All For Not - Wednesday

Page 83

Months later, deep into summer...

"What is that incessant noise!?" I hiss, shooting up. Growling as the banging persisted my hands lift and I grab the wooden ledges on each side of my body, lifting myself up from the hand carved wooden coffin I step out onto the creaky floor below.

"Pugsley!" I yell as I stride to the door and swing it open, locking eyes with the young child who swallows and stutters when he looks up at me, "I'm sorry."

"Why?" I narrow my eyes and ask him only for him to give a sheepish smile and take a step back before he turns and runs. Lazily I blink and sigh as he runs down the stair at the end of the hall, his feet pounding down the red cloth case. Lifting a hand to wipe my face down I growl, fingers itching with heat and cracking with flames as I trail it across my face and down my jaw to my neck where I let my head fall back.

My eyes open and I look back at where Pugsley had disappeared to. With a deep breath I follow, making my way across the carpet and then down the curved staircase where the walls curve in towards the ceiling in an arch.

"Pugsley, don't think running will keep the skin on those bones of yours..."

My voice echoes and carries down through the house towards the entrance of the manor as I make my way down, coming closer upon the boy who sat at the bottom of the enclosed staircase, waiting, head peeking around the arched entryway so he could watch for me.

"Pugsley," I start, saying his name calmly and collected as I take another step down. He runs though, dipping back out of my view and letting his feet pound against the wooden floor as he trails me further through the manor.

"I'm starting to think I should have eaten you when you were just a babe Pugsley, in fact I'm starting to feel peckish little brother..." I glower as I talk, following him while being completely unaware of the fact he was leading me away as part of a larger scale plan crafted by more than one person.

"I expect you have a list of herbs to roast you with already written down and collected you overgrown weed," I huff, watching his figure retreat again but with a sly grin on his face this time that provokes the ache in my skull and the hot flare under my skin.

My right nostril starts to twitch as I stop and pause, taking a deep smokey lung filled breath before continuing and walking alongside the banister. In the corner of my eye however I see Pugsley rush off into the parlor to the side of the grand staircase, tripping on the frilled rug before he hops up and takes off out of my sight once more.

"Little brother, mothers plants won't protect you..." I call out as I turn, grasping the banister railing, walking down the intricate wooden staircase, the lamps at the bottom that stay carved and encrusted into the railing flicker as I walk under one.

My foot hits the floor, moving from the wooden steps and the blood rep carpet to the black marbled tiles that lay out in an intricate design that hosts a singular thorned stem, sans the rose petals.

Breathing deeply I stand there looking to the side as I roll my shoulders and my bones crack and pop. The stretch as I elongate my arms over my head makes my torso feel tight, my spine and ribs pop with the action.

I drop my arms and move, walking across the foyer till I stand in front of the parlor and look over to find Pugsley, along with our father and surprisingly a third person.

"Xavier..." I exhale deeply.

The boy stands smiling brightly, "Hey, guess who's staying for a couple days," he chuckles after he speaks. It's clear he means himself as he stands expectant of something, most likely my possible interest in the situation.