Hidden Behind Walls

Chapter 25: And You are not Alice

I originally thought I'd get this chapter out early, and wow that idea went out the window real quick. Butttt I finished the chapter and once again thanks for reading my story, and commenting and voting. It means a lot. <(^•^)>

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Raven P.O.V.

    I was languidly flipping through channels in the main living room.  My baby cousin, Flora, sat on my lap playing with my free left hand. Her chubby self didn't feel like staying on my lap for long and she started to squirm and wiggle trying to get off of me.

    "Flora, come on sweetie you can't do this to me" I mumble, setting the remote beside me and then gripping onto Flora sides. I place her back onto my lap and she squirms again. I pick her up and raise her above my head, and start moving her left and right, while I made whirring noises.

    A gurgle laugh comes up her throat and she grinned down at me. I sat her on my right thigh and bounced her mindlessly, my hands skimming the sides of her batman onesie. We were the only two awake at this time. I had let my youngest aunt, Cassandra, and her husband sleep through Flora's little insomnia. So I fed her around 11ish and we've been chilling ever since.

    Once I had gotten a rhythm, I went to grab the remote again to change the channel. I was currently on the local news and it was rambling on about some recent homicide. I wouldn't have taken any notice if it wasn't for the name Ollivander Gerstein's name being said and him being reportedly dead. My bouncing ceased and Flora started up with her impatient whines. I on the other hand,  was too  busy trying to look for my phone in the living room. My eyes zoned in on it lying near the fireplace. I placed Flora on my hip and grabbed it quickly. Punching in the #3 on speed dial, Clayton's  face emerged on the screen. I waited impatiently, and rather worried, as the phone continued to thrum dial tones.

    "Pick up, Clay" I whispered.  All I got was voicemail: Clayton's voice calmly thrumming a mundane saying.

    "Flora, baby girl, now I'm really worried" I mumble staring at my phone.  I dialed the number once again. I paced around the living room, bouncing Flora a bit when she got angsty, and waited for an answer. I got none. Now, I'm not one to panic but with Clayton I was already feeling the lump of worry burrowing itself in my stomach and the worst case scenarios thrumming through my brain. I tried again, and again, and again. Nothing. Zilch. Zip. Nada.
Rien.

    The gears turning in my head told me to find my keys and put Flora down in her play-pen crib and go try to find him. The rational part of my brain considered the fact that since it was on the fucking news, there was a probable and non-extreme reason why he wasn't picking up the phone. He may be going through questioning..........or you know in a hospital slowly bleeding out. That dark note ruined all the rational I was trying to build to keep me sane. Bile began creeping up my throat and stung the walls of my esophagus.

     I could hear the TV in the background expelling more information about Ollivander's death and the Gerstein Family. I focused my attention on Flora, the quicker I got her to sleep, the better it would be for me to sneak out.  I began to quietly sing a song, hoping a lullaby would work.

"Dodo, ti titit manman l
      Dodo, ti titit papa l
      Si li pa dodo, krab la manje l
      Si li pa dodo, krab la manje l
      Papa ou pa la, l ale la rivye
      Manman ou pa la, l ale chache bwa
      Si ou pa dodo, krab la va manje w
      Si ou pa dodo, krab la va manje w
      Dodo, ti titit manman l
      Dodo, ti titit papa l
      Si li pa dodo, krab la va manje l
      Si li pa dodo, krab la va manje l
      Manman ou pa la, l ale la rivye
      Papa ou pa la, l ale peche krab
      Si ou pa dodo, krab la va manje w
      Si ou pa dodo, krab la va manje w
      Dodo titit, Krab nan kalalou
      Dodo titit! Krab nan kalalou"