Two Dead Boys

Paris spent the rest of the day outside until Sara and Matt had returned.

Matt curled up next to her on sofa, both of them sat errily quiet. Paris' eyes were slowly traveling around the room glazed in a daze. A heavy looming feeling lingered in the air it felt like it was closing in on her, like an invisible box. Then there was that ever constant feeling. She knew she was being watched. But by who? The Card Thing? Or something else?

Matt leaning his head on her shoulder was to deep in his own thoughts. Fiddling with the card he had gotten from the old priest durring his chemo session. His kind old eyes lingered in his head. More than that, he didn't think Matt was crazy for seeing things.

Matt frowned for a moment, then again there was also a chance that he's mind was justing going haywire too. They were both patients after all.

Matt finally wandered out of his thoughts "you're quiet" he finallly said.

Paris jumped a little a bit off beat with a lagged reaction. She managed to put on a smile and look down at Matt. "Pull yourself together" she thought.

"Sorry I thought you might have been resting" she said offering a feeble smile. Matt looked up at her with a warm soft gaze and snuggled closer to her. "I met a strange man today" Matt said in a dry voice as he gazed blankly at the tv.

"He partically admitted that he had one foot in the grave already, yet he was as jolly as a christmas elf" Matt said. Paris giggled "well, he is strong maybe he knows something his doctors don't" she said. "At first I thought he was crazy, had a big smile on his face. But every word he said was something I needed to hear and his eyes looked right into me" Matt rambled in a low mutter.

His words made Paris think of Jonah, he was calm and friendly. He had a gentle air about him he was kinda quiet but it wasn't the awkward kind or the weird kind. It was the kind of quiet that lures you to speak freely with time to mull over your words and thoughts.

"I-" Paris breathed "I met a strange person to today, he was nice though." She said. Looking down at Matt "a guy in the neighborhood. Maybe a year younger than you, came to introduce himself but everyone was away." Paris looked over to the window at the lonely street. "I think you two would make good friends, so I told him to stop by and meet you" she said.

Matt's ear prickled and he looked up at her. "What guy from the block?" He asked voice slightly hoarse and sulky. Paris looked down at him wide eyed as he furrowed his brows an had on a slight pout. "What'd he look like?" Matt asked. Paris blinked a few times and laughed. Matt watched her confused for a minute and then his cheeks tinted in a subtle pink.

"Its not funny Paris" he groaned but she kept giggling "come on stop it" He pouted. "Matt, you're funny." Paris sighed finally free of her giggles. She stroked his hair three times and kissed his forehead before standing up "I'm going to go with Wendy to pick up Marry and Billy from the bus stop. You rest" she said with a smile, Matts behavior seemed to kick away her leery feelings.

Matt watched her go up the stairs to get Wendy, the pout still on his face. He gave a heavy uncomfortable sigh and got to his feet. "I was serious" he muttered before heading into the kitchen.

That night after dinner, after hearing both Marry and Billy sing praises about their first days at the new school. Wendy invited Paris up stairs for girl time. To talk and do each others hair and nails.

"Oh y-yeah, um..." Paris stammered as she looked at Wendy who was standing half way up the stairs. She was trying not to make it obvious, but she was very much trying to avoid the second floor. The little elevator in the wall, and the room with the bird cage wall paper she shared with Wendy they gave her a dark sinking feeling in her chest. That and it was far to close to the attic.

She hadn't felt or seen the Chard Thing all day, she wasn't sure why but it made her nervous. After all he'd sheild her from the carved ghouls. She didn't feel that he was bad.

Matt who had been standing in the hall way watched Paris stammer. He'd noticed she was avoiding the upstairs. Marry had asked her to come play dolls with her and Paris had said that she needed to help his mom. But when his Mom asked her to take a few things to the attic Paris asked Wendy to do so stating she needed to do things in the kitchen.

"I'm sorry Wendy but can I steal her from you tonight?" Matt called out. Paris and Wendy looked over to him a bit startled as neither girl had heard him arrive. "Sure, I can get Marry to do it with me just...you two behave" Wendy teased running up the stairs.

Paris sighed quietly in relief she went to turn around and Thank Matt when she felt it. Paris' body froze for a second feeling eyes burning holes into her back. Matt's gaze went over Paris' shoulder locking into the green eyes of the blackened figure behind her.

"He's not really there Matt" Matt told himself. But that didn't stop him from narrowing his eyes as the thing reached its hand out its crispy fingers stretched out towards Paris.

Paris could hardly stop the shudder that threatened to roll down her spin as the cold roughness of the Chard Thing touch. He timidly took hold of her hand and held it loosely but didn't get veery close to her. She could feel the saddened air around him. Everything about this thing seemed stricken with sorrow. Maybe thats why she couldn't bring herself to bolt.

Paris forced on a smile but she found it wasn't letting her take a step forward. "Huh" she breathed as its grip tighted as if asking her to stay.

Matt narrowed his eyes more he wanted to shout at the thing. Tell it to get its paws off his girl. However, "she can't see it Matt can't have her thinking things are getting bad for you, can't have her thinking...."

