She sighed as she finally finished putting everything away. That video scared the shit out of her.
Are those things actually out there? She didn't even see it running before it got to that girl. How was it even alive, both of its arms were missing. They're so fast to, faster than the Olympic runners her husband used to watch.
"Mommy, what was that on the TV?" Arlene asked, going to sit on the couch. "Just an adult movie, I didn't want you to see it."
"It looked like the news." She looked at her mother as she reached for the remote. "That was just part of the movie." She grimaced as Arlene turned the tv on to whatever channel she always had on. Esther didn't really remember its name anymore.
She looked out the window, deciding to close the blinds. "Why don't I get the DVD player and you can pick out a movie?"
"I thought we only did that with dad." She muttered. "It doesn't mean the two of us can't do it, and you can pick out any movies you'd like."
Arlene beamed as she got up from the couch and ran towards her mom's room, Esther slowly following after her.
She regrets this more than anything in the world, stuck watching childish movies on the couch with her daughter. It didn't sound that bad, but the topic of friendship coming up every two minutes was driving her insane.
What life lessons did these kid movies even teach? Yeah they were for children, but why grow up on false hope?
She looked to her side. She guessed seeing such a big smile on Arlene's face was worth it. Maybe.
She looked over to her phone, which she had put on the charger not too long ago. It was already 9:30? Damn, it's getting late. "When this is over, it's bed time, okay?" Arlene looked up at her. "Just one more?" Esther shook her head. "It's almost ten."
"Is it so you can watch your adult movies?" "Yes." She led her daughter back to her room, closing the door as quietly as possible so she could fall asleep.
Esther huffed as she made her way to her own room, slowly cracking the door open. Weird. She didn't turn any lights on. Maybe it was just Arlene getting the DVD player.
"Ugh, Arlene.." She groaned at the sight of her basically trashed room. Her desk was basically upside down with the was it was leaning on the way, and the window was... opened.
She swore her heart had stopped and all time froze. Taking a slow and shaky step forward, she looked down on the streets below. The flowers she had been growing before this were long dead.
She didn't see anything, so she assumed it was safe. Maybe she was just anxious after seeing that video, it wasn't even in her area. Sightings of the infected haven't been spotted anywhere near her. Yeah, it was just nerve.
She should really go to bed. After she gets this placed cleaned up, of course.
She sighed, taking a deep breath in to slow her heart rate, before walking over to the desk. Such a young girl couldn't possibly flip it over, but then again, she moved her dresser across her room because she didn't like where it was.
The memory made her laugh a bit, and how Aamon fell asleep after having to move it, already being tired from the day before. That shaggy, brown hair was a mess in the morning.
She kept laughing, eyes welling up with tears. She promised herself she'd stop thinking of him, what was up with her lately? It's like she was a carbon copy of her beloved by now. Horrible sleep schedule and emotions everywhere.
Yet he still had time for his little girl, he always did. Every evening, he managed to get her ready for bed, and played with her and her army of toys. He was buried under them by the end of it.
She always, always had to help him get ready for bed after, like he was a little child. In a joking manner her even asked her to read him a story to go to bed. She complied each time.
Now it was her job to keep the little girl happy, which wasn't very hard, but the days were getting shorter and unbearable.
It was cold outside. The winter felt like it was lasting forever, like a fever dream but— sort of the opposite? It was still uncomfortable and she felt she felt horribly ill. But instead of feeling feverishly hot, she was cold.
Each time she opened a window or went outside she felt like her fingertips froze and her limbs went numb unless she was properly covered up.
She put the upright and sighed, looking at books filled with drawings and art supplies trashing the floor below her. She didn't use them anymore.
Esther was an artist, and she made quite a lot for the career. Her drawings often depicted horror and gory theme, things that are mainly in adult movies or horror or gore films like The Nun or Terrifier.
She drew more appropriate things for Arlene, though, like pets that had already passed, mainly cats or the singular bird Esther had when she was in college. It was named Hubble.
Aamon got him for her, actually. In the back alley from a van. That's where he said he got him, but she went with him to the pet store. She picked him out.
Memories. Useful momentums. Held dearly by some, others found them useless. She often thought about them, triggering others.
She sighed, closing the window and shutting the curtains. So damn tried. She could organize the materials and sketch books that were left in a heap on her desk in the morning.
So early in the morning, she woke up to noises outside her door. A shuffle, as if someone was trying to walk around with their entire body covered in blankets, from head to toe.
She rolled onto her stomach, using the pillow to cover her ears. It was probably just Arlene getting water or some juice. There was the noise of something being dragged across the floor.
Something sharp, most likely scratching through the wooden floors. Like a steak knife or a dagger. Why would Arlene need to something like that?
She grumbled as she sat up, letting her eyes adjust to the dark surroundings. It would be a lot easier if moonlight could pool in through the window, but she would need to move the curtains for that.
She was too tired to even fully get up. But she was honestly curious what that noise was. It disappeared into the hall, maybe it was just her imagination.
Check it out? —>
Go back to sleep. —>
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