All Your Fault

Chapter Four

When Howard had reached the bus stop, I kissed him on his wrinkly cheek and ushered a still trembling Andrea down the street to my house. Dorian's black car still parked crookedly in my driveway, I grumbled angrily to myself, ready for the onslaught of his predictable anger at my apparent childishness.

"Where's your brown coat Kasey? The one you usually wear, I didn't realize you weren't wearing it till now." Andrea's voice was a low tremble.

I shrugged, "a homeless old woman needed it more than I did, end of conversation." I bit out, not willing to divulge in my niceties.

Opening the door, I stepped through first, the darkness of the entry soaking up around me; I flicked on the lights.

He strode towards me with the prowl of a predator, his shirt wrinkled, his boots gone. I froze as his dark eyes focused dangerously on me, a flash of gold startled me, but it was gone quickly-almost as if I had imagined it. His stocking feet didn't make a sound as he stalked towards me.

"What do you want? I thought I told you to leave." I snarled, backing away from him.

He grabbed my arm in a vice like grip his face so close to mine I could smell the mint on his breathe, "where did you go?" his voice was a dangerously low octave, his Russian accent thick.

I tried to pull away, "none of your business. Why are you even here? Leave, go work with my mother." I bit out, wrenching my arm from his grasp.

"Where is your coat you stupid girl." He spat, "are you that brainless to realize that it is twenty degrees outside you foolish child. Just like today no god damn coat."

I tensed, turning away from him I ushered a wide-eyed Andrea into the living room. Throwing his leather jacket and boots onto the chair, I let Andrea curl up on the couch.

"I'll see you in the morning Andrea, just sleep. I need to go before I do something I'll regret." I whispered.

I slowly ascended the stairs when I heard, "for the record you jerk, I'm wearing her coat she gave it to me because I didn't have one. She gave her other jacket to a homeless old woman. Quit being an asshole to someone you know nothing about."

I shook my head and quietly shut my door behind me; the bright light of the rare full moon illuminated the pale walls that surrounded me. I climbed lazily onto the bed and kicked off my boots once again, the clock blared 3:30 a.m. - I had time enough to get three more hours of sleep.

I tossed and turned restlessly the flash of gold sprinting across my dreamless sleep, with an irritated groan I rolled out of my destroyed bed and drug my feet to the kitchen. Andrea was passed out, her white blonde hair a halo around her pale face.

I noted with satisfaction that the boots and jacket were gone; I slipped quietly passed the couch and poured myself a drink of water. I leaned against the counter, staring out the window when movement caught my eye. I clenched the glass tighter in my hand, as I leaned forward squinting into the darkness.

The scarce moonlight had been swallowed by the ever-present opaque clouds, a thin veil of mist condensing on the windowpane. The shadows shifted again, a figure lurched across the yard; I swallowed a yelp at the enormity of the swift shadow. I shook my head, squeezed my eyes shut, and opened them once more. The shadows were insipid as usually, a blank canvas of darkness that blanketed the damp ground.

I chuckled to myself at my ridiculous spark of fear, I offhandedly checked the locks-convincing myself it had nothing to do with what I had seen or what I wanted to believe I didn't see. Realizing that sleep was a lost hope, I trudged up the stairs to the bathroom. The familiar rush of water eased my frazzled nerves and the routine of calmly removing my clothes pushed the golden spark from my mind.