"Matt?" Paris called keeping her wishing he's reach for her pull her away. "Y-yeah right sorry...spaced out medicine and all" Matt stammered after clearing his throat.

He reached out and grasped the hand the Chard Thing had a hold of, it leered at him slightly but removed it's hand and in an instant vanished.

Matt and Paris exhaled simultaniously and Matt lead her to his room.

He laid on his bed with his head in her lap, reading a comic book. Trying not to think about the thing or what it wanted. The rythmatic brushing of Paris' fingers through his hair was helping a lot. He closed his eyes realizing how exhausted he really was.

"You haven't been resting enough Matt" Paris murmured "i'm fine don't worry" he sighed opening his eyes to look up at her. "I can't be to focus on this...ghost or whatever. I'm here for Matt, I need to remain focused" she thought a guilty smile coming to her face.

"Hey" Matted called softly putting aside his comic "hey don't look at me like that, I've been kinda space but I promise I'm fine..." He said reaching up his hand he twirled a strand of her hair around his pinky finger.

Paris shuddered as a cold runny feeling sliped down her arms and legs that was quickly replaced by a pricklie feeling in her lower back. There goes that feeling of deja vu again.

She looked down at Matt only to find his was darkly colored eyes were now a bright Vivid green. Paris mustered up everything she could not to yelp. "Paris?" Matt questioned peering at her with concern.

A though the words came from Matt... briefly his voice sounded distored as if two people had been speaking at once.

Matt withdrew his pinky from her hair and sat up in front of her legs crossed he went to touch her face when in the corner of the room he saw.

Those bright green eyes looking at him with slight warning.

Paris shook her head and sat there with it hanging. Her paniced face hidden in her hair. She wanted to run but once the strange feelings left her body all she could do was laugh bitterly at herself. "I'm sorry" Paris said touching her face, finding a cover up "I guess its just...I haven't been getting a lot of sleep in a new house and all" she said.

She was started to feel ill from all the lies she was telling him. But she didn't want to add onto his worries. He was already fretting over how his parents were holding up and if he had a chance. She wanted to be the strong one in all this.

After Dinner Paris sat with Matt and Wendy talking until Matt had gotten tired and went to bed. Paris went up stairs with Wendy gathering all her courage and slept in her own bed. But she couldn't sleep. "Maybe I just need some water" Paris thought.

Quietly getting out of bed she headed out the room.

At the head of the stair a gentle chilly breeze tickled her skin. "Here" if said softly, Paris closed her eyes and tighed her hands into fists. "Paris" it lulled again. Taking a deep breath Paris swallowed down the urge to follow it and went down the stairs.

She pulled and jiggled at the fridge door, it seemed like it was jammed. The more she tried the more noise she was keeping up. With a heavy sigh Paris looked back towards the basement stairs. She didn't want to wake Matt. Though puzzled she walked away from the fridge.

As she was going to leave the kitchen, the dim light gave the kitchen a soft glow behind her. Turning around slowly. Her heart beating just a bit faster. Paris saw that the fridge door had opened. But that was the least of her worries.

Paris darted towards it covering her mouth and surpressing the urge to throw up and silence mini gags. Her eyes scanned over the rotted and moldy food that stuffed the inside of the fridge. Worms cralled out of the blackend mushy apples and maggots out of the moldy greenish brown cheese. "Ugh" Paris groaned as the smell wafted up her nose. She couldn't look anymore and quickly closed the door.

Holding her stomach she gasped and gulped down air in hopes of not getting sick. "I need to clean all that out of there" she thought. Reaching her trembling hand away from her mouth she grasped the door handle and steeled her insides. Swining the door back open to find-

A fully clean fridge containing fresh foods.

Paris carefully picked up an apple and examined it. No mold. No worms. No black stuff. Just a pretty green apple. It was nearly shinning.

Paris shoved the apple back inside and closed the door. Leaning her back against it her hands shook as she covered her mouth. After giving herself a moment Paris closed her eyes gulped down some air and brushed back her hair ruffling it a bit. "Alright, we can not have this, tomorrow you go down to the library and look up cancer patient and family support groups...thats it you just are not coaping well with this" she told herself.

With a nod of resolve Paris stood up and went to leave the kitchen. She noticed someone was up in the livingroom. She could hear Sara's hushed yet frustrated voice on the phone. Probably talking to Peter who left that morning to work the shop in New Jersey for a couple of days.

" Right, this was gonna be free. Sixty bucks for five pills... No,
that they'll cover. But not the follow-ups... " Sara said. Paris stood quietly in the shadows. "The blue one for the nausea? Yes. But the pink one that stops him feeling restless because of the blue one?..." she continued, there was a long pause and Paris assumed Peter was on the other end. Sounding just as out of sorts as Sara. It made Paris' heart hurt "I tried, Peter....I was on hold for over an hour!" Sara nearly shouted.

Paris could hear the rustling of papers on the coffee table. Taking one last glance at Sara she silently grabbed her sweater off of the coat hanger and headed for the kitchen door. Her eyes lingered on he fridge but only briefly. Paris quietly opened the door and left out side. Hopping the fence she headed up the block for the Quick Mart.