Dielive [ENGLISH]

SEVEN

THE NEXT time after school, I told Jason everything about Lisa. But he wasn't interested at all. He would glance at me every now and then. Sometimes he would try to change the subject, so I baited him with something science-related.

"She said people are using organic pesticides instead of artificial ones."

Jason looked up. He had been looking down at the cracked asphalt. He was holding his skateboard in one hand.

"That's true," he said.

"So you agree? Why do people do that?" I asked, pretending to be curious even though I was really happy to have caught his attention.

"Of course. The chemicals in artificial fertilizers are harmful to plants. For example, in Mr. Jaquein's apple orchard, we now only use legumes and weed them. And that makes the apples healthier than when we used pesticides," Jason explained.

"Oh yeah...."

Jason cleared his throat. "You said you wanted to tell me something? What was it?"

I almost choked, but I tried to hide my surprise at his sudden question. "Later. I told you later."

"When? By the way, what about Florida? You didn't tell me anything about your vacation last time? That's weird."

"Oh yeah, I forgot. Or... let me think, I didn't tell you because you were mad at me."

"Hm, hm."

"Seriously," I said.

"What about Phil?" Jason asked.

"Uh." I coughed a little and covered my mouth and nose for a moment. My throat was dry.

"How did you spend your vacation with him? What did you do together? I wonder," Jason said.

We stopped walking about three feet from Cane Florist. My defenses instantly gave out. I wanted to tell him right now that I was moving to Florida in a few days. This was killing me.

"We didn't talk much," I said. "But he gave me some advice."

Jason burst out laughing. "That fast? Wow, he's really your dad. What advice?"

"I only have one dad. His name is Carlos. Remember that!" I elbowed him in the side and he winced in pain.

"Uh, oh. You obviously don't like him, Nadya Anderson!"

"Yep!" I nodded. "I don't really like him. He's unpredictable."

Phil was mysterious. He chased away strangers who bothered me, but he didn't say anything. From the look in his eyes, he seemed to be hiding something.

When he sat down next to my bed and persuaded me to stay in Florida by offering me that deal, I got goosebumps. A rare golden deal, one that Dad, let alone Mom, could never have thought of.

But Phil, a stranger I had only met three times, was so kind as to offer me that 'gift' before I actually left Chicago.

"If I were going to hate him, I'd probably hate him like I hate Mom," I said glumly.

"Maybe you just don't know him that well."

I rolled my eyes. "I don't think I'm interested in that. I'd rather think about how to match Dad with Lisa."

"Are you serious about that?"

"I don't know, I just feel like we have a bond."

Jason laughed out loud. "You have a bond with someone else, but you don't have a bond with your mother? That's weird."

"That's why," I answered quickly. "I want a better mother than Mom."

"You can't re-birth yourself," Jason said firmly. "Trust me, your biological parents are much better."

"Whatever! I still won't change my decision to match her with Dad. I know what's best."

I looked away and when I looked back, Jason was muttering.

"What's wrong with this girl? Is she crazy or what? She wants to match her father with..."

"Gosh, God forbid, Jason! Don't talk to yourself too much, you'll get possessed by a demon!"

"Grrr.... That crazy Mary is scarier than a demon!"

I burst out laughing. We were about to start walking again when a scream from the abandoned house made us jump. Jason and I hid in the bushes.

Mary was crazy. Crazy to death. When I was born, she was crazy. When I was five, I rode my bike in front of this house with Aunt May and heard her scream exactly like she was now. At first I didn't know why. But when I was a teenager, Mrs. Teresa told me that Mary was crazy because she was depressed.

Her life was ruined because the man she loved became abusive after getting married. The man who is still her husband cheated on her and made Mary's craziness even worse. Mary used to be beautiful. The most beautiful in Beverly. But now she's crazy. Mary is crazy. Crazy to death.

"You're going to die! You're going to die!" she shouted from inside the house.

We slowly emerged from the bushes. Jason hid behind me. His hand was on my arm, gripping it so hard that I winced.

"Ow! Jas!"

"Let's get out of here," he whispered.

His voice trembled.

"Oh my, we've heard her voice so many times. Are you still afraid?"

"I can't stand it, Nad. What if she suddenly opens the door and meets us?"

My heart was beating fast, but I still stood behind the bushes, in front of the neglected house. I was curious. What really happened to Mary? What made her husband change?

"But it was like she was talking to us, Jas."

"Huh? She's crazy, Nad. It's unclear what she's saying! Are you crazy too?"

"That's easy!"

"Come on, Nad!" Jason tugged at my parka again. However, before we left, the rusty door frame slowly opened. I should have run a long time ago, but reflexively I turned my head too.

"Hey! I'm talking to you!" shouted Mary.

I was stunned. Meanwhile, Jason was already crying and hugging me.

"Nad!!!" he whined.

"You little bastard! Do you think I'm crazy? You're looking at my house like it's a haunted house? You little bastard! You're the crazy idiot!"

Unbelievable, this crazy woman used to be the most beautiful woman in Beverly. Her skin was white, but her face was dull. She must have not bathed in decades. Her body was covered in flies, her hair was messy. It was also surprising how this woman was still alive.

However, the only reason she was not dragged to the social institution was because her husband still lived with her. He also claimed to still take care of Mary. Although, according to the locals, there was an 'angel' who looked after her. She fed Mary, combed her hair once a month and talked to her. Although, of course Mary threw shoes at her, but they said, the 'angel' came back again.

I was getting more and more curious about this crazy woman. Who was this angel? Did she really exist or was she just a fabrication of the locals and what happened to her husband? I had discussed it with Jason, but he was not interested in this at all.

"Misfortune will come to you and you won't be able to run like a little fly that got electrocuted! You can't run you little bastard!"

Jason kept pulling my arm, his knees were shaking, but I remained frozen. I didn't challenge Mary, I pitied her. However, Mary was even more annoyed, she screamed loudly. The heartbreaking sound broke my eardrums. Before the mad woman threw us with the shoes that were already in her grip, Jason dragged me and the shoes that Mary threw hit the black cherry tree.