Sinister

. . . . (Next Morning)

I fell asleep on the couch, it was fine though. I drug myself right off the couch and up to the shower. In the bathroom I grabbed a towel out of the closet and hung it on the rail next to the shower door.

The shower was almost hot enough to burn you, that's the perfect temperature for me though. I turned off the shower and opened up the glass door, the steam rushed out of the shower like a boiling geyser. Looking in the mirror, I noticed something; A small shadow peering away from the other end of my room. I hesitantly scampered across the bathroom and halted at the cracked door. I began to move my head faintly across the crack and all the sudden a loud slam blundered through the base of the floor and the shadow dissipated into the depths of the room.

I first strung around my towel then holstered my shampoo bottle for dear life. As I stormed out of the bathroom, I didn't see anything except an old picture of me and Aunt Geniveve cracked on the floor. I carefully picked up the photo, and pulled it out. On the back of the photo the same symbol was engraved from the one on the withered paper I found in the basement. The more and more I wondered about the symbols the more and more I craved something to take my mind away. That's where the coffee comes in. So, I decided to get out and go to town.

Brookhaven was your quaint, little nook. The town hall was situated smack dab in the middle of town. Surrounding it were brick roads and sidewalks lined with small shops, bakeries and boutiques. The thing about small towns is, that the word travels fast, and now I was no longer the stranger in town; Everyone knew who I was.

I pulled into a parking spot across the bakery and scurried out. The bakery was stocked with sweets. Delicate maple brown sugar twists sat in a small lined basket like the one from Little Red Riding Hood, next to those were raspberry Danishes smothered in delicious jelly and the last thing that caught my eye were the huge cinnamon rolls. These puppies were the star of the display.

Leeane was the owner, and she greeted me right to the counter without hesitation.

"You're the absolute spitting image of your aunt, Noel", Leeane exclaimed.

Yeah I get that a lot, I said shrewdly.

"Well, welcome to town, how long are you planning on staying here? She asked.

Maybe for a few weeks or so.

I glanced again at the pastries, showing subtle hints of my hunger. I didn't feel like talking but this Leeane could literally talk my head off.

She finally caught the memo from my constant gazing at the case.

"You hungry?" Leeane uttered".

Now this is where I didn't want to embarrass myself and say yeah. So in a carefree manner I just said kind of. But here's where I really screwed myself up, I really could eat all three of those pastries. Leeane read my mind, she grabbed all three that I was looking at and plopped them on a plate and on top of all that she made a cappuccino just for me.

"It's on the house- I'm so glad you're back in town it's been far too long", She pleaded.

So the neighborly love in me told her to come and have a seat with me. We started off talking about my aunt and how we both missed her so much. I didn't bring up her funeral though because Leeane was already tearing up. My aunt was definitely a prominent figure in this town- everyone evidently knew here.

All of the sudden, on a spurt, Leeane just blurts out, "Have you seen Angelica lately ?".

I froze for a minute and just deduced her interrogation through a few simple words, "I haven't seen her in over twenty years".

She kept this shallow look and said, "You know she was in line to get Genevive's house or so she thought". "When Angelica found out that your name was on the deed to the house and hers wasn't she ripped through your aunt and practically exiled her".

I didn't know that. I still haven't found the original key that was supposed to open the house, I pointed out.

Leeane looked at me for a minute and just continued sipping her coffee.

(A hour or so later)

Waking down a brick sidewalk on a beautiful day, some clouds, some sun is absolutely perfect. That line of shops gives off this serenity and inner peacefulness like sitting on a hammock in paradise.

After a few more minutes of trotting along, I gaze in on this shop. This antique shop was a bit rusted and uncared for like an overgrown lawn. I opened the door, it creaked beyond belief. It's like one of those moments when you want to tip-toe quietly as possible and then you end up stepping on a plank that makes the loudest noise possible.

The shop has rows of tall shelves lined up all over. These shelves have a bunch of junk all over them. Towards the back of the sore there's this dim light lit like a candle in a cornfield.

I started to walk past a few isles and it started to get quieter. The silence was dreadful, it was quiet enough to hear my heartbeat. I started getting closer to the light, but a faint shuffle followed in my footsteps. Every step I take the thing lurking in the dark would do the same. Then it just stopped. Taking a glance behind me, I see nothing. I slowly turned back around and that little faint light was off.

Is anybody here?, I shouted.

All the sudden a slight snicker travels through the air and I bolted straight towards the door. On my way out and I see a porcelain doll that was on the shelf, broken into millions of pieces. I scream all the way to the door where I barge right out.

People walking around just stopped and stared at me, all the sudden I felt the rush of embarrassment grasp my soul and I just paced to my car for mercy. Thinking about that back there only made me sicker to my stomach. Finally reaching my car, a tall man with dark brown hair and deep blue eyes hovered over my car.

Excuse me, I directed.

"Oh, is this your car?" The man said.

Yes it is, who are you?, I said bluntly.

"Good, you need to move it, parking time has expired Ms. Shaw", he highlighted.

Howwww…. Do you know my name? I questioned.

"I used to be your aunt's lawn maintenance", he hissed.

Right when I was about to question further he cut me off …

"Before she fired me, for alleged accusations", he spewed.

A few moments later he scampered off and I got into my car and only wondered who he was, really.