The Powers

Chapter 4

We stood there in awkward silence for a few moments. Oki, tell him what happened.

“Um, there were two guys on the second floor and they, um . . . “ Crap! How can I tell him what happened down there? I don't even know what happened after they grabbed me.

Declan blinks as I trail off.

“Ohh, those two. They're harmless really. They just like to scare people.”

They did more than scare me. I want to say but I bite my tongue. “Um, well something happened. And i think they might be dead. I didn't see them breathing.” I get out instead. My heart was pounding in my chest. Declan just blinked at me again.

“Wait here.” He says slowly and retreats back inside, closing over the door.

I hear shuffling and muffled voices. “Just get rid of it . . . . Don't want . . . . . Can't find out . . . . .”

What are they doing? Just let me inside already. I begin to feel nervous being out here on my own. Whay if they come up here looking for me? I'm trapped. I dance nervously from foot to foot. Come on don't leave me out here alone.

Finally, after what feels like an age, Declan come back out fully dressed.

“Wait here, I'll be back in a bit.” And he sprints down the stairs. I glance at the half open door. Just as I reach a hand to push it open, the woman from earlier comes flying out.

She's dressed in revealing clothes with a small bag on her shoulder. She is young and pretty, with big eyes and full red lips. She could be the captain of the cheerleading team and homecoming queen all in one. So, Declan is into pretty young hookers, is he? I realise I'm staring at her and quickly look away.

She looks abashed. She looks like she is about to say something, then thinks better of it. She ducks her head and practically dashes for the stairs. I watch her retreating figure from the top of the stairs. She can't be much older than I am.

She bumps into Declan on her way down. He stops her and sticks some bills in the front of her short skirt. She glances up at me over his head, blushes and slips out of Declans arm to continue her run.

Declan takes the remaining stairs two at a time. He finally leads me into the apartment.

“Well, i don't know what you think happened, but those boys weren't there, so I can safely say that you didn't kill them.” He tries for humour, but he doesn't realise how close he is to the truth of what happened. I just look around the place.

It is a tiny apartment. I can see a bed through one door, and a dinky bathroom through the other. Where we are standing is the living room come kitchenette.

“Um, yea. Well it's not much, but it's cosy.” He says when he sees me looking around.

“Um, where will I be -”

“Ohh, yes. Now you're not one of those prissy, high maintanence girly girls, are you?” He asks as he retrieves a box from the corner.

“No, not really”, I reply. He holds out the box to me. An air bed and sleeping bag. Great.

“Like I said, it's not much, but this is where you will be sleeping.” He gestures to the living room area. “And the storage boxes should be here in the next few days, give or take. So, you will just have to live out of your suitcase till then, oki. Now, you hungry?”

He pulls out a couple of ready meals from the freezer and pops them in the microwave. This is going to be an experience.