Abominations (American Horror AU 3)

Chapter 8

"Misty? Misty?"

Julie had closed up shop two days later-they wanted to pay a surprise visit to their new friend mainly because Chase wanted to. Julie didn't quite know Misty enough to be friends with her, but somehow he had a connection with the both of them. Chase was sprinting toward the shack he remembered, and finally saw her-she was wearing a bright red dress with a frayed skirt, a wide-brimmed hat that made her hair stand out, a black scarf worn as a shawl, and knee-high brown boots. The sound of her name being called caught her attention-she was watering the flowers in front of her abode.

"Oh, hello," she said with a friendly smile. "I ain't seen you guys."

"We just closed up shop in town," Julie said, catching up to her brother at long last. Unlike the last time seeing her, Julie noticed that Misty was wearing makeup; black eyeliner, in specific, and light peach blush to add color to her face.

"Shop?"

"Yes, we work there," the woman with platinum, ice blonde hair said.

"What's it called?" Misty asked. "I'll stop by sometime."

"Earth Age," Julie responded, pulling her coat closer to her.

"What do you sell?"

"Oh, candles, incense, books, jewelry, herbs...readings," the striking woman listed.

"Like psychic readings?" Misty asked.

"Yes," Julie said.

"So you see things?"

"Yes. I was born with it. That's what I'm best at other than controlling ice," the woman giggled, her gray eyes looking into Misty's cheerful blue ones.

"Come on in," Misty said, putting the green watering pot down and going to the door of her shack. "But keep it down, alright?"

"Why, Misty?" Chase asked with childlike wonder in his eyes. Unlike the last time she had seen him, he was not wearing a baseball cap-the sunset shone on his dark blonde hair, making it look like the color of flax. She also saw that his chin had gotten better.

"He's sleeping," she said in a whisper.

She opened the door and they walked in, seeing a pallid young man with blond hair lying down on the bed. Curious, Chase walked over to him and looked down; Julie stayed behind, and even from the short distance she noticed a wound in his neck that was covered in the poultice. It was just then that she walked over and looked down curiously, gently moving the collar of his shirt aside to see that the gash went all around.

"Oh no," she muttered softly, looking down at the poultice-covered wound. "What happened?"

"Long story," Misty said, turning on the stereo to Fleetwood Mac and turning down the volume as the first chorus began:

"Rhiannon rings like a bell through the night
and wouldn't you love to love her?
Takes to the sky like a bird in flight
and who will be her lover?
All your life you've never seen
woman, taken by the wind
Would you stay if she promised you heaven?
Will you ever win?"

Julie looked over to see Misty swaying to the music, and Chase, who had smiled upon hearing the first few words, went over and sat on the beanbag chair next to the dancing woman, looking up at her as her shawl's fringes lightly brushed his face. Associating good memories with the song, he smiled and swayed in his seat.

"Miss Jackie loved this song," he said excitedly.

"Oh?" she asked. "Who's Miss Jackie?"

"Misty?" Julie asked as she gestured her over; the blonde, curly-haired woman complied and walked over toward the bed Kyle was resting on and Julie was standing over. Their eyes met, and Julie could see everything that had happened just by looking at the undead being and feeling his hand, the dead look in his eyes unwavering as they stared off trudgingly into space.