Part four

PART FOUR

 

“Why the long face?” I heard the raspy voice of the one-legged hobo sat on the stairs in front of the building’s entrance.

I whipped the tears from my eyes, smudging the mascara even more and tried to suppress another sob.

“My life just took me by surprise.” I said quietly, moving past him.

His head dropped on his chest and he ran his calloused dirty palm over the back of a cat, curled in his lap:

“Be grateful you have a life…” simple yet strong words full of great meaning that touched my heart and left me motionless with my hand on the door knob.  

I took a deep breath as another tear made its way down my cheek. My hand slipped in the pocket of my skirt. I pulled out a couple of coins, the change from our drinks in the bar, and walked back to the man. I knew it wasn’t much, but right now I could offer him nothing more… I left the coins down by his side, turned around and walked in the building.

My feet ached, my heart ached and I hid the next choked sob in the dirty sleeve of my shirt. This was madness! I had dealt with greater challenges in my life… why was I feeling so lost and helpless now? Why? And what hurt the most was the fact that I had no idea what was happening with me and how to react to it. I just felt the pain pressing down on my chest, choking me…

All those people that suddenly invaded my life… All those unfamiliar faces and cold eyes looking at me… Questioning, expecting, scolding. And that woman… Who was she? Where did she come from and why was she here… why now? An image of her appeared before my eyes… It was like looking in a mirror. Everything she had belonged to me. Her appearance, her style… She was me and I was her… Yet we were the two completely opposite sides of a coin.

I stopped at the base of the last stairs. She was everything I ever wanted to be… The true aspect of my personality, I was forced to hide from the world. I had just seen the person my life forbid me to become. My heart started racing again. Now I was able to fully understand what people meant when they said that a person’s soul is split in half, destined to spend its days searching for its missing piece. I guess that was my missing piece… That mysterious woman, that came out of nowhere, with her proud stance and piercing gaze…

As I continued my way up the stairs a new question arose in my mind. Was I ever going to see her again? The answer? Who knows… And what about me? Did I really wanted another encounter with her?

“Maybe…” I whispered to myself and stood in front of the apartment’s door.

Just as the realization, that I had no keys, hit me, someone pushed the door open. My eyes widened, my fingers curled in fists and I took a deep breath through my clenched teeth, ready for the explosion that was about to follow… Because the minute Sharon laid her eyes on me, I was going to wish I got murdered in “The Limp Jellyfish”. Instead, two skinny, yet strong, arms wrapped around my neck and I heard Valery’s quiet squeak:

“Audrey, thank God! I was so worried you didn’t come home last night! What happened? Are you ok? Do you need…”

Before she could assail me with more questions I made her a sign to be quiet and smiled:

“Everything is fine, Val. I am just very tired.”

“Have you cried?” she gave me a worried look.

“No… Yes… A little maybe… You don’t need to worry, I’ll be fine!”

I wasn’t sure if she believed me as her brows were still arched and furrowed, but I was glad she didn’t continue with the interrogation.

“And where are you going this early?”

“Jogging!” she smiled, revealing her sparkly white teeth.

“Oh, alright then. I’m not going to waste your time.” I winked at her “I’ll be heading straight for bed.”

“You better be quick. Aunt Sharon will be awake any minute!”

Now that was a very good point, indeed. I had absolutely no intentions in getting into a fight with the devil, especially not now when I needed only peace and quiet after all the things that happened to me…

* * *

The curtains were pulled, the pedestal positioned in the middle of the room and I was sat in front of it with my fingers dipped in the little paint containers. Too much feelings raged in me and I needed to get at least some of them out.

After standing motionless for a while, my head cocked to the side, my eyes trailing over the painting area, I lifted my hand up and dragged the tips of my fingers over the surface of the canvas, leaving a thick black trail after them.

Time went by faster than ever before. I didn’t walk out of my room the whole day. I just kept drawing and pondering over the unexpected turn of events. I couldn’t help but fear that wasn’t all that life had prepared for me. Unfortunately, right now I was its prey… The tiny, scared to death mouse, hiding in the tall grass, having absolutely no idea when or where was the starving serpent going to appear and devour it alive.

A knock on the door pulled me back down on earth. Sharon walked in my room, silent and graceful as a cat, and stood behind me, placing her hand on my shoulder.

“You cannot possibly imagine how happy it made me seeing those despicable clothes of yours in the trash.” she sighed.

I had to do it. Not only were they ruined, but they were also going to carry the memory of last night for a very long time. And that was the last thing I wanted.

“I’m glad I made your day, aunt Sharon.” I said dryly and picked up my finest brush to apply the finishing touches to the painting “Is there anything in particular that you would like to talk with me about or…”

“Yes, actually.” she interrupted “I came to tell you that tomorrow night we will be going out.”

“By ‘we’ you mean…”

“The four of us.”

“Four?”

“That’s correct. Elijah will be taking me, you and Valery out for dinner.”

I wasn’t completely sure what the worst part of it all was. Going out in my current state? Dinner with Sharon?… Or dinner with Swayze…

“Am I free to choose whether to come or not?” I asked, not turning around.

“No.” said Sharon simply and I felt how her grip on my shoulder tightened.

“What if I don’t want to?”

“Why would that be?”

“Hurting your feelings is the last thing on my mind, dear aunt, but I personally do not enjoy the company of Mr. Elijah Swayze.”

I saw how her gold-covered hand reached over my shoulder and pulled the brush from my fingers. One forceful precise movement and it was broken in half, falling on the floor beside me.

“You will come, Audrey…” she whispered in a dangerous tone “Be sure of that.”

And with those words she left the room. One could not deny that woman. It was actually a rather beneficial quality, if only she wasn’t constantly using it against me…

I rubbed my forehead with the back of my palm. Perfect. No matter how hard I tried to avoid Swayze, he was always able to come across me… I hardly ever despised people that much, but there was something about him… Something behind that beautiful face and charming smile… Something bad… ‘Or maybe it’s just me.’        I thought to myself and continued with the painting.

… If I only knew how soon I was going to discover his true nature…

Author's Note

I am starting to add some illustrations I did a while ago of the characters in the book :)
Sharon Manson is in the folder with my photos :)
This one here is Valery Manson

Reviews

[Forest Green]

You are developing your character, Valery, very nicely; her first person ponderings and dissappointments are believable and compelling. Nice attention to detail again in this chapter...tears dried with the sleeve..mascara smudging...fine points that help with visualisation.

Am very interested in what happens next...! Hope you continue with your story just as you are...

Nice work...!

Awesome! I thought you might have given up on this story! So glad you continued it's gret, the emotions were strong, and that hobo dude mad my day. x)

:O)

That drawing also made my day, amazing!