Runaway - A DEVIL'S NIGHT FANFICTION (PTBR + ENG)

Chapter 19 - Nini

Nowadays...

"Okay, all set. Are you ready?" – I ask the line stretching out in front of me, feeling more anxious than they are.

"Yes!" Indie, Finn and Sec reply in unison.

"Go ahead," I say and the line moves up the stairs, with me leading the way and Emory and Will right behind.

It's Friday and I've spent the whole week redecorating my room, with the two of them helping me buy materials and equipment, but choosing to do it on my own. I had a lot on my mind and this was my best way of deciding what to do.

It had been years since I'd painted anything like this and I'd never had the chance to do it on a wall, but I knew I'd put in the effort and I was satisfied with my work. It wasn't as good as the original, but I wasn't looking that far ahead.

"Blindfolds, please" – I ask and each of them covers their eyes with a mask, a bandana or in Sec's case, takes off their glasses and I place one of my hands on his eyes. – "Only take the blindfold off when I tell you to, okay?"

When I open the door, I start an instrumental version of Somewhere Only We Know with my cell phone and the music echoes through the speaker I've installed, at the same time as I enter with the five of them, leaving them in front of the wall.

"You can take it down," I say and step back, away from Sec.

The room then fills with surprised expressions and I put my hands behind my back, watching them as they look around at my attempt to reproduce The Olive Trees by mixing modern art and realism.

"Jesus, Nini!" – Will exclaims, as Emory approaches the wall. – "Did you do that by yourself?"

"Technically, Vincent Van Gogh did," I correct. – "I just tried to copy the painting and make the room an extension of it."

"The crazy painter who cut off the ears, right?" – he asks, without recognizing the painting.

"Dad, look at the lights" – Indie comments, pointing to the lights I've strung across the room while Finn is absorbed by the bed and the huge mirror that reflects the space.

"This looks amazing! You did this in a week?" – Emory asks and I walk over to her.

"That's what the fluorescent paints were for, so that when I turned on the blue light, they would vibrate even more strongly and make everything more realistic."

"It worked," she says and holds out her hand, but lowers it. – "Excuse me, can I touch it?"

"Of course, it's a wall!" – I joke, reaching out and touching it myself.

"I didn't know this painting," Will says, approaching us, with Sec by his side amazed by the neon paint reflecting in the room, also wanting to run his hands over the bright paint.

"Most people only know a few of his paintings, usually the most famous, Starry Night, which, although it's one of my favorites, isn't the only one," I explain.

"He also painted a self-portrait with his head bandaged, didn't he?" – he reminds me, asking.

"Yes," I reply, letting out a sigh, "it's unfortunate that people know so little about his work."

"Yeah, I don't really know much, I mean, a couple of paintings, the face and the ear thing, isn't that it?"

I nod.

"That's what most people know. A well-known painting, a face and a few stupid acts because of his illness ended up determining an entire career," I say, annoyed. – "Which I think is unfair, I mean, can you imagine if your whole life was reduced to just one job and one irresponsible deed when, in fact, there are more than 1931 other things you've done?"