I don’t respond to her unsurprising ungratefulness. I didn’t do this for her. I did it for me. The sound of glass shattering onto his head gave me pleasure I never imagined. Watching the blood drip onto his temple as he breathes out in pain is the most ethereal piece ofmusic to my ear. I wish I would have hit him multiple times until I hear the skull breaking into million pieces as blood drips from his ears, nose and mouth.
I grab a small napkin and lean over him as I swipe it over his temple harshly. He whines as his eyebrows furrow and I collect his blood, letting it soak through the cloth, painting it a shade of deep pink that Elsie would love.
I stuff the cloth into my pocket and head upstairs, stepping over the blood spilled on the floor, wetting my bare feet.
Once I reach my attic, I hold up the napkin onto the ceiling over my bed, nailing its every edge to it. I lay onto my mattress and stare up at the blood soaked cloth. My lips turn up, almost reaching my eye as pride fills me.
Rain soaks over the streets as the night falls, every family hiding in their homes as the monsters roam the roads. Walking across the woods barefoot, in the distance I can see Elsie’s home standing tall in the land. I brush back my brown wet strands of hair off my forehead as I head towards the back door. Her father bought close to a hundred new locks and I have picked every single one. Closing the door behind me as I dry myself off with her mother’s coat that’s hanging to the side. I take the steps, skipping one each time.
Elsie is asleep peacefully, the bed dips as I lay beside her onto my side. My fingers reach into her hair, smoothing it out gently. Lavender scent tickles my nostrils as I lean my head down and sniff her hair. I hope someday Icould imprint the intoxicating scent on my skin.
“Clay, it’s too rainy outside and I’m already warm in the blanket. I’m not sneaking out.” She stirs, mumbling into the pillow as she raises the blanket up further, covering her ears.
I smirk as I lean closer, pressing my lips to her ears. “Come on, mon ange, I have discovered a place you would absolutely love.”
She groans as her hair falls over her face as a curtain. I move it aside in the middle and find her opening one eye, staring at me smiling.
“Have I ever disappointed you?” I challenge
She shakes her head “but it’s raining”
“Yes, exactly, it’s perfect.”
She rolls her eyes and sits up and I sit in front of her, resting one hand beside her thigh. She yawns and rubs her eyes.
“You’re insane.”
“I would rather say creative.”
She giggles as she pushes my face away. Getting out of her bed as she grabs a hoodie and passes her head through as I watch her.
“It’s it far from here? Mom and dad want me to help redecorating the living room and I don’t want to fall asleep.”
“I will get you back home before you know it. Trust me.”
Once she is ready, I take her hand and sneak out easily. A habit we have mastered over the years. We both pull up our hoods and scruffy into the night in a fit of hushed giggles.
Her hunches over trying to catch her breath “Clay, we have been running for half an hour. If this place is not worth it.” She gulps “I will kill you.”
“Your faith in me is astonishing.”
She crosses her legs over her chest as I walk around figuring out how we can pass the moth filled iron gates. “I’m not kidding.”
I roll my eyes with my back facing her as I dust off some mud on a black sign.
No trespassing.
Perfect.
I reach a hand towards her “Mon ange, you can’t even kill a spider. Now, come here and let me help you climb up the fence.”
She stomps over and presses her hands on my shoulder tightly, but I have been working out lately in my attic, my shoulders broadened slightly even if I’m still skinny for the most part. She puts one foot on my hands.
“Just so you know, that was a baby widow spider.” Before I can respond to her. My jaw tightens as she presses heavily on me and throws her torso onto the edge of the fence.
“Do not—”
I groan as she puts her leg onto my face to climb higher— Shushing me.
