Now Leasing

Chapter 3

It was Monday morning. All of the shuffling of feet upstairs woke me up. Erik was still sleeping so I decided not to wake him up. I got out of bed and stretched my arms high into the air. Kevin and Ashleigh were getting dressed. I concluded that Kevin worked and Ashleigh went to school while Allyson was a stay at home wife. She had prepared a egg and sausage breakfast from the smell of things. I went upstairs and peered into the living room. Ashleigh was sitting on the couch and watching the tv while scarfing down her breakfast. Kevin howled from the other room about how she and him were going to be late. Kevin drives Ashleigh to school and then leaves for work right after. The door slammed and both of them were gone. Allyson staggered into the living room. She looked exhausted as if she hadn't slept in day. She plopped down on the couch and within a matter of minutes she was snoring.

I haven't had my breakfast yet. I went back downstairs and faced the bed. Erik was still sound asleep. He always sleeps for much longer than I do. I silently moved the drywall out of the way and just like that, I was in the basement. I was now at risk of being seen by Allyson. I could easily be exposed if she had just come downstairs. I was hungry so I had to take the chance. I tiptoed upstairs. The stairs from the basement emptied right into the kitchen so I was in luck. I opened up the fridge and saw some string cheese. I took a few of them and inhaled them. I grabbed a few slices of bread, peanut butter, and jelly for Erik. He ate just as little as I did. As an orphan, you get used to not eating a whole lot. I heard Allyson shuffling around on the couch in the very next room. I peeked my head around the corner. The human body is an amazing thing. She was curled into a ball, sleeping so peacefully. I never fully understood where your mind went when you sleep. I always ask myself that because it just intrigues me. I turned around and saw someone standing right next to me.

"Hello," said Erik smugly.

He had startled me. What if it had been Kevin or Ashleigh? I would have been in deep trouble. Luckily it wasn't.

"Hey there," I replied, still shaking.

He poked his head around the corner and he too say Allyson sleeping on the couch.

"Erik, it's not safe to be up here, we have to go back downstairs," I whispered.

He ignored me. He never was much for listening to me. There are some times where I can control him but then there are other times where he just does what he wants and I can't do anything about it. This was one of those times.

"I'm going to get a closer look," he said.

I tried to stop him. He started walking into the living room and I tugged on his shirt to stop him from going in there. He overpowered me and all I could do is sit back and watch how things were unfolding. He moved closer and closer to the sleeping Allyson. It was a good thing that she appeared to be a heavy sleeper. I watched in horror as Erik moved next to Allyson on the couch. He was sitting right next to her now. He could feel her breath on his face. I could feel her breath on my face, that's how scared I was.

"Erik! Erik!" I whispered frantically.

He listened to me that time, he got off the couch and came back to me. We hurried downstairs and back into the safety of our room. I heard movement upstairs. It sounded like she was awake now.

"You can't do that again," I pleaded.

Erik grunted and got back into bed.