Two Dead Boys

Paris was unprepared for the night’s stay at the house, but so were Sara and Matt. The realtor had been kind enough to provide a two twin mattresses and an Old TV, for them. Sara had managed to fix a safe meal for Matt while she and Paris slit a packet of Ramen noodles. Paris laid on her back on the floor in front of Matt as they watched TV. Suddenly her stomach squirmed and the feeling rushed to her Blatter, and paused and stood up with a light grunt, the floor had been harder than she thought. Her soft sound drew Matt’s eyes away from the TV, “where are you going?” he asked almost if not wanting her to go, Paris blushed and then giggled “the bathroom I’ve got to pee!” she called Matt laughed and nodded “you’d better run!” he teased.

Paris wandered down the hall to the main level bathroom, once in there she relieved herself and washed her hands, briefly the water looked brown as it poured out of the sink. Paris withdrew her hands quickly before the nasty water could touch it. As she looked back, the water was completely clean, little ribbons of steam rising from what was swirling down the drain. “Old houses do that sometimes when the plumbing hasn’t been used in a while” she reasoned drying her hands off on her shirt she exited. “Paris” a soft murmur like that of a howling wind called. Paris glanced back and for a moment thought she saw someone else in the mirror. But she wasn’t afraid. “Maybe I need some sleep” she thought, heading back to Matt and Sara.

“Hey, hey come here” Matt called Spotting Paris’ reflection in the flickering TV. Paris walked over to him and knelt down. “Hey, are you ok? Do you need something?” she asked a slight worry in her eyes, Matt chuckled and smiled through his sleepy eyes. “Yeah you come here” He said pulling her down to him he spooned around her. “But your-your mother!” she gasped. Matt held Paris closer and laughed “honestly do I <i>look</i> like I am capable of doing anything?” He asked, this time Paris giggled although it wasn’t much funny, he did look terrible. Completely worn out, racked from pain, and mildly foggy. “Very true.” Paris sighed, Matt cuddled closer to her and pulled up the sleeping bag he had turned into a blanket over them. “Goodnight” Matt muttered drifting off, Paris watched the flickering screen of the TV “goodnight Matt” she said softly, he cuddled her more hiding his face in her hair. Paris’ eyes were locked on the Flickering screen, she froze as bright green eyes gazed at her from within it. “It’s just the TV channel finally trying to come through” she told herself, her eyes fluttering, sleep taking her. Still the eyes stared.

Matt awoke his stomach turning, he glanced at Paris who had turned to face him in her sleep. She eyes were closed and she was breathing lightly. Under closed lids her eyes flickered around “dreaming” Matt thought to himself as he started to smile. The turning in the stomach became worse and he frowned, sliding out of the mattresses with care, he laid Paris’ arm that had been clinging to him down gently before padding off to the nearest bathroom. As He reached for the handle he stopped, turning back he looked over his mother and girlfriend “they’ll both wake up at the sound of it” He thought drawing his hand away from the knob, he looked around and his eyes fell on the stairs.

Paris, lost in a dream was standing out in a grave yard, it was the same familiar place, but as always she wasn’t afraid. However something was different. Paris walked among the graves, they were all empty just square holes in the ground in front of the tombstones. Her footsteps seemed to echo as she walked among the rows and rows of tombs. The light was bright, almost blinding, as it always was here in this place. She knew she was dreaming. “Paris” A timid voice called, Paris stopped in front of a large burial chamber, and it was a square vault. She looked around but say no one. “Here” it called its voice was sad. As Paris looked up she could see a figure sitting on top of the vault, boy or girl? She couldn’t tell everything about them as a charred tar colored black, all but one thing a Pair of green eyes.

Paris eyes flew open looked around she saw she was no longer sleeping but standing in front of the upstairs bathroom door. “Oh no am I sleep walking?” she thought looking around “I haven’t done that since I was little” she bit her nail in worry “did I wake Matt?” she pondered, she turned around and looked over the upstairs it was dark, there was a quick moment in the shadows. “What?” she whispered tip toeing towards something at the end of the hall. Closer, she could make out there was something there, just a bit closer.

The bathroom door swung open.

“Paris?” Matt called, Paris whirled around her focus on the strange thing in the wall snatched away. “Matt?” she asked, tipping back up the hall. “what are you doing up here?” she asked, Matts face paled a bit and his eyes narrowed as if he heard something, he turned to look behind him, tense. He then deflated as he found nothing there. “Matt?” Paris questioned as he closed the door behind him, he walked past her and peered over the bannister his mother “she’s asleep” he muttered. Paris watched him in confusion waiting for an answer, when a strange chill ran down her spine, the chill you get when someone moves your hair ever so slightly. “Paris” that same wind reminiscent sound seemed to hum in a sad lull. Paris looked behind her, and touched her hair “what was that?” she thought her eyes falling back on the thing in the wall. “It’ll have to wait” she thought turning to gaze at Matt.

She grabbed his hand and tugged him gently “come on Mattie” she coed “come on lets head back to bed, you shouldn’t be up to late” Matt glanced around one last time before nodding and letting her lead him back down the stairs.

