the story continues

Chloe felt the warm glow of the wine hit her as she tried to massage her tense muscles.  She scanned Beth’s cozy house and wished for something like it someday.  The soft green walls and earth brown carpet reminded her of a Pottery Barn catalog; everything was decorated with care and precision.  Much different than Chloe’s eclectic collection of impulse surreal art purchases and mis-matched dishes.  She felt warm and safe here, and yet…there was still something.  Chloe blinked as an image tried to demand attention in the corner of her eye, but then it was gone.  She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to slow down her heart.  “…so then he tells me that I’m the one with the attitude problem!”  Beth’s voice interrupted her thoughts.  On cue Chloe began to laugh and took another long drink from her wine glass. 

“Eat up, we gots lots of pizza!”  Chloe tried to keep from cringing, we have lots of pizza.  Not got.  She smiled again as Beth began to panic about crumbs being on the floor and helped herself to cheesy delight. Beth’s nine year old daughter sauntered into the kitchen, long enough for her to help herself to the pizza, wave hi to Chloe then leave again.  “Wow, I can’t believe how long her hair is getting!” Chloe exclaimed.  “Yea, I know, I just can’t bring myself to get it cut.  I’m afraid it won’t grow back if we cut it.  Stupid, I know.”

“No, it isn’t stupid at all.  I need to desperately get to a salon at some point too, but I just haven’t had the time.” Chloe whined as she studied her dry ends that hung over her shoulder.

“Nah, Chlo, what you need is just a good wash and trim is all.”

“Great, so my hair is dirty.” Chloe smiled as she chewed and reached for her glass.  “You know what I like about you?  You’re just so great and honest.”

“Aw, honey, it ain’t what I meant, I just wanna see you take better care of yerself.  When you first started you were real well put together.  These days, you just seem tired and somethin’s different ‘bout ya.”  Beth leaned over the table and held Chloe’s eyes with a caring stare.

“Beth, do you believe in ghosts?”  Chloe asked her.  Beth blinked then tried to smile, but she could see the seriousness of Chloe’s question.

“Honestly hon, I never gave it much thought.  I think you’ve just been watching too many horror movies.”

“Try spending one night in my apartment and you’d believe in ghosts.  I’m not crazy Beth.  There’s something strange there.” Chloe said as she reached for another glass of wine.

“Well, I don’t know what to tell ya’.  Maybe get a priest or something to come pray with you.  Now, enough about supernatural mumbo jumbo, let’s talk about something else.”

 

 

      

Dear God, please please let me get some sleep tonight… In place of unseen eyes and unidentified growling, Chloe was allowed one night of dreamless sleep.

 

When Chloe returned home she discovered a mess.  A mess not of her making.  The frozen roast that she had pulled out and forgotten about was gone; in its place was a shredded bag and bloody spots on the walls and floor.  The trash was overturned and a genuine stick filled the air.  More dismayed than scared, she kicked the piles of garbage and called Jessica to come and help her clean- and she ordered her to bring a six pack. This is getting ridiculous!  Where is that smell coming from?  She stood and slowly examined the general disarray; it reminded her of a bad comedy where a bored Labrador retriever tore up a room.   

 

 

  “Dude!  What happened?!” Jessica asked as she made her way through the assorted piles. 

“I have no freaking idea.  I stayed with Beth last night and came home to this. Thanks for coming over so soon.  What did you bring?”

“Budlight Lime and let’s hope you have some food.”

“Well I did have some meat but now that seems to be missing.  But I do have some box stuff and veggies.  Did you want to do anything tonight?” Chloe asked in a hopeful voice.  She gathered an arm full of clothes and piled them into a pale blue laundry basket.  Jessica opened two beers and put the rest in the refrigerator.  Chloe had already picked up the kitchen and taken out the trash.

“So what exactly do you need me to do?” Jessica inquired as she leaned against the island.  Chloe shrugged. 

“Nothing I guess.  Just relax and make yourself at home.  I’ll be back in a few.”  Chloe hoisted up her laundry and left the apartment.  Jessica walked to her computer and clicked on the I-tunes icon to disturb the stony silence which engulfed the tiny apartment.  As Weird Al began to pour out the speakers, Jessica heard a shuffling sound.  She took a long drink and slowly stood up.  She went back into the kitchen and peered down the short hallway.  The windows looked closed, and there was a strange stillness in the entire apartment.  There it was again.  A soft shuffling noise.

