Two Dead Boys

Paris walked up the nearly soundless streets. Her hands shoved into the pockets of her sweater she listened to her flip-flops scrape against the side walk. "Sara would never ask my parents for more money....but it would help her a lot." She muttered.

It was a fairly tame night, not to hot or cold and the air wasn't to dry or humid. Something about the way the outside felt was so much more open and freeing than that the air in that house.

Paris felt a strong sensation pulling at her heart and her feet naturally came to a stop.

Turning her head she found she had halted next to a very dark lot with a tall black gate and a few lanterns here and there. Paris walked to the gate grasping the bars she peeked inside. Squinting to see into the dark. She gasped and released the bars as if they were on fire and with a turn of her heel booked it up the street.

Running as fast as she could from the graveyard.

"Haaa" Paris panted her hands on her knees and she bent over trying to catch her breath. She held one hand to her heart and fought back tears. "What if its a sign...those grave dreams...and now there's a graveyard on our block" she thought.

She sniffled and wiped her eyes "no, no. Its just an odd set of circumstances Matts going to be just fine" she told herself. Reaching into her pocket she strode over to the payphone with determination. "I'll make sure of that" she whispered.

Placing a coin in the phone she dialed her parents number.

Ring - ring - ring- brrring - ring - ring

"You have reach the phone of Miss Nickles. I am sorry to have missed your call. Please leave your name and contact information and I shall respond at my nearest convenience Have a wonderful day"

Beep!

Paris leered at the phone and tried again. "I know you don't sleep pick up!" She muttered. But after four more tries. No one answered. Paris sighed and hung up out of quarters. She walked out of the booth and glanced back at it once in defeat before heading back home.

"Well this was a wasted trip" she muttered. Shuffling her feet along. This time down the sidewalk on the opposite side of the street. She wanted to avoid being anywhere near the cemetery.

However-

"Paris?" A familiar voice called out.

Paris stopped and looked around but she couldn't see anyone. "Over here" he called. Paris turned to look at the graveyard, a figure stood in the dark. "Its me, its Jonah" he called. Paris sighed in relief for a moment in the darkness he looked like the Chard Thing.

She looked both ways, out of habit, before crossing the empty street. Jogging to the cemetery gates. "Hey what are you doing out so late?" She asked placing on a smile. She could see his eyes shinning brightly even in the dark. "I told you I work here, we've had some vandals lately so I thought I'd check around" he said.

Paris nodded and looked down the block. "Why are you out so late?" Jonah asked. Paris glanced at him "you look like somethings bothering you" he added his eyes holding just a bit of pity in them.

Paris knew she probably shouldn't say anything. But Jonah's calm kind gaze was drawing her in. "Matt" she started slowly. "His medicines...or one of them I am not sure really....aren't covered. The trial treatment is free b-but I guess some things needed for it arent." She said "they're struggling, and I am virtually freeloading because Miss Sara won't ask my folks for more money to support me...I tried to call my parents but they never answer their phones" Paris voice cracked a bit and Jonah flinched at the sound "I-I don't know what to do, I want to help them...they're my family and..." Paris' words stopped as a cold hand touched her shoulder.

"Hey...come by here tomorrow. There will be an old man here. We are looking for people to help keep the graves neat and flowered. It won't pay a lot but...it may help" Jonah said. He didn't seem thrilled about the idea. But Paris was gratefull. "Thank you! Thank you!" Paris cheered reaching her hands through the bars she hugged him.

The bars kept them parted but Paris was a bit unnerved at how cold Jonah's body was. "Its just the bars" Paris thought as she quickly stepped away. Beaming up at him her smile fell a bit as he gazed down at her softly.

"Its late...I wish I could walk you home but I have things to finish here..." he said almost sadly. "I'll be ok, you be safe!" Paris called heading back up the road "night!" She called.

Paris stopped and looked back "oh that's right, I need to know if he will be by to meet Matt" she said. Heading back to the gates.

She looked inside "Jonah!" She called. But no one answered. "Jonah!" Still nothing. Paris sighed and backed away "it probably goes real far back. I better not bother him he probably is trying to hurry up so he can go home" she thought heading back up the street.

Meanwhile black crispy fingers wrapped around the gate bars and sorrow filled eyes watched Paris shrink away into the night.

Paris had managed to sneak back into the house without notice. Before heading back up stairs to her room she went to check on Matt.

In the basement Paris looked around to find Matt's bed was empty. "Must have gone to the bathroom" she thought after all the door was closed. Her eyes wandered over to the half glass divider which lead to the locked room. Chewing her bottom lip she wanted to look away but it was like something was holding her head still.

A soft thud echoed through the room.

Paris' eye grew large, and as a second thud echoed she took a step back. Another thud. And then another.

The soft thuds sounding off like popcorn as handprints slapped against the glass from within the other room. Dozens of hands and counting.

A dull squeak came from the sliding of their fingers as some clawed at the glass.

Paris fearfully backed up further and further but unable to run. Somehow more than fear a deep sorrow was welling up in her body. And then in a soft sepia haze the room around her started to faid away and was replaced slowly with a different room.

Paris turned around slowly in a small circle as she looked at the world around her. Her eyes stopped and landed on a figure which had her back to her.

They were the same height, had close body builds and the same hair color. Only the girl had much longer arms and her hair fell down to the curve at the bottom of her back. She looked somewhat frail.

And she was wearing the dress from the attic.

