Leo took the rose and laid it on the dresser, something inside told him to leave it there. He went and grabbed his bags, opened the door to his room and slowly turned and looked. He felt oddly at ease with what he was about to do, and somehow knew it would be the right thing to do. Leo walked down the stairs and though the hall leading to the back door, only stopping for a moment to see if anyone had seen him. To his surprise and dismay there was no one around, this made a slight smile come across his face. He already knew that Uncle Fred was good with his leaving, and that did help with what he was doing. He thought for a minute and for some reason wondered what Zimmy would think about it, but could not figure out why she came across his mind.
As he got to the back door Leo thought he heard someone behind him, but there was no one there. He opened the door and heard the laugh of a child, and it made him turn around once more. He scanned the room from one side to the other, but did not see anything. He took a deep breath, and told himself it was nothing to get worked up about. He walked across the yard and around the pool, stopping for a moment at the far end. The reflection of the moon on the pool was so beautiful; he could almost make out every detail in the water. The water was so still it was like glass, and everything seemed so right. He was so awed by the view in the pool; he didn't even seem to notice the light breeze that was blowing on him.
Again he heard a child's laugh, which made him look up from the pool and focus on the house. The house was eerily dark, only a single light was lit on the second floor. The light was coming from Zimmy's room, but he could not see anyone moving around. He stood there looking at the house, when her figure moved behind the drapes. Leo could see every curve of her body, and could not help but look. Her long hair loose down her back, the gentle curve of her breasts and shape down to her waist. He could see the curve of her legs, one slightly bent as if she was sliding something off her foot. Leo was so entranced with how Zimmy looked; he did not see the young girl walk up next to him.
"Don't think too long on her, it will not be good for you." She said in a low almost haunting voice.
"What do you mean?" He was confused with what she said.
"She is no help to you." With urgency in her voice "You must go now."
Leo looked at the young lady, and seen a change in her demeanor. She did not look the same as before too him, her hair almost a silver in color and her gray eyes almost haunting. She was in a blue dress that looked torn and dirty.
"What is your name?' He was concerned about this young girl.
"You will learn soon enough, but now you must go." She reached out and grabbed his hand with force.
Her hands were cold and a bit oily to the touch, nothing like the warm feel of them before. Yet for some reason this did not feel strange to him, and he did not think twice about going with her. She led him to the gate at the far end of the yard; not saying anything to him just pointed down the path. She had no exasperation on her face, and Leo could not help but look twice at her. There was something about her that he could not pin down, but he trusted her. He turned and walked through the gate, then glanced back at the house one more time. The girl was gone from the yard, and all the lights up stairs were now off. Leo turned back around looking down the path, and he heard the little girls laugh again.
The trail was damp and dark, but the moon gave off enough light to see where to go. Leo walked for some time before getting tired, when he came upon a small shed next to the path. As he opened the door it let out an eerie creak, which sent shivers up his back. He had not been uneasy the whole time on the path, and he knew he should not be now. He shut the door and looked around; there was a small bed in the one corner and a table in the other. He lay his bag on the floor next to the bed, and lay down hopping to sleep. But sleep did not come easy for him; he lay there looking at the ceiling. Leo lay there thinking of Piper once again, but not any certain thought about her.
