Chapter 7- House and Home

Shooting up from the chair the apparition disappears just as fast as it appeared.

"What..." 'What does he mean by that...'

Confusion and surprise mixed into one as the lady from upfront reentered the back, the register under one arm.

"Closing?"

"Yeah, about to be 10 o'clock and the streets look bare so getting the rest of the inside work done before leaving." She explained, running her fingers through her hair as she placed the register on the desk in front of me. "Would ya be so kind as to count these all out and write down what ya got? Will make things go by easier, and I'll take you home, or well close to home."

"Yeah, yeah I can do that."

With that said, she heads back out front the sound of items clanging together becoming a sweet melody. The room became cool and quiet with the soft shuffling of old bills and clanking of coins.

After a long minute she steps back in placing a closed box on the floor before stepping up behind me.

"How's it going?"

I mumble moving the decent stack of bills. "326.30 so far."

"Thank you again. What is your name kid?" she asks, leaning against the table's edge.

"Miles Mortimer, and you?"

"That's what I thought." She mumbles. "Angie Fitsmore, fellow rebel and misfit of Creek Barrow and its desolate surroundings." Holding a handout, I take it and she gives me a hearty shake before I return to organizing the bills. "Do you want a job kid?"

"Huh?"

"Do you want a job kid?" She repeats.

"Seriously?" Flabbergasted, I stopped counting and look at her.

"Yeah, why not would make things easy at the end of the day, and I'll pay you a few bucks above minimum."

"I--" The offer was tempting that was for sure but between the ghosts, school, and that I don't know if I would even be able to do anything else, but. "Yes."

"Well put everything in writing tomorrow until then." She picks up the bills, putting them back in the register before placing the register into a safe on the other side of the room.

With one quick spin she turns to face me. "Let's go."

Nodding we make our way out the front door, the small town seeming far too eerie by this time. The heavy cities with their bustling nightlife and tired sunrises are the ones I have become so accustomed to too that now, now in a small town in the middle of nowhere land, a blimp on the map, it feels too quiet.

"Not use to this are ya city boy?" Angie jokes nudging my side as we take the few steps to the edge of the road where a black Volkswagen sits.

"To be serious with ya, it's weird but I think I'll get used to it."

"You will just like your ma."

Hearing her say that I stop, holding the door to the passenger side open as she gets in. She realizes after a second that I hadn't gotten in, eyeing me for a second before leaning forward.

"You okay?"

Shaking my head, I get in. "Yeah, yeah I'm okay." Closing the door, I buckled in and thankfully Angie was quiet as we pulled from the store.

Making all the twists and turns we reach my neighborhood in no time. Passing the lit porch light, I can see my Aunt sitting hands over her knees and head down.

"She doesn't look like she is going to kill you." Angie pulled past and towards the edge of my street, stopping at the rustic stop sign that had probably seen better days. "So, what do you want to do?"

Shrugging I grumbled. "Go home, see what she says and if anything, hide in my room."

"Good battle plan." Angie smiles, patting me on the shoulder before, I unbuckle, open the door, and step out into the dead air. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow."

Closing the door my sneakers slide across the concrete and towards the house. Stopping at the end of the driveway she comes to her feet. Not a word as she strides over to me, grasping my shoulders and pulling me into a hug.

She whispers worry dancing on her tone. "Please don't ever do that again." She pushes me away. "What were you thinking? Do you know how worried I've been?"

"I'm sorry..." I didn't really feel sorry, but it felt like the right thing to say as her dark nails dug into my upper arms, her eyes dripping with worry as she pulled me towards the house. "But, whatever you say, I'm still going to help her."

"I know... stubborn little shit. Don't know WHO you got that from." The smirk playing on her lips is contagious as we get inside, the living room looking brand new as we stepped past and towards the kitchen. "But you got to be safe if not for yourself, for me."

I respond with my fingers sliding across the kitchen countertop and to the small island. "I will try."

"That's all I can ask for." Leaning against the counter, Juno in all her fuzzy glory jumps up onto the counter and runs her body against her arms. "Want anything to eat?"

"To be honest, I'm not really that hungry right now but maybe later."

"Later, later is good."

Sitting there in the kitchen in the most awkward silence my mind begun to race, from the apparition in the store, to the comment Angie made about my mother, and now this Auntie Flow's worry that dug like spikes into my skin.

Striding out of the kitchen with a tired wave, I make my way upstairs, and toward my room, the soft meow's and patter of Juno's feet follow quickly.

"Night!"

"Goodnight!" I shout back from the top of the stairs. Reaching my room a second later and swapping out my dirt, and dust covered clothes for comfortable pjs.

Flicking the ceiling light off, my body smacks the mattress with such force that it hops twice before easing into the blankets. Juno climbs into the bed licking my face till disappearing somewhere in the room.