The next morning Paris awoke before Matt and Sara, she wiggled out of his grasp and stood up. Smiling gat their sleeping forms “I’m glad they <i>both</i> get a chance to rest” she whispered, Looking around she tipped over to the bathroom. As she went too reached for the door knob she glanced back at the sleeping forms. “No better use the upstairs” she murmured. Scaling up the stairs Paris felt as if she was being followed, glancing behind her however revealed that both Matt and Sara had been sleeping. A chill ran up her spine, spinning around for a moment, just a short moment she could have sworn she saw something standing before her. A tar colored mass. Paris frowned “just really need to wake up” she told herself continuing up the stairs.

The realtor had been kind enough to get the lights and things working, in the house, early as promised. Paris couldn’t help but think that the Realtor had done far too much to rent out the House to Sara. It wasn’t common people just were not that nice anymore “but who could say no to a mother taking her son to Chemo treatments” Paris thought letting the warm water flow over her body. Once she let the hot water do the best work it could without having soap on hand, she sat at the edge of the tup to air dry, wringing out her hair. She could recall the strange feelings she’s been having lately. “I can’t be losing it already…it’s not even that far in, If I lose it after one rough night, what use will I be?” Paris whispered.

As she sat at the edge of the tub, a soft wind blew through the room, it had no windows, and the AC had not been on “so where is it coming from?” Paris thought standing up she looked at the ceiling for a vent, but there was none. The gently flapping of paper gliding across the floor made Paris look down. A white sheet of paper lay on the ground. Curious she picked it up, it wasn’t paper at all, but the back of a hard old fashioned photo, flipping it over, Paris gasped, as it felt like a rush of air was pushed through her body. Recovering after a few breaths, Paris glanced around, and focused on the photo. It was of an empty room, its walls covered in bird cage wallpaper, it looked like a beautiful room, and in the shot was a mirrored vanity, and the mirror looked a bit dirty. Paris tiled her head and looked harder, her eyes grew wide, it wasn’t a dirt spot in the mirror, but a shadow, a blurred shaded reflection. Paris found herself troubled by this picture, and oddly the moment felt familiar but there was one thing terribly wrong with the reflection.

“There isn’t anyone sitting there..”

When she was Dry Paris through back on her same cloths and headed down stairs, Sara stood in the kitchen ruffling through a bag of things she had bought form the local Quickmart. She pulled out a can of chilled coffee and drank it down like a shot. “Morning Miss Sara” Paris called as she frisked into the kitchen, Sara smiled “good Moring Paris” she called, holding out an Iced tea, Paris took it gratefully and smiled relieved that Sara hadn’t been too uncomfortable with their sleeping arrangement the night before. “Thank you” Sara said softly, Paris looked up as she guzzled down some of her tea. “Huh? I’m sorry was that to me?” Paris asked confused. Sara smiled at her fondly and nodded “he’s not slept so soundly in months” she stated glancing past Paris out of the kitchen to the stirring boy. Paris turned back to look at him “oh” she breathed a bit saddened and then put on her best smile and turned to Sara “we should get him a teddy bear or body pillow, it would seem he just needs something he can hide in” she said, Sara nodded “I think a body pillow is a good idea” she said returning Paris smile.

Sara and Paris stood talking in the sunlight of the Kitchen window, Paris had to admit, she likes talking to Sara, her own mother was never around much, even if they were on good terms, so it was nice to feel that Mother figure back around. A loud Scream made both woman and Girl jump, Paris dropped her tea to the ground darting for the Living room with Sara. Her heart in her throat and beating rapidly. “Matt!” Sara called, shaking him awake, Paris cowered behind her as she bit at her nail, holding her breath. Matt jolted away, his face was red and covered in beads of sweet, his breather was fast, “W-what?” he breathed his eyes trying to focus of the daylight, sun rays dancing across his face “Where?” he seemed disoriented, Paris still held her breath.

Sara brushed her hand across his forehead searching for fever. “Matt…honey are you ok?” she asked a worried tent in her voice. “Yeah” Matt said slowly looking around, his eyes fell on the wide eyed nervous girl standing behind his mother, hovering. “I’m alright, just a dream….I guess” Matt stated, Sara sighed and got up she shook her head still a bit distraught as she headed back into the kitchen, Paris watched her leave form the corner of her eye and then turned her gaze back to Matt. He propped himself up and rubbed his head. He was in thought for a while before his eyes slid over to Paris, he watched her for a moment as she watched him intently. “This is going to take more grit than I thought” Paris thought straightening herself out. “Paris” Matt called to her slowly skeptically “Paris” he called again, “I’m fine” He said offering a dozy smile. Paris closed her eyes, forced a smile, and nodded. “Alright” she breathed holding out her hand to him. He grabbed it before following her into the kitchen.

Paris froze and darted over to Sara as she tried to wipe up the spilled tea with napkins from the Quickmart. “Wait Miss Sara, let me” she said taking the napkins and kneeling on the floor. Sara nodded and smiled. Matt watched Paris with dull eyes looking at the spilled liquid and how far the bottle had been from it, he could imagine what happened, a sudden rush of guilt fell over him. As Paris cleaned up the mess, a nostalgic feeling washed over her like a tide. She felt like she was reliving something long forgotten “It’s like déjà vu “she thought finishing up. “Pick of the house for any room you want, if you drink this. Deal?” Sara stated handing out a brightly colored bottle to Matt, a protein shake. It was a good breakfast replacement. Matt eyed it, with his stomach he wondered if he could get it down, nonetheless he took it from his mother and gave it a try.