Night's Sun - Chapter 10
This chapter sets the stage on what is to come.
"Alice?" I called, hoping to break her from her reverie. "Wh-wh-wh-what are you doing?"
She looked at me and smiled again. "I have no idea," she said slowly, and then suddenly asked. "You know that kid, I mean...guy?" She asked, her eyes and smile widening as she hit the last word.
I shuddered. "No," I lied. "We need to go get Claire." I said in a low voice and began to walk again. Alice kept up with me, oblivious to my edginess. She was insensible to my behavior but I was not to hers. She kept smiling at the most random times, it was so annoying. I growled under my breath then she looked at me.
"What's eating you Timmy?" She asked gleefully.
"Why are you so happy all of a sudden? Which guy you were talking about just a moment ago anyway?" I asked angrily.
"I don't know," she mumbled, answering only the first question.
"Well... you should probably watch out who you ask or think about. You don't who the kid is anyway," I hedged. "He can be some kind of specialized murderer that murders the innocent for no apparent reason, or better, maybe just because he enjoys the sensation of the fear he inflicts on his helpless victims' heart and soul." By the time I was finished, my voice had become seethed with rage and pure hatred.
She looked at me curiously for a second, her head tilted to the side. Then horror, understanding, anger, and lastly pain were all mixed into her expression. I was satisfied with the understanding until I saw the pain my simple words had inflicted on her. She likes the murdering leech, she did not know him but she still cares about him, I realized exasperated.
"Oh," she whispered, it sounded like she was choking and I hated myself. More than the kid that wanted me dead, more than anything else in the world. I wasn't being selfish, I was trying to protect my family and myself, but I still felt unfathomably furious with myself. I ached to comfort her and realized that the only way to soothe her was to lie. I'd give it my best shot, I thought doubtfully.
I swallowed loudly and began. "No, it's not him," I shook my head, trying to sound convincing. "He's actually uh... a kid in my uh... my-my-my math class." I said as convincing as I could. I was hoping desperately that she would not notice my mess ups. I was improvising as I went on, so I didn't know if my excuse sounded acceptable enough to fool her or if it was as appalling as I felt. "He's new around here and-and I don't really know him. I only talked to him once, but I-I couldn't get any information about him so don't ask me." I smiled at the tone and assurance in my voice. I'm getting better at this I thought, satisfied, and grinned at her.
She sighed, relieved and smiled. "I won't. I promise." She held her pinkie up and I locked mine with hers.
Uncalled-For
We were at the daycare. I walked up to the door and turned the handle. Alice followed closely behind, her lips pursed and her brows were furrowed. I walked to the front desk to sign Claire out. A familiar young woman walked up to us and Claire was at her side.
Jessica? Jessica! Dang, I thought, what is she doing here? "Hello Jess," I said warily.
"Hello Timothy... Alice," she said Alice's name in a strange voice, swallowing.
"Jessica," Alice responded with strained friendliness.
"You work here?" I asked of Jessica.
"Yes I do," she half-smiled with a bit of effort. I could sense that she was on the verge of bursting. I didn't know why, but she would begin to grimace then her expression would smooth out every second. "I just began after I signed up for substitution at your school, got to make a living you know," she said and I sensed it was meant jokingly but she was glaring at Alice with a disbelieving expression and her expression displayed no humor.
"Cool," I lied, ignoring her uncanny behavior. "C'mon Clairey," I said to Claire. She let go of Jessica's leg and ran to me, I scooped her up into my arms and grinned. She beamed, happy to see my happy again, I guessed.
"Hi Tummy," she said as her hands patted my head.
"Hi there Cupcake," I mumbled, kissing her forehead. Jessica's face softened a bit, then the anger overtook her and she grimaced. I looked over to see what changed her mood, and realized Alice was looking at her with a disgusted expression.
"Bye Claire, Timothy... and Alice," Jessica dismissed. She said Alice's name like an expletive and I turned to see Alice's accompanying sneer. I wanted so badly to laugh. What's with them, I thought curiously, but didn't word my suspicion. We turned and left.
I didn't seen the guy that day. And I wasn't really planning to because if I saw him then Alice surely would. Stephanie, my mom, came home that night and we went to the movie theaters. I insisted on popcorn and soda. "What if someone gets hungry during the movie?" I asked. "It would not be an enjoyable experience when you have a growling stomach and a neighbor with a big bowl of popcorn that keeps on eating really loud. And imagine if they had this huge cup of soda just slurping like a pig every couple of seconds. How fun would that be to any hungry person?" This was my strongest argument and I won. We decided to watch Ice Age III because it was one of the most acceptable things for Claire and second because I wanted to see it.
As we were watching the movie, I realized that I forgot to ask Alice about Jessica. Then I realized that Alice and Jessica had never known or seen each other before, not in my presence at least. How did Jessica know her name? I pondered on that little detail for the duration of the movie and on the way home.
