’m fine with that.” He kissed her cheek and pulled open the front door. “See you later.”

“See you later.” She sat her easel down, putting the canvas on it, and allowed herself to fade away. Eero jogged down the path that led to the road.

“You guys are f*****g a******s!” he yelled at Silvijn, who was peeking his head out his car window.

“You made it, didn’t you?” he called back. Eero leaned his head into the window.

“I think I’m actually going to stay here a little while longer,” Eero said, looking back toward the window in the foyer. He smiled when the canvas was placed in the window.

“Found it, Eero!” appeared in the fog that the breath that the still invisible Cora blew on the window.

“I have to go,” he told Silvijn, backing up a little bit.

“You’re crazy, man,” Silvijn replied. Eero shrugged.

“Maybe. Maybe not. I’ll see you at school Monday. Tell the others I said ‘thanks’.” With that, he sprinted back up the path and through the front door that had opened up for him. Cora allowed herself to appear beside him, and she wrapped her arms around his neck.

“I thought you were leaving,” she said.

“I thought about it, and I think I’d rather stay,” he replied, wrapping his arms around her waist.

“Eero!” Silvijn called. “What’s happening?” Eero’s form wavered, and he allowed himself to disappear from their view with Cora still clinging to him.

“It’s finally over,” she whispered, kissing him softly.

“Did you know?” Eero asked.

“I thought I did.”

“How long ago?”

“About the same time I did. A few days after, I think. I read it in the paper.”

“I remember doing it now. I just don’t understand how I’ve gone all this time and never knew.”

“It doesn’t matter. It’s over. You came back, and it can finally be over.” Eero looked over at the picture she’d drawn of him. His visible eye was a brilliant blue, almost a sapphire, and the purples of the nightshade really brought it out.

“You did a really good job.”

“I do a really good job every year.”

“What do you mean ‘every year’? This has happened before?” Cora nodded slowly.

“It has. But this time you remembered. It’s over. It’s finally over.” Cora kissed him again, and the front door slammed shut. I realize that it doesn’t seem all that possible that someone like me would know something like this, but Eero was a friend to everyone, and we could never quite tell him what had happened, but I watched, and I waited, and I listened. Now that it’s over, my brother can finally rest, and so can I.