Devil

-41-

-Esla-

I was finishing up some homework on my bed when my mother knocked on my bedroom door. I looked up, calling out softly for her to come in. I went back to my English work, sadly pouring over an article about beeswax and bee endangerment.

"Hey, how are you doing?" she asked me.

"I'm fine," I answered tiredly. I was less than fine, I had a mountain of schoolwork and everybody at school was avoiding me like I'd throw them into a table at any given second. Kiersten and Jashaea were my only happy place at school now, and I didn't have all my classes with them.

"You sure," she rubbed my back gently, glancing down at my schoolwork. "Yeah," I sighed. "Kiersten cried during our first class together. We had to step outside," I explained.

"I'm sure she wasn't taking things too well. They probably interacted a lot more than you two did," my mother said, referring to Ms. Orange and Kiersten's proximity.

"Maybe we can drive by there one day and see if her niece is around," my mother suggested. "I wanted to know when the funeral was so that we can attend."

"I don't know, if it just happened today by tomorrow they might have everything hauled out. She might not even come back there."

"No no, they aren't gonna have everything moved out just yet. It takes awhile to pack up things and then-

"She was moving, things were already packed up," I reminded my mother.

"Oh, well then yes, her things might be gone by tomorrow," my mother nodded. She looked down at her phone, "I suppose we could drop by there now. It's not too late and her niece is probably still there. I know Ms. Orange didn't have any kids of her own so." My heart ached as I remembered the conversation her and I had about her miscarriage.

"I wonder if her ashes will be spread in Jamaica. That's where she was moving too," I stated.

"If her niece is kind enough then perhaps," my mother shrugged. "C'mon. You could use a break from your work," she smiled at me.

I dressed a bit more then went downstairs to the living room where my mom was telling my dad where we were headed. "Okay, you guys stay safe," he smiled at us.

We got into the car and drove to Stafford Blue as I text Kiersten what we were heading to the area to do. She told me she still saw lights on in the house and I only hoped we made it there in time. I think my mom was partially driving us so that I could have some fresh air from my homework and grief, because she usually didn't make errands out this late.

We began driving near Kiersten's street and I blinked back tears. I had just talked to this lady not too long ago. It hurt a lot. We turned down the street and Ms. Orange's apartment-home was brightly lit across the street from Kiersten's. I text my best friend a "hey", then waited impatiently for my mother to park.

We got out and hesitantly began walking up the walkway. "They've already taken down the sign?" I told my mother, pointing at where the "For Sale" sign Ms. Orange was punching into the ground had been.

"Maybe they're deciding not to sell it anymore. Or maybe they have to wait and get the documents for it. Or," my mother shrugged as we reached the front door that had shoe scuff marks on it. "Someone already bought it."

"I can only imagine they wouldn't want it anymore after something like this happening," I shuddered.

"You'd be surprised," my mom said. "If it's a cheap place or more accessible place to live-

"Hello?" a lady that resembled Ms. Orange too much opened the door. Had we been too loud?

"We came over because we knew Ms. Orange. We wanted to offer comfort and to know when the funeral was," my mother spoke softly. "I know it's just the... day of, but I figured I might be of help with the funeral planning since I've had quite the amount of experience." My eyebrows rose as my mother stated that. I hadn't realized so many people around her had died. Perhaps it was when I was younger.

Or maybe she was saying that to get the tea.

The other woman sniffled, bringing a soggy tissue to her eyes. "I'm her niece, Janessa Orange." She let us inside and the smell of burnt rubber and packing filled my nostrils. "I was just trying to get the rest of her things out of here before the night was out. I didn't want someone to rob her- the place again," she sighed. "You can sit here," Ms. Orange's niece gestured to a wrapped couch.

"Has the house sold?" my mother asked, staring at the younger woman curiously. Janessa Orange honestly looked to be her late 30s, possibly mid 40s but anyone could be a college student.

"Yes, she got the offer a little bit before she died. I don't remember if it was the day before, of, or whatever," Janessa Orange shrugged. "I'm really her last living relative and the only one that cares. Funeral planning is gonna be hard, and she had almost put all of her savings into the Jamaica move."

"She'd probably want her ashes spread across Jamaica," I suggested timidly, not knowing whether I was welcome in the conversation because of my age, or if I'd just be ignored.

Janessa seemed to be considering my idea for a moment but shook her head full of twists. "Ms. Orange may not have had much family but she was beloved by the community. I can't take that away from everyone. She deserves a funeral around everyone who loved and was appreciated by her."

"You can cremate her afterwards," I then suggested.

My mother laid a gentle hand on my lap, I'm assuming telling me to back off. "Cremations and funerals are all very expensive, Esla. Things just can't work like that," my mother shrugged. She then turned to Ms. Orange's niece. "Any help you need, I'm just a call away."

My mother stood up and I followed her lead. "Need any help packing things or you got it handled?" she asked. "I got a cousin who's gonna drop by and lend me a hand. That'll get things moving more quickly," Janessa shrugged. My mom and I nodded politely.

"Well, I'll be going. Let me know when you plan to have the funeral."

"Will do," Ms. Orange's niece tipped her head.

We left the house, questions brewing in my head. Someone was going to steal away Ms. Orange's house so soon? And after a break in and murder of all things? I felt betrayed and crushed for some reason, and found myself looking up at Kiersten's window for some form of comfort.

I found none.

It's not like I could outright ask Janessa Orange when the house would be officially sold, but I wanted to...I don't know, appreciate the house before someone else claimed it as their own. It felt like the world was still spinning but I was still stuck on how such a sweet lady was gone.

I huffed, earning a curious look from my mother.

I know who can get me information that I can't access, but I didn't even want to think her name right now. It didn't feel appropriate, and knowing when the house would be sold wasn't anything major. Kiersten and I easily could sneak around and peer into the house, but for some reason I had a bad feeling about Ms. Orange's death.

A pretty bad one.