Between Two Mates

Chapter 2: Discoveries

I nervously glanced around the trees as I walked down the half-beaten path back towards the house. The poison ivy was beginning to grow into the path and I was careful to avoid it. My mind wandered back to words I could have sworn I had heard whispered in my mind. After I had heard them my brain wouldn't let me believe they were fake. I quickly moved out of the spring and threw my clothes back on soaking wet. For the first time in my life, the woods were making me nervous. The branches seemed to be creeping in on me and I still felt the lingering eyes of something watching me. I wasn't sure the presence was harmful but something about it demanded a healthy level of fear.  

I burst through the tree line, the house now in view. I dreaded seeing my mom again, but my fear forced me towards the house. At this moment I wished the field between me and the farmhouse was bigger. I didn't see my mom or dad's truck out front. I exhaled in relief my pace quickening. I walked into the house. On the counter was a stack of pancakes, handmade by my mom. I could smell something on them that I had never smelled before, something pungent and sour on the cake. Beneath it a note read "I'm sorry honey. I'll explain later.-Mom". I picked up the note before putting it back down again. The sour smell deterred me and I made my way to the stairs. The wood creaked as started up them. I opened the door to my room the light streamed in through the half-closed blinds. I locked the door behind me. I pulled my sticky wet shirt off of my body throwing it into the hamper. The wet jeans clung to me seeming to fight back when I tried to pull them off. I peeled off my wet bra and underwear making my way to my bathroom. I yanked open the shower curtain, the room was bright from the small window above my bathtub. I turned on the water craving the heat to burn away the watching eyes. By the time I had finished showering my skin was red and sensitive. I wrapped a towel around me. My fading initials wearing away on it, a gift from my aunt when I was born. I pulled on an old shirt, holes littering the area around the shoulders. A faded smiling stick figure was on the front with the words "Life is the Breeze" printed underneath it. I pulled a pair of boxers out of my dresser. This pair had belonged to a high school boyfriend. He had left for college while I had stayed around attending the state college. Money was tight and I was already in debt for a state college. My summers were when I tried to save the most money. However, the bar I worked at had offered to pay for my drinks for my 21st. I pulled the boxers on. The sun gently shined onto my bed. I collapsed face-first onto my bed, groaning into the pillow. I pulled just the sheet over me the heat kept me from snuggling under the comforter completely. I closed my eyes wishing for this evening to be here already so I could see my friends, who were home from school for the summer and wouldn't try to tell me werewolves were killing the cows. Instead, I focused on the warmth of my bed and the feel of the sun. 

I woke up to the feeling of eyes on me again. I jerked upwards looking out the window. The sun was no longer outside my window. I saw no movement outside and the feeling quickly left me. I grabbed my phone from next to me at 4:45. I had slept through lunch and most of the afternoon. I swung my feet over the edge of the bed sinking until my toes reached the floor. I could smell the cake baking downstairs and once again the sour smell hit my nose. I walked over to the door clicking open the lock and creaking the door open. The narrow staircase was cast in shadow as I made my way towards it. I heard my mom and dad mumbling downstairs as the first stair creaked, the mumbling immediately stopped. 

"Susie Rose?" My mom hesitantly said,

"Hi, Mom," I said groggily as I made my way further down the stairs. 

"How was your nap, honey?" She asked,

"Needed," I replied, hoping this conversation meant we were back to normal. The sour smell overtook the kitchen and I struggled not to turn back up the stairs at the smell. The cake sat on the counter, freshly iced. I could practically see the waves of the smell radiating off of it. I walked closer to my mom.