‘See you in the morning, ginger snap,’he had said before he left. Was I delusional to hope that he had just said that to scare me? Maybe he wouldn’t come back.
‘You’ve seen my face.’
Fuck.
I should really call the police… but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. My eyes were suddenly so heavy, and my bones literallyached.
I just needed to close my eyes for a minute… then I could figure out what to do when I was feeling better.
Wakingup the next day with the sun spilling through the bay window, it was easy to pretend that I had imagined the night before.
In the light of day, the horror show of being attacked in my own home by some man who had just felt the right to let himself in felt like a fever dream.
I was feeling almost 100% better. The faint headache I was nursing was really the only evidence that I had been repeatedly violated by that phantom woman.
Although the man had several ghouls stalking him, she had by far been the most violent.
‘Demon boy! You’re a stain on this earth!’
Considering the man she was screaming about had broken into my house and held me at gunpoint, I was inclined to agree with her.
Getting out of bed, I got to my feet and stretched, running a hand down my face. My clock said six a.m., which was a pretty typical time for me to start my day. But I was usually the only one who got up this early.
Mornings were my favorite part of the day because of how quiet they were. I was a true introvert by nature, so I treasured the hour or so of solitude before the rest of the house woke up.
Days where we hosted services and funerals, while rewarding, were exhausting for me. I often wished I had a partner who was more outgoing than myself to help with that part of the business. My father had beenexcellentwith people. I did my best, but like I said, my social battery often drained before the work was done. It just would be nice to share that load with someone.
Thankfully, we didn’t have anything scheduled today. Ms. Thompson’s service was set for tomorrow so I could take some time to try to figure out what to do about both Caleb and the home invasion I had just suffered.
What a fucking mess.
I slipped out of my room and down the hall to Caleb’s room. The boy was still sleeping soundly. I breathed a sigh of relief.
The one good thing about everything that happened the night before was that I truly didn’t think the child was in danger from that man. He had seemed obsessed with his well-being. My safety, on the other hand… I shuddered.
Ugh! I didn’t want to deal with any of this… Why had that guy chosenmyhome?
I needed a strong cup of coffee.
Closing Caleb’s door softly, I turned to find my mother billowing down the hall. Her long burgundy hair was in a thick, low braid, and her silk nightdress and robe combo was a butter yellow today. I raised my eyebrows at her in surprise.
“You’re up early,” I observed, and she gave me a dreamy smile.
“The house notified me that we have a visitor. I’m anxious to meet him.” She chimed, and my mood immediately soured.
She wasn’t talking about that man, was she? Was he already back?!
“Mom, stay up here. Maybe we should call the police. I need to tell you about last night, there was an intruder, he broke in and?—”
“Thepolice?Nonsense honey. Don’t be rude.” She brushed me off and began floating down the large front stairwell, her fingers lightly tracing the banister as she went.
I let out a frustrated growl. “You’re not listening to me! It might not be safe. He said he was coming back, and he had a gun!”
Iris completely ignored me and continued to drift through the front entrance of the house toward the swinging door that led to the kitchen. She was humming‘Angel Baby’by Rosie and the Originals as she walked, and I had a sudden moment of clarity.
She didn’t think the man that had attacked me was the‘dark angel’she had been going on about since I was a child… Did she?
I barreled after her into the kitchen, and my heart dropped. My gaze immediately fell on the guy from the night before.
