Authors: Kevin Anthony
She headed upstairs and at the end of the hall, were two large double doors, she opened them revealing the master bedroom. She made her way to the center of the tangerine painted room and twirled. The large windows inside the room provided plenty of natural lighting.
Sidnee returned downstairs to help Ford and Bravo unpack all the boxes and move some of the heavy furniture into the home. She took a quick moment to order some takeout from a local wing restaurant. The moment she finished ordering, she hung up the phone and it immediately started ring. A picture of her brother Evan appeared on the phone monitor and sent him to voicemail without hesitation.
After finishing unpacking, the trio gathered on the hardwood living room floor to eat the wings she ordered.
Sidnee barely could chew from exhaustion. “I wish I could nap, but I have so much to do.”
Ford laughed. “Yeah, I was gonna go to the soup kitchen but forget that.”
“
I have to deliver pizzas all night,” Bravo said as he scratched at his hair.
Sidnee’s horror novels focused on the tale of a slasher and the sequel would be centered on a cannibal. Being able to get in her friends’ heads and create characters in their images made her feel close to the mad world they were a part of and even closer to them.
Ford checked the time on his phone. “Hey, what time does your party start?”
“
At seven, I still have to buy decorations and food.”
“
You have about two hours to get everything ready,” Ford informed her.
Bravo stood. “I’ll return the moving van and meet up with you two later.”
Sidnee grabbed at Ford’s arm. “And you’re coming shopping with me.”
He attempted to break free from her tight grip. “No, don’t make me you monster.”
Sidnee let out a witch-like laugh. “I might even try on a new outfit.”
“
No, the horror,” Ford screamed out. “It’s awkward standing around and waiting.”
Sidnee tackled him backwards onto the living room floor and hugged him tight. “Poor baby.”
Bravo left to return the van and Sidnee and Ford headed out shopping for decorations for the party. Ford decided he might as well be a part of the mad holiday and purchased a costume. After shopping, Sidnee dropped Ford off at his apartment and headed back home.
Sidnee unloaded the car all on her own and decorated the place for the party. She set up the food and drinks on the kitchen island. Sidnee noticed the time, her party starting very soon and headed upstairs to shower.
Sidnee got undressed and stepped into the shower. It was large enough for her to raise her arms and spin around. She turned the knob for hot water only for the shower to make a loud groaning sound. Sidnee attempted to power off the knob, but no matter what direction she turned it, nothing happened. She covered her ears as the load groaning continued.
The hot water rocketed from the showerhead, nearly causing her to collapse but she managed to grab on to a metal bar in the shower. Her heart raced as she did her best to avoid contact with the scalding water. Steam from the extremely hot water made it nearly impossible for Sidnee to breathe or see anything. She braved the heat against her arm, reached forward and managed to turn on some cold water, leveling the temperature.
Sidnee let out a soft laugh as her heart rate slowed. “I’ll know next time to start with cold water.”
She soaped her ebony skin and washed her dark hair. Her shower went smoothly and even though there was a chaotic start, it ended up soothing her from the long day she had. After drying off, she headed into her bedroom and opened the packet for her costume.
The costume came with paws to wear over her hands and a brown, furry mini-dress with a wagging tail attached. She used an included paintbrush to draw whiskers on her face. Sidnee completed her costume by slipping on the paws for her feet. She decided to dress up as a sexy-puppy. The moment, she finished curling her hair her doorbell rang. She rushed down stairs, the bottom of her paws causing her to nearly slip. She answered the door to discover Ford.
“
Happy Halloween,” Sidnee shouted.
Ford entered, wearing a green scaly bodysuit. “Says the daughter of a preacher.”
“
I’m ignoring that.” She eyed his costume. “Are you some kind of lizard?”
“
I was a turtle but the shell smacked my butt when I walked so I ditched it.”
“
I think you should just bury that story and stick with being a lizard.”
“
Yeah.” He pointed at her stereo system. “I’ll take care of the music.”
Sidnee started to shut the door, but Bravo slipped in.
“
Happy Halloween,” She shouted once again.
He narrowed his eyes at her. “Didn’t your father ban you from celebrating Halloween?”
“
We corrupted her,” Ford shouted over the loud music, he started.
“
Oh hush.” Sidnee shut the door, noticing Bravo’s lack of a costume. “What are you supposed to be?”
He attached a flag pin to his red, blue and white flannel shirt. “I’m the first gay president.”
“
That’s a horrible costume,” Sidnee said.
He focused on hers. “And what are you supposed to be, some kind of rat?”
“
I’m a sexy-puppy.”
“
That’s...creative.”
Sidnee lightly shoved him. “Go mingle.”
Bravo laughed. “There’s nobody here.”
“
Ford is here. Go talk to Ford.”
Sidnee had passed out invitations last week to her new neighbors, inviting them all over. It didn’t take long for more guests to arrive and the majority showed up in costume. Her editor Edwin and his fiancée Lori arrived dressed as salt and pepper shakers. Sidnee chatted with them for a minute about their upcoming wedding until she was pulled away by a stranger.
The olive toned woman extended her hand. “Hi, I’m Bala.”
Sidnee didn’t recognize the dark-haired woman. “Are you from the neighborhood?”
“
I’m actually your neighbor. I’m the lone bachelorette of the block.”
“
Not anymore.”
Bala blew out a sigh of relief. “There’s finally somebody I can connect with.”
“
I suppose so. I’m Sidnee, I’m an author.”
“
I’m a mortician. I work downtown, which I love because a party is never too far away.”