Paris gasped but covered her mouth as if she could be heard. She tore her eyes away from the girl who was standing rigidly listening to the man standing before her. He was well dressed and looked very well mannered an educated. Though not very dashing now he might have been in years past. He was wearing a lopsided coy smile that was very inviting. Too inviting, in fact as the girl had to be 30 years younger than him. His eyes held a dark smokey shadow.

The two were talking but it was as if the world was put in mute.

The man walked closer to the girl and gingerly touch her hair causing her to flinch. He then looked displeased and scowled before pointing towards some people sitting on a small sofa infront of a window. "This is in one of the upstairs rooms...wait why are those people so ok with this mans behavior?" Paris thought.

She watched the people a elderly couple doused in make up and fancy clothing. They're eyes were open. But they never blinked and they had glazed over stares. Never moving not ever the twitch of a finger or quiver of a lip. Just blindly gazing straight ahead.

Paris backed away "no way" she breathed holding her hands to her mouth trembling. "They're...." before Paris' thought could finish she bumped into something...someone. Wanting to turn around she found herself frozen as two hands rested on her shoulders preventing her from doing so. It was the familiar feeling, the coldness of the Chard Thing's touch. Paris looked ahead of her to see the girl go to the dead couple and with great care and tender movements she posed them.

Her face was still hidden but just a bit of her profile was showing revealing a sad quivering smile. She place he woman's hands into her husbands and then onto her husbands lap. Then leaning the two closer together before gently fixing the woman's hair and placing a flower in it. The girl moved about the two as if they were still living and fragile.

Meanwhile in the corner The Man started growing impatient as he tapped his foot called out to the girl and pointed at his watch. It was true though, the girls movements were so slow it was like she was stalling for time.

"But why?" Paris thought. This new alternate world around her started to fade and the world was returning back to its normal colors. "Who are you?" Paris whispered watching the girl fade away. She then remembered the hands on her shoulders. No longer stuck in place Paris turned around and looked up to meet green eyes that now looked sadder than ever before "both of you" she whispered. He still held her by her shoulders.

Paris found that the two of them were standing before the furnace. She could see its dark rusting face behind her, its smoke vent looking like a horrid mouth. The Chard Thing tightened his grip on her shoulders as she looked behind him and closed his eyes. A tear slid down his face and Paris gasped. She reached out absentmindedly to touch his cheek, the tear stain had washed free the chardness to show deathly pale skin underneath.

Opening his eyes sorrow was replaced with pain as a streek of fire burned up the tear stain turning it black once more.

"Why do you keep coming to me, why are you here" Paris whispered. He side glanced towards the basment door. Follwoing his gaze Paris' eyes landed on Matt. Who stood there with wide trembling eyes. "Matt?" She asked glancing back to the Chard Thing only to find that he was gone now.

Matt swallowed hard, he had seen him again. But Paris still seemed to be unaware as she called for him again.

"Matt?"

Matt shook his head. "O-oh sorry was just shocked to see you down here I went to get some water" He said his voice puzzled. The truth was he had gone looking for her after having a very bad feeling sink into his core. But he couldn't find her anywhere. Was the house playing more tricks on him?

"Why are you? How'd you get down here?" He asked. He should have seen her.

Paris was thinking the same thing. If Matt had gone to get water she would have passed him in the kitchen on her way to the basement. But for now she couldn't tell him that she had snuck out to call her parents in secret and no way could tell him why. "He'd feel so guilty if he knew the trouble this was putting his parents in....even though its not your fault Mattie" Paris thought.

As she watched him come down the small steps her heart welled up with pity and she went to him, embracing him around his back under his arms she rested her head on his chest.

The mix between what she had just saw, and the families troubles caused a few tears to slid down her face.

Matt held her back and rested one hand atop her head. "Paris" he whispered softly, letting his hand caress the top of her head. "Were you sleep walking again? Are you still sleeping?" He asked. Paris closed her eyes and listened to his hushed tone. Rather than explain herself she allowed him to believe she was sleeping.

"Stop crying. Please. Its probably just a dream." He said holding her tighter. Paris couldn't stop and she didn't know why. In her mind all she could see was that girls sad smile and the Thing's tear stained cheek.

Matt lead her to the bed and carefully guided her into laying down. Paris kept up the act as best she could but the overwleming urge to see his face moved her to open her eyes. She fluttered her lashes and peered through hald lids as if half asleep.

Matt smiled down at her as he crawled over her to lay at her side.

"Matt?" She called. "Its alright, I'm here. You were sleep walking again" he said he smiled with guilt as he remembered her calling his name in her 'sleep' "it was just a nightmare Paris, but it isn't real and its gone now" he said. It had to be about him. Maybe it was the graves again.

Paris' heart panged with guilt as well as she saw his smile. To make up for her lies or rather in hopes to. She turned over to face him and cuddled into his chest while he pulled the covered over them. Curling her fingers into the fabric of his shirt she nuzzled his chest.

Matt chuckled and settled into place next to her wraping his leg around hers and siding one arm under her head and the other around the dip in her side. He played with the ends of her hair and kissed her forehead. Paris sighed feeling warm and content. "Goodnight Paris" He said softly. Paris cuddled closer "night Matt....love you" she said. Matt paused as his eyes fell on the Chard Thing which stood in the doorway giving him a blank stare. "Love you to Paris" Matt said but it was almost a bit to robotic as his mind was now elsewhere in a stare down with the thing.

Matt settled into place more and held Paris protectively now glaring at the Thing until it finally vanished and Matt was able to find sleep.