“What is this song all about, can’t figure any lyrics out…” The song screamed and Jessica walked into Chloe’s bedroom.  The bed was stripped down, the pile of sheets at the foot of the bed.  A pile of dark clothes next to the sheets.  Her dresser was cluttered with jewelry, books and magazines.  Yet there was nothing here, nothing to make the sound that she thought she had heard.

“Now I’m mumbling, and I’m screaming…” there was a scratching sound behind her.  She spun around.  Again, nothing.  What the hell?  Where’s my beer?  I know Chlo said that something was keeping her awake at night, but I thought she was being eccentric, Jessica thought to herself.  She strolled back into the kitchen and found her beer tipped over.  The golden liquid poured onto the dingy kitchen vinyl floor.  Swearing to herself she began to mop up the mess when Chloe burst through the door. 

“Seriously, it’s not a good day if I don’t have to kick the dryer to get it to take my money.  What happened here?” She asked as she saw Jessica on the floor. 

“To tell you the truth, I have no idea, I thought I heard something in your room and when I came back my beer was like this.”

“Aw man, party foul!  It’s not even seven yet!”  Chloe laughed as she reached for her own beverage.  She deliberately ignored Jessica’s comment about something being in her room.  The song ended and The Black Eyed Peas came on.  “Can you meet me half way?  Right at the boarder that’s where I’m going to wait for you…”  Chloe watched her friend rinse her hands off in the sink.  Her black hair was flowing around her, her eyes etched in eyeliner and lips glazed with gloss.  She was, in a word, enchanting.  They had been friends since childhood.  “Meet me halfway, I’ll be looking out, night and day…”  Chloe shook her head at the song and walked to the computer to change the song. 

“That song still bother you?” Jessica asked pulling out another beer, 

“Not really bother, it just reminds me of him.  And I’m having enough issues at the moment,” She explained as she took a long drink. 

“Now I know, that I can’t make you stay.  But where’s your heart? But where’s your heart…”  Jessica shook her head. 

“Haha,  so no to My Chemical Romance?” Chloe laughed as she leaned over and scanned her long list of music.

“No, it’s just an overplayed song,  try again.” 

“Oh I got it!  Ready?”  “Wake up in the morning’ feeling like P. Diddy got my glasses, I’m out the door…cause when I leave for the night I ain’t comin’ back…”” Both girls laughed and because to move their heads to the song.  They laughed and danced around each other.  For the second verse they sang into their beer bottles and continued dancing around.  Chloe picked up a pair of socks along the way.  Jessica grabbed the feather duster and dusted off the television.  “Tik tok on the clock, but the party don’t stop, tonight I’m goin fight till I see the sunlight…”  For the next minutes the girls continued to laugh, dance and clean the small apartment. 

“What would I do without you, Jess?”  Chloe asked finishing her beer and grabbing her laundry basket.  Jessica shrugged.  “You’d be one of those ads where the single girl is dancing around by herself and the audience goes, aw!”

“Your mom.  But you’re probably right.  I’m going to have to go babysit my clothes soon.”

“You’re going to leave me here again?  By myself?”  Jessica asked, her uneasiness rushing back to her.  She found it strange that Chloe didn’t find it strange that her beer had spilled on its own or her account of hearing something in her room.  Perhaps in Chloe fashion it meant that she was thinking about it, but not talking about it.  That was how her friend handled everything in her life, lots of thoughts kept to herself- never letting anyone in and finally acting only when she had a concrete plan.

“You can come with me if you like.  Unless you think you’re going to spill more perfectly good beer.”  Chloe’s voice had an unusual edge to it.  Both shrugged and stared at the floor for a second then Jessica broke the silence. 

“Dude, have you been to the gym lately?  There’s this guy there that does the most amazing bench press.”  “That is the most desperate topic change I’ve heard in a while.  I’ll be right back.”  Chloe said as she exited again.  Feeling silly Jessica shook her head and plopped onto the well- worn couch.  The music was still playing, this time a group from the 90’s.  Jessica closed her eyes and hummed along with the music.  She heard Chloe walking around the kitchen and then heard her open the door.

“Be brave young grasshopper, I’ll be back in a few.”  Chloe joked as she closed the door.  Jessica waved her off and opened her eyes once again.  She took another pull from the bottle when she heard it again.  Only this time it was a growl.  So low was the growl she thought it was part of the song, but her heartbeat increased.  She opened her eyes and slowly looked around the room.  There was something in the room with her.  She couldn’t see it, but she could feel it.  Not wanting to stay any longer she opened the door and waited for Chloe on the stairwell.  Once outside, she felt better.