When we were half way there I asked, "Alice, do you and Jessica know each other, and... how?" I said the last part hesitantly remembering the peculiar dismissal.
She sneered and rolled her eyes at the same time right before she answered. I took it as a yes but waited for her to explain. "Unfortunately, yes," she began, but didn't continue. I waited so that she would continue, but since she didn't, I decided to press for more information.
"Why do you..." I began but started over, "Okay scratch that. What's up with you and her? When we were leaving..." I trailed off, hoping she would explain the bizarre reactions.
She laughed and the sound was bleak. When she spoke, her voice was angry. "I don't know what her problem is. We were friends for about a minute... then I told her my name and I was the most wanted and hated criminal alive. All hell broke loose." I chuckled. "It's not funny," she snapped. I pressed my lips together to keep from laughing. It was not easy because I always found her anger to be hilarious... when it not directed at me.
She continued after observing my efforts. "She hates me and I hate her for it. She's also a stuck-up. How classic," she growled to herself then shook her head angrily. "She is more of a strawberry blonde than a brunette with the amount of lip gloss the Witch uses. She may look like a nice girl with her stupid voice and manipulating smile but she's evil." She scowled towards the floor.
I laughed again, amused. "It's good to know that you guys are best friends, now answer the rest of the question please." I grinned, still chuckling.
She rolled her eyes. "What question did I not answer?"
"How do you guys know each other?"
"School; college and high school more specifically. Amazingly, she has been in every single one of my classes, but we just don't get along," she sighed.
"I don't think she likes me either," I added.
She snorted. "And why would you think that?"
I hadn't realized I was saying too much until I already had. "Well... the first day she came she heard me talk she just glared at me. It scared me a bit. Then when I saw her at the end of class, she looked angry but reined it in. I don't know why everyone keeps staring at me like that, well not everyone... just Jessica and the guy that-" I cut off immediately and coughed.
Alice looked at me, her eyes crumpling. "What guy?" She whispered.
"Al, don't worry about it okay? My problems are mine. Don't bug yourself about it, just chill, okay?" I pleaded.
"Then who are you talking about?" She asked quietly, and the car stopped. I looked around and was relieved to see that we were home.
"Later," I concluded the conversation.
"Later," she agreed nodding. I rolled my eyes at her, knowing she would hold me to my word. I turned around and picked Claire up, cradling her into my arms.
*****************************************************
Ok. This might sound kind of fussy but I want at least five comments for the next part to be posted. Sorry but I am dying here. I still love you guys!
She looked at me and smiled again. "I have no idea," she said slowly, and then suddenly asked. "You know that kid, I mean...guy?" She asked, her eyes and smile widening as she hit the last word.
I shuddered. "No," I lied. "We need to go get Claire." I said in a low voice and began to walk again. Alice kept up with me, oblivious to my edginess. She was insensible to my behavior but I was not to hers. She kept smiling at the most random times, it was so annoying. I growled under my breath then she looked at me.
"What's eating you Timmy?" She asked gleefully.
"Why are you so happy all of a sudden? Which guy you were talking about just a moment ago anyway?" I asked angrily.
"I don't know," she mumbled, answering only the first question.
"Well... you should probably watch out who you ask or think about. You don't who the kid is anyway," I hedged. "He can be some kind of specialized murderer that murders the innocent for no apparent reason, or better, maybe just because he enjoys the sensation of the fear he inflicts on his helpless victims' heart and soul." By the time I was finished, my voice had become seethed with rage and pure hatred.
She looked at me curiously for a second, her head tilted to the side. Then horror, understanding, anger, and lastly pain were all mixed into her expression. I was satisfied with the understanding until I saw the pain my simple words had inflicted on her. She likes the murdering leech, she did not know him but she still cares about him, I realized exasperated.
"Oh," she whispered, it sounded like she was choking and I hated myself. More than the kid that wanted me dead, more than anything else in the world. I wasn't being selfish, I was trying to protect my family and myself, but I still felt unfathomably furious with myself. I ached to comfort her and realized that the only way to soothe her was to lie. I'd give it my best shot, I thought doubtfully.
I swallowed loudly and began. "No, it's not him," I shook my head, trying to sound convincing. "He's actually uh... a kid in my uh... my-my-my math class." I said as convincing as I could. I was hoping desperately that she would not notice my mess ups. I was improvising as I went on, so I didn't know if my excuse sounded acceptable enough to fool her or if it was as appalling as I felt. "He's new around here and-and I don't really know him. I only talked to him once, but I-I couldn't get any information about him so don't ask me." I smiled at the tone and assurance in my voice. I'm getting better at this I thought, satisfied, and grinned at her.
She sighed, relieved and smiled. "I won't. I promise." She held her pinkie up and I locked mine with hers.
