Dirty Laundry

I could feel the vibration of his voice every time he spoke. I could hear the steady beat of his heart and the even in and out of his breath. How could he be so calm? Finally he hung up. ‘‘How can you be so calm?'' I asked him quietly afraid my voice would shake. ‘‘Fifty thousand dollars is a good price don’t you think?'' he asked mocking. I sat up shaking my head and slapped him ''it’s not funny'' I hissed. He smiled lightly ''you’re worried'' it wasn’t a question. I swallowed looking down. ‘‘Baby I’ll be fine'' ''yeah? How do you know? Gabe they don’t care who you are they just want the money they probably don’t even know your face. it sounded like all they needed to do was kill whoever was in this house and collect the money'' I said between gritted teeth to keep my voice steady. He cupped my cheeks and tried to smile encouragingly ''they won’t get anywhere near me'' ''don’t be so cocky, you'll jinx yourself'' I covered his mouth.

He kissed my palm moving my hand to his cheek. ‘‘Don’t worry, Miri is working on it she's got friends everywhere'' ''oh yeah, what if it's her?'' I said solemnly. ‘‘Why would it be her?'' ''I don’t know, I don’t easily trust people especially blond bimbos'' ''I’m blond'' he smirked. I pursed my lips ‘‘you’re my bimbo'' I laid my head on his shoulder. He chuckled hugging me. ‘‘Is that a good thing?'' ‘‘Depends on the blond, some are smart others…well they make blonds look bad'' ''which am I?'' ‘‘The smart one'' ''and Miri?'' ‘‘Am I really explaining this?'' ''I suppose I know the answer'' he chuckled with a sigh.

His hand ran over my legs ''how did you get so scratched up?'' ‘‘Thorns'' I shrugged. he snorted ''you say that as if it’s not the first time you've been so scratched up'' ''it’s not, I’ve been worse'' I giggled. ‘‘Got you to laugh'' he said lightly. ''I’m being serious Gabe, who could you have pissed off to warrant such a high bounty?'' ‘‘Don’t know'' he shrugged absently probably thinking about it. ‘‘Where are they exactly?'' he asked rewinding the tapes. I watched the monitor and then there I was running backwards. He stopped and played it showing me running towards the house. ‘‘It’s straight down that way'' I pointed in the direction I was coming from ''how do you know you didn’t turn?'' ''because I know how to navigate in the forest'' I rolled my eyes.

''Oh really?'' ‘‘Mhmm, I’m not dumb I know which way is south and north and it’s easy to find west and east. Besides part of my dad's training was to let me and my sister loose in the middle of a forest and find our way back. all we had on us was a knife, there was this one time in panama when he did that and my mom flipped out because a rainforest has many more dangerous animals than the forests in north America'' I sighed at the memory of my mom chasing my dad with a broom yelling at him. ‘‘That sounds horrible'' ''well if you knew my father then you'd understand, he didn’t want my sister and I to be weak. Not that he didn’t want sons he was fine with daughters but he treated us like boys he saw people as equals…well don’t get me wrong he sees a woman with big knockers and he becomes chauvinistic but other than that he tries to view everyone as an equal'' I sighed.

He chuckled as he rewound all the way until I could see Cerberus running back and then me walking backwards from the house. ‘‘Why were you back there?'' ‘‘Trees have always made me feel like home. My mom used to joke about me living in a tree once since I used to go out in the forest a lot'' ''so you did it often in running man?'' ‘‘Not really'' ''why not? Lina says-'' ''running man has history, some say it used to be a drained swamp others say it was an Indian burial ground and that that’s why all the streets names are native Americans, I believe they are both true. for one thing I remember a little native American girl in my house when I lived there and there was a man in my parent's room I never really saw him clearly but he was there. Every time you looked in the dark you'd see a shadow but the little girl stayed in my little brother and sister's room. I cleansed my room with sage and sealed it with holy water so nothing could get in…it worked. But it wasn’t the house that was haunted. It was the land. The forest behind my house was…I used to go back there a lot but I only stayed in certain areas because there were places back there that I just couldn’t go to. Every time I tried it felt like someone was pulling me back away from it and it sent chills down my spine. I think it was stupid of them to build over a burial ground but what do I know I was just a teenage girl'' ''you saw them?'' he asked skeptically. ‘‘Mhmm…as did my sister, we're used to the paranormal. It’s not the first time we've been in a house with spirits. We’re so used to ghosts that we're naturally open to them. So we see them more often than others. But we're not the only ones I know tons of people like that'' ''I’ve never seen a ghost'' ''it’s because you’re not looking for them'' I winked. ''why would I look for them?'' ‘‘Don’t know, curiosity? Adventure? a good ghost story to tell?'' I shrugged.

