ODDITY

Chapter Nine (Deborah's POV)

I woke up and stared at the ceiling for a while. I had a change of clothes, I wasn't even wearing a bra. What the hell had happened? I sat up and Nahum walked in.

"Hey, what happened yesterday?" I said, holding my head that ached badly.

"I remember you putting on the stitches and then passing out. Then Elliott and I went to clean ourselves up and tried to wake you. You didn't respond so Elliott cleaned you up. Sorry if you're mad that he saw.." he trailed off.

Elliot saw me naked? Whoa... It's better than Nahum seeing me anyways. "It's okay.. I don't want to catch a cold anyway."

"Yeah. How exactly did things go down yesterday with Outtagetus?" Nahum questioned.

"I should be asking you that. I'm having a migraine so let's all talk about it later, okay?"

He nodded then I continued, "Where's Elliott?"

"He went out for a walk like five minutes ago. By the way, I made you breakfast."

"Alright, thanks Nahum."

I walked out to see cereal in a bowl.
"Wow, breakfast looks amazing!" I said sarcastically, loud enough for Nahum to hear.

"Hey beautiful!" Elliott walked in and stretched out his arms. I ran to him and jumped wrapping my legs around him with my hands around his neck.

"Where'd you go this morning?"

"I had breakfast at your mum's house."

"What? I'm going over there. All I got here was a bowl of cereal."

"Exactly." he laughed.

"Wait, put me down." I tapped his shoulders.

He pouted then put me down. I led him to the kitchen table and sat down to eat.

"What happened last night?" I said, looking up at him.

"You mean when we showered?" he smirked.

I was dying of embarrassment. How the hell did I not wake up? But then again, it would have been weird for me to wake up when that was happening."Shut up, pervert." I gave him a pointed look.

"Nahum, get out here!" Elliott said and took a seat.

Nahum came and they told me that when I left to get the beer the monster appeared, threw them up in the air and back down. It's claws cut them and that's when I came out.

"Sorry guys, it must have been a lot to handle." I said standing up to but the bowl in the sync.

"Nah..it was much worse for you and you even passed out from the stress." Elliott said.

"But hey, good thinking with the fireworks." Nahum paused then continued, "I'm trying to figure out a plan to end this thing once and for all."

"That'll be great."

*****

"Wake up man!" Elliott and I were trying to get Nahum to wake up. He had been panting, sweating and shouting in his sleep for about five minutes now.

"You know it's Outtagetus?" I said to Elliott then groaned into my palms.

"Of course it is."

"I'm not sure if there's anything we can do, he'll wake up himself."

After a while, he did.
"Uhh..my head feels like it's about to explode." Nahum said, trying to sit up.

Elliott and I got up from the floor.
-"Are you okay?"
-"Just lie down." we said, simultaneously.

"I'm fine, guys." Nahum answered, lying down with his arm over his eyes.

"You sure?"

"Just a headache, you know the monster can't hurt me in my dreams anyway." he said with a reassuring smile.

I wouldn't be the same if anything happened to Nahum. I can't lose anyone again.

Over the next few days, the monster visited Nahum almost every night. Was that thing a coward? Why can't it just come and fight?

"What are you doing?" Elliott said as he walked in. I closed the laptop. I had been doing my research on monsters, trying to find a way to get rid of Outtagetus forever. I wasn't ready to share with anyone though.

"Nothing much. I want to go see my mum later."

"You've been acting weird for sometime now. Are you good?" He asked and took my hands.

"I'm perfectly fine just worried about Nahum" shit. I hate white lies.

"Alright but before you go see your mum, we've got something to do. Sit on the table first." he grinned.

"What do you mean 'sit on the table'?" I questioned, my eyes widening.

"I won't do anything crazy, okay?" he laughed.

I paused then sat on the table. He turned so his back would face me then took my legs.

"Just a piggyback ride."

He let me down at the front door then moved behind me and put his hand over my eyes.

"It's a surprise, Bora."

I walked out cautiously as he held my back. We got outside and he removed his hand.

"Wow"I whispered and my lips curved into a smile. He set up a movie date with snacks. There were gummy bears! Oh yeah, I'm addicted to them.

"Glad you like it." he winked and gave me a quick kiss on the cheek. Hmm...I wanted it on my lips and maybe not as quick.

"Yeah it's looks great."

"So what are we watching?"

"I don't know but comedy though." My kind of thing would be something sad or horror but a comedy film would be great for these times.

"Little?"

"I watched that." I said with a sweet smile, "But I really don't mind watching it again."

"Nah...let's watch instant family."

"Alright." It was good. I occasionally glanced at him and felt his gaze at times. He smelled good too. It had ended. He was humming the song they played while showing the credits and I looked up at him. We locked eyes and I only wanted him to steal my breath with a kiss. For a while, it didn't feel real that I was with Elliott, that he wanted me as much as I did. He moved past my face and whispered in my ear, seductively, "Let's go for a drive." I was a little disappointed but also excited I would be doing one of the things on my imaginary list of romantic things I wanted to experience, 'being his passenger princess.'

I nodded in agreement and he playfully chased me to the car then opened the door. In the car, he asked me if I had a real ambition like a career, before I came to work in Nahum's house.

"Promise me you won't laugh." I answered.

"Why would I do that?"

"Okay, I had a lot I wanted to do like directing movies, writing books, being a lawyer and I think I wanted to even do art at some point but there was one dream that I really wanted to achieve. It just sounds silly."

"What's that?"

"I wanted to be a poultry farmer." I said and immediately dropped my head into my palms.

"What?" I wasn't looking at him but I knew he was holding back laughter.

"Why?"

"My dad was never home on Saturdays. So, my mum and I went out for fried chicken most Saturdays. Our best memories were over chicken, you know." I laughed.

"Well you can do it. It is a profession." he chuckled.

I was a little embarrassed. I popped a gummy bear into his mouth then he rested his hand on my thigh. We listened to a 90s playlist and drove back home.