Uncalled-For
We were at the daycare. I walked up to the door and turned the handle. Alice followed closely behind, her lips pursed and her brows were furrowed. I walked to the front desk to sign Claire out. A familiar young woman walked up to us and Claire was at her side.
Jessica? Jessica! Dang, I thought, what is she doing here? "Hello Jess," I said warily.
"Hello Timothy... Alice," she said Alice's name in a strange voice, swallowing.
"Jessica," Alice responded with strained friendliness.
"You work here?" I asked of Jessica.
"Yes I do," she half-smiled with a bit of effort. I could sense that she was on the verge of bursting. I didn't know why, but she would begin to grimace then her expression would smooth out every second. "I just began after I signed up for substitution at your school, got to make a living you know," she said and I sensed it was meant jokingly but she was glaring at Alice with a disbelieving expression and her expression displayed no humor.
"Cool," I lied, ignoring her uncanny behavior. "C'mon Clairey," I said to Claire. She let go of Jessica's leg and ran to me, I scooped her up into my arms and grinned. She beamed, happy to see my happy again, I guessed.
"Hi Tummy," she said as her hands patted my head.
"Hi there Cupcake," I mumbled, kissing her forehead. Jessica's face softened a bit, then the anger overtook her and she grimaced. I looked over to see what changed her mood, and realized Alice was looking at her with a disgusted expression.
"Bye Claire, Timothy... and Alice," Jessica dismissed. She said Alice's name like an expletive and I turned to see Alice's accompanying sneer. I wanted so badly to laugh. What's with them, I thought curiously, but didn't word my suspicion. We turned and left.
I didn't seen the guy that day. And I wasn't really planning to because if I saw him then Alice surely would. Stephanie, my mom, came home that night and we went to the movie theaters. I insisted on popcorn and soda. "What if someone gets hungry during the movie?" I asked. "It would not be an enjoyable experience when you have a growling stomach and a neighbor with a big bowl of popcorn that keeps on eating really loud. And imagine if they had this huge cup of soda just slurping like a pig every couple of seconds. How fun would that be to any hungry person?" This was my strongest argument and I won. We decided to watch Ice Age III because it was one of the most acceptable things for Claire and second because I wanted to see it.
As we were watching the movie, I realized that I forgot to ask Alice about Jessica. Then I realized that Alice and Jessica had never known or seen each other before, not in my presence at least. How did Jessica know her name? I pondered on that little detail for the duration of the movie and on the way home.
When we were half way there I asked, "Alice, do you and Jessica know each other, and... how?" I said the last part hesitantly remembering the peculiar dismissal.
She sneered and rolled her eyes at the same time right before she answered. I took it as a yes but waited for her to explain. "Unfortunately, yes," she began, but didn't continue. I waited so that she would continue, but since she didn't, I decided to press for more information.
"Why do you..." I began but started over, "Okay scratch that. What's up with you and her? When we were leaving..." I trailed off, hoping she would explain the bizarre reactions.
She laughed and the sound was bleak. When she spoke, her voice was angry. "I don't know what her problem is. We were friends for about a minute... then I told her my name and I was the most wanted and hated criminal alive. All hell broke loose." I chuckled. "It's not funny," she snapped. I pressed my lips together to keep from laughing. It was not easy because I always found her anger to be hilarious... when it not directed at me.
She continued after observing my efforts. "She hates me and I hate her for it. She's also a stuck-up. How classic," she growled to herself then shook her head angrily. "She is more of a strawberry blonde than a brunette with the amount of lip gloss the Witch uses. She may look like a nice girl with her stupid voice and manipulating smile but she's evil." She scowled towards the floor.
I laughed again, amused. "It's good to know that you guys are best friends, now answer the rest of the question please." I grinned, still chuckling.
She rolled her eyes. "What question did I not answer?"
"How do you guys know each other?"
"School; college and high school more specifically. Amazingly, she has been in every single one of my classes, but we just don't get along," she sighed.
"I don't think she likes me either," I added.
She snorted. "And why would you think that?"
I hadn't realized I was saying too much until I already had. "Well... the first day she came she heard me talk she just glared at me. It scared me a bit. Then when I saw her at the end of class, she looked angry but reined it in. I don't know why everyone keeps staring at me like that, well not everyone... just Jessica and the guy that-" I cut off immediately and coughed.
Alice looked at me, her eyes crumpling. "What guy?" She whispered.
"Al, don't worry about it okay? My problems are mine. Don't bug yourself about it, just chill, okay?" I pleaded.
"Then who are you talking about?" She asked quietly, and the car stopped. I looked around and was relieved to see that we were home.
"Later," I concluded the conversation.
"Later," she agreed nodding. I rolled my eyes at her, knowing she would hold me to my word. I turned around and picked Claire up, cradling her into my arms.
*****************************************************
Ok. This might sound kind of fussy but I want at least five comments for the next part to be posted. Sorry but I am dying here. I still love you guys!
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