‘‘Has Lina ever seen a ghost?'' ‘‘No the spirits in her house don’t show themselves, but they do run up and down the stairs screaming. She hears it all the time'' ''you really believe in ghosts'' ''and you don’t?'' ''No'' ''skeptic'' I rolled my eyes ''no I’m rational'' ‘‘do you believe in religion?'' '’are you asking if i believe in god?'' ''not particularly I know a few wiccans, a Satanist, an Odinist, um let’s see oh and I have a few Hindu friends and about five Muslim friends...what do you believe?'' ''I’m not really Christian or atheist. I think there’s something there but I don’t know'' ''well I’m superstitious and religious...not as religious as my mom but I do believe in spirits and demons and I’ll take all and any precaution to keep them out of my home and body'' he chuckled as he played around with other tapes. ‘‘How many camera's do you have set up?'' ‘‘Enough to make me happy'' ''I could just take you to them'' ''you’re not going back out ther-''

''I can if I want'' ''Shanell'' he warned ''you’re not the boss of me'' I grumbled. He sighed ''no but if I told you I loved you and that it'd break my heart if you were hurt would that stop you?'' ''I was always the sentimental one, but everyone confused me for a heartless ice witch…I can play both roles'' ''so you'd go for spite?'' ‘‘No, but I’d rather see them dead than in the house tomorrow. Besides killing them there would be a no brainer no one would find them'' ''I’ll go you sta-'' ''you don’t even know where it is'' ''you’re not going to let me go alone are you?'' he sighed. I shook my head ''no'' ''why do you have to be so stubborn?'' ‘‘It’s the way of the Ruziano'' I smiled at him. ''…I guess-'' ''guess?'' ‘‘Fine I’ll let you come'' ''let me? I’d follow you anyway'' I snorted. ‘‘Just so I know you won’t get lost'' I winked at him. ''I have a compass'' ''ugh, I never liked compasses'' I sighed. ‘‘Well I’ve got one'' ''I’m going to put Kyle in our room'' ''why don’t you go to bed you look tired'' ''and miss out on the fun?'' ''I’m not going tonight'' ''it’s either tonight or never because they'll be in the house tomorrow'' ''fine'' he grumbled.

I stood up and kissed his cheek. ‘‘Don’t be so sour'' ''I’m not being sour I’m trying to protect you but you won’t let me'' ''if I needed protecting then I’d rely on you. I don’t feel endangered so there’s nothing to protect'' I giggled. ‘‘how can I keep you safe if you insist on following me into danger?'' ‘‘I live for a little adventure, besides I gotta protect you too'' ''I don’t need protecting I’m capable of taking care of myself'' ''I feel the same yet you restrict me'' ''I’ve never once restricted you'' ''oh really? Last night'' ''I didn’t restrict you, you promised you'd stay safe which you broke when you crept down and spied on us'' ''I kept my promise, I was unharmed and safe. I was just making sure you two weren’t hurt'' I shrugged. ‘‘Now if you want to keep playing with your cameras then that’s fine. I’m going to get dressed and put Kyle to bed'' I kissed his head then went to Lina's room.

She was watching TV when I knocked. ‘‘Come in'' she whispered loudly. ''I was going to put Kyle in my room'' ''if you want, he's already asleep'' ''oh ok thanks'' I smiled at her. ‘‘Dude you’re such a tomboy'' she giggled looking at my scratches and bruises. ''I never did like skirts, but lipstick is fun'' I shrugged as I wheeled Kyle’s crib carefully.

I closed the door after myself and wheeled Kyle in mine and Gabe’s room. I kept him away from the window even though I knew the glass was bullet proof. Can never be too careful. I changed into some long jeans and my hoodie; I think I have enough scratches for one day. Gabe poked his head in ''you ready?'' he asked.

I nodded walking towards him. He placed a gun in my palm ''don’t shoot unless you absolutely have to'' ''guns are too noisy'' ''I have a silencer'' ''I was thinking something a little more traditional'' I went back to the strange room with the weapons and gym and went to the far wall where there were cabinets. I opened a cabinet pulling out a black case and setting it on one of the glass cases opening it. ‘‘A bow and arrow?'' ‘‘Yes'' I nodded taking the parts out and putting them together. ‘‘I don’t even use-'' ''sweetie sometimes you've got to go with the classics. Just trust me on this one, one arrow through the throat and they can’t scream'' ''I’m not that good with a bow'' ''I am, it was the first thing I learned to use besides a sword'' he closed the case shaking his head ''so eager to kill'' ''no I’m not…I’m being realistic'' ''you’re not a hired trained killer'' ''Gabriel…you know as well as I do that I’m capable'' ''yes, but I don’t want that for you''

‘‘Fine'' I sighed. ''I’ll do the shooting you'll do the navigating and I don’t want to hear anything about it'' ''fine'' I rolled my eyes taking a few daggers from off the wall. He didn’t protest but the apprehension on his face made me bite back my smile. ‘‘You don’t like that fact that I am comfortable with a weapon do you?'' ''no…I’m just worried you'd do something stupid and get yourself hurt'' he grumbled. I smiled walking up to him and wrapping my arms around his neck ''it’s nice to know you have such confidence in me'' ''I didn’t mean it like that'' ''I know, but it's implied. Gabe I’m not an idiot I know what I’m doing'' ''that’s what worries me, this isn’t training. This is real and one little mistake could cost you your life'' ''baby don’t worry for me, I’m more precautious than you think'' I pecked his nose then went back to the bow and arrow ''so are you going to use this or not?'' ‘‘It’s quieter, I guess so'' he shrugged. He grabbed the quiver and placed the arrows in it before slinging the bow over his shoulders. We went to the back yard and made sure that Cerberus was inside before we set off. ‘‘Follow me'' I instructed as I walked into the darkness of the forest.