“
Oh, you’re that neighbor. I’m friends with Bravo.”
“
That means you’re good people. I have to invite you out sometime. But now I’m going to drink all of your beer.”
Sidnee laughed as she exited the kitchen and headed into the living room to rejoin the rest of the partiers. She grabbed the hand of the cannibal and they headed off to find the slasher. After much convincing, they got Ford to hit the dance floor with them.
The party ended around midnight. Bravo and Ford helped clean before heading home. A tired Sidnee headed to bed, not noticing her floorboards breathing and the growls coming from the walls.
Chapter 5 - Empty
The crashing pots in the kitchen, the loud outburst and cries of madness only meant MT’s mother was awake. MT had been awake for hours waiting for the sun to rise. In a pair of red underwear and a cut-off shirt, MT rose from bed. She stepped over the piles of clothes as she arrived at her bedroom window.
MT parted the white silk drapes, darkness still covering the town of Mt. Springer, Carolina. “Rise already.”
The small town started to awake as sunlight climbed over the high mountains and down onto town center. The lights of neighboring homes powered on as those who were still faithful in this mad world were opening their eyes and dressing for church service. The sun light reached MT’s windowsill and crawled up her narrow, caramel toned arms, onto her neck and against her face.
MT closed her eyes and thought back to her childhood.
She imagined herself running on the beach in pink swimming trunks alongside her laughing father. Her mother lay on a beach towel shouting for them to come join her for a lunch she had prepared. So much had changed since those days, her father long gone, along with another important part of MT.
As she stood before her bedroom window, she could remember the warmth of the sun from that day on the beach. She could not feel any warmth this morning. A tear traveled down her face.
MT closed the drapes and after a quick shower, changed into gray sweat shorts, a white tank-top that hung loose off her narrow body and straightened her dark hair. She exited from her bedroom into the mess she called her living room.
Her mother had written mad thoughts on the walls and damaged nearly all their furniture. MT entered the kitchen. Her mother didn’t put a top on the blender and some kind of orange substance was plastered all over the kitchen. MT kneeled down to find her mother under the kitchen table eating a banana covered with her blended creation.
“
I’m going out for groceries momma,” MT said.
The rose colored mumu her mother wore was wrinkled, but MT was glad the woman managed to dress herself this morning. There was nothing more exhausting than trying to hold down the hefty woman and slip her into her clothes.
“
I want cookies,” Fran said. “Just make sure you bring cookies. There’s never anything to snack on.”
“
I will but you have to promise me something in return.”
Fran looked at her daughter, widened her eyes and bit her chapped, bottom lip. “What is it, MT?”
“
That you’ll behave when I do your hair later.”
Fran tugged at her knotted hair and looked away from her daughter. “But it hurts. I rather just cut it all off.”
“
I remembered how much you once loved your hair. Trust me; you’ll regret getting rid of it all.”
MT found herself constantly reminding the woman of whom she once was before she went mad.
Fran fanned her hand at her daughter. “Maria, cookies.”
MT nodded. “Fine, but only if you behave, do we have a deal?”
“
Chocolate chips, no oatmeal.”
MT smirked. “I’ll take that as a yes. I’ll be right back, I love you momma.”
“
You can’t love me.” Fran pointed towards her daughter’s stomach. “You’re empty.”
MT quickly stood, not needed to be reminded of what she did not possess. She grabbed her purse, unlocked the series of locks on the front door that kept her mom from breaking away and left.
The government assistance her mother received wasn’t enough for MT to buy a car. And her mother had depleted all the life insurance they received after her father’s passing. MT had to walk everywhere, but luckily for her Mt. Springer was a small town.
MT arrived at the shopping mart and grabbed a buggy. There were no crying children, pushy and impatient shoppers, or elderly people asking everybody except for the employees for assistance. The crowds shopping for Sunday dinner were still at church, making her time in the store peaceful. Too focused on trying to pick tomato paste instead of sauce, MT bumped into an employee.
“
I’m so-“MT sentence stopped short as she recognized the face.
“
Maria Toledo,” The handsome store clerk said with a wide smile. “How’s it going?”
She wanted to flee to checkout. “I’m alright, Kenneth, you?”
“
I just moved back to town and started here last Monday.”
“
That’s nice.” She wanted to keep this conversation as short as possible.
“
How’s Mrs. Toledo doing?”
“
My mom is fine.”
Kenneth nodded. “It’s so cool that you’re looking after her. If you need any help, I’m here.”
MT wondered if he had bumped his head and forgotten their history. “She’s not good around other people.”
“
Come on, she loves me. Prom night she took tons of photos of us and kissed me on the cheek.”
“
I have to go.”
Kenneth thumbed at a shelf of food. “Me too. Wait, do you still go by MT?”
She nodded. “I do. They were my initials after all before you started to mock them.”
“
Sorry about that, I was young and stupid. MT…’empty’, I thought I was being creative.”
“
Nope, just cruel but I’m over it. Bye Kenneth.”
She was glad to rush away from him. Last thing she wanted to do was revisit the incident after prom night. MT paid for her purchase, left the store and cursed the universe for hiring Kenneth at the only grocery store in town.
Once home, MT passed the hours by stocking the groceries and looking after her mother. She cooked, cleaned, cooked some more and cleaned once again. It got late and she decided to watch some television while she fixed her mother’s hair. MT sat on the couch and her mother on the floor between her legs. As she wrestled with the rough, knotted hair, her mother behaved as promised while snacking on a bag of cookies.