I Survived The Witch [#1] ✓ [Follow Freelove to Read]

## Alice 2

As always, private chapter 17 is right after this.

I pull away from the TV and readjust my legs on the couch until both of them are back on the floor.  Damn I need a break.  There is a healthy pile of videos surrounding me, various CDs of some of the older victims.  There’s a neat pile of Bell, a couple for the Cat Lady, and a few piles of those who I’ve yet to meet in the story.

The mess gives me a headache, this room, though warm and comfy is giving me a headache.  I need to get out, to find something bright and happy.  The story doesn’t get better as time progresses, but at least I can take a break now and do it in moderation.  I stand up and head for the door, leaving the TV paused on the next DVD for Bell, we’ll get to that next time.  The fireplace is set to low, more of an atmospheric visual than warmth.  It’s not like it really gets cold here, it never gets cold here, even in the winter the temperature is still in the respectable sixties.  No snow for me, and I’m glad for that.

Outside of the room everything is considerably brighter.  I started this adventure with the clips early in the morning so it’s still close to midday outside, allowing plenty of light to blare into the grand hall.  There is a bright crystal chandelier handing down past the second floor, I admire the golden chain that hold it up, this glass structure is the complete contrast to the black one in my study.  There is a marble hall across the second floor with an open balcony that looks over the chandelier and grand entrance beyond.

There are two ways down to the second floor; both of them are the half-circle staircases from the top floor to the bottom, meeting looking directly at each other.  These staircases are white and connect with a white and gray tile floor polished so much when the light reflects properly off the chandelier particles of light could glisten into your eyes and temporarily blind you.

I walk around one of the sides and make my way into a hall under the balcony I was on moments before.  Through this small entryway is my living room and grand kitchen.  The kitchen is what I aim for.  There are deep white shelves everywhere with a dark granite counter.  In the center there is a massive circular counter with a grill in the center, here I’ve been known to cook food as I eat with friends, or we can use the grill as an atmospheric fire during a breakfast or other dining situation.  It even has a vent which can be lowered or raised to keep the produced smoke out of my home. 

Behind this circular counter is the largest fridge I’ve ever seen.  That fridge is empty now, seeing I’m not hosting anyone.  But when I have guests I make sure to stalk it full with food, drinks, and deserts.  Next to the fridge is a sink with three compartments and a large faucet.  Past the sink is all counter to a corner then a little bit more counter till it runs into a large oven.  This oven can cook multiple things at once and even has a top and bottom which can be heated to different temperatures.  The oven has a front made of pure glass so if I wished I could just sit here and watch the food cook.

The oven watches over the glass doors to my backyard opposite of it which has more granite, several palm trees, and half a dozen steps down to the pool and barbeque. I go to the fridge and open it up, pulling a pair of beers out; I close the nearly empty fridge and turn to set the beers on the counter with the grill.  In front of me is a line of carpet which marks the boundary to my downstairs living room.

The carpet is brown shag and there are a handful of couches.  On the far wall is a flat blank wall with a screen rolled up above it.  A single button and a projector and screen come down—making a beautiful 90 inch display with room to grow if I ever wanted to have someone come out and move the project back.  This is where I can watch TV, but it’s normally where I host smaller groups people who decide to come over. 

I know I hide behind fake friends; I invite people over to communicate with them and to keep me company. Why? I’m afraid of what has happened and who may come after me for doing it.  People are my comfort they are what keep me sane.  I reach under the lip of the counter and pull out a bottle opener held up on a hook.  I have several of these under the round counter and common visitors know of their existence during dinner parties.  I pop off the top of the beer and take a long drag out of the bottle.

Sweet, dark, and bitter all at once.  Refreshing, a nice release.  I look around the empty expanse of my home.  It’s so cold when no one’s here.  Maybe I’ll do a blast tonight, maybe I’ll invite anyone who wants to come and get crazy.  The sun may set in a few hours, but the day’s just begun.  Anything to forget my past. 

I look over to the sliding glass door to the backyard.  There stood a stout man, maybe three or four feet tall with overalls and a leather cap.  His face looks like he hasn’t shaved for a while and the dirt on his boots tells me he’d just been prowling around the wild not to long before.  The short man looks up at me and I look into his eyes.  The green, the green in his iris, it always creeps me out.  Like, how or why are his eyes green?  His face had a green ting to it too, but eyes?  It freaks me out.  I held out the second beer.  I’m not going to let him in. He knows full well how to get in if he wants.

He reaches his hand up and pushes it against the glass, pulling the door open, “Alice,” he says, seeing me.  I watch as he walks over to the stools which are larger than him, making damn sure he doesn’t trek his filthy boots along my carpet.

“Got one for you,” I say, using the bottle opener to pop it open before setting the bottle across from me.

“Thanks,” he says using his hands to pull himself up on the stool before grabbing the beer and cuddling it in his hands like a baby’s bottle.

I sipped my beer and watched him carefully before asking, “How’s work?”

He scoffed at the question and put the bottle to his mouth.  He then sets the bottle down and takes in a deep sigh, “Same old, same old.”

“That’s good,” I say putting my own bottle to my mouth and taking another sip.  For some reason I knew her would be there, that he would be waiting.  That’s why I picked out two bottles.  “Thinking of throwing a little get-together tonight if you’re interested, only the best.  You coming?”

He lets the silence drag out as he drinks more of his beer and slowly looks around the place.  Finally he speaks, “I presume I will be.”

That’s good; it’s nice when he comes.  He seems so sad otherwise.  “Be here around eight.”  Guess that ‘maybe’ I had going on in my mind has become an almost certain.  There will be lots of people here tonight, probably even a slew I’ve never met before.  It’s always exciting inviting new people to my place.  I think he likes it too; new people are like new territory.  Though honestly I wouldn’t be surprised if the man has tabs on everyone I invite over.  It’s just how he and his employer are.

I see he finishes off the beer and I down the last of mine too. “Another?” I ask.

“No, I’m fine Alice.  Thanks for the drink, but I’ve got to get going.  See you tonight then? Will any of the old faces be coming?”

“Possibly, I don’t know who comes and who doesn’t.  I make these parties far too short notice to have reliable companions anymore.  See you tonight.”

“Yeah…” he says, already back on the floor and heading for the glass door he left open on his way in.

“Goodbye James.” I smile.

He sticks one hand into the air before exiting out of the door and sliding it shut.  He walks off to the side, out of view, I presume his hole or whatever he uses would be nearby.  I’ve already concluded I’ll never find his damn mole entrance.  The man’s too good with that.  The second he goes out of view he’s gone. That’s that.  And he won’t be back until he decides to show himself again.  That’s just how he is.

I pick the two bottles off the counter and head over towards the fridge.  I pull open a cabinet next to the fridge and below the counter to pull out two trash cans.  I toss the bottles into the second can, the one further back, and push the bins back into their hidey hole.

I then open the fridge and pick out a second beer for myself.  I head over to the counter and pop the top off.  Time to go back upstairs.  Guess I need to invite some new people into the fold to impress James, would hate to invite him then bore him.