Apartment Building 543

Chapter 1

Her clenched fist was beginning to ache from the pounding on the bathroom door. Delilah was irritated, but knew she shouldn't have expected anything less as this happened every morning. Waking up earlier was not an option, so she had to deal with this consistent nuisance every passing day.

Her hand suddenly hit empty space and she nearly fell face forward on the rug that adorned the bathroom floor. Delilah's twin devils of brothers strutted out, side by side, with the fronts of their pajama shirts drenched. The red mark appearing on one's cheek and the concoction of purple and green that was present underneath the other's eye told of a fight that occurred no more than ten minutes prior.

Delilah knew better that to ask what exactly had happened, but couldn't contain her curiosity and did precisely that.

"Who should I call first; a plumber or a doctor?" she inquired pointedly.

"Neither." The two answered in unison. David and Daniel boasted of their twin telepathy, in reality however, this rarely ever came to show. They looked to each and smirked at the scarce synchronized response.

The Danimals (as they requested to be called) slash Dave and Dan (as they told their father repeatedly not to call) were the only two nine year olds in Delilah's life that managed to taint it and simultaneously make it brighter. The up and coming fourth graders weren't identical and made sure anyone who was introduced to them knew. Although they both had curly locks and hazel eyes, David's hair was a chocolate shade whereas Daniel's was midnight ivory. David was also a bit paler than Daniel, but that was probably due to his love of reading that welcomed the comfort of a plush pillow compared to Daniel's passion for soccer which required a bright field underneath an even brighter sun. Nevertheless, the two stuck together like gum underneath a desk. Occasionally, even Delilah had to admit that their bond seemed to have occurred before birth. But she would never say that out loud.

Delilah was a bit of an outcast to the family and although the reason was common knowledge to everyone who knew the Lerones, it was taboo to speak of it in the household. Delilah was not born out of wedlock. Her father, Anderson, had gotten into a mess that included her mother, the twins' mother, and a wedding (with whom she still wasn't sure of to this day). Eventually, all of the women in Anderson's life kicked him to the curb, dropped their kids off, and moved on to other interests. Delilah's mocha skin served as a reminder to her father's unfaithfulness, who was a good man despite his mishaps. He even banned referring to either the twins' or Delilah's mom with different pronouns, saying that he wanted them to feel a sense of unity and like an actual family (She wasn't certain of what he meant with that last part. As far as she was concerned, half-brothers were still blood relatives, so they would be family either way.) As a result the Danimals were led to believe that Delilah and themselves shared this mysterious being called "Mom" that caused them to have fair skin and Delilah brown. Delilah didn't think she minded though.

By the time she sorted out the bathroom issue (apparently David spit his toothpaste froth on Daniel because he was hogging the sink, duh), got to actually use the restroom and get changed, it was nearing the time of morning where she wasn't exactly late yet but very close to it. She was pushing the twins out the door with their superhero themed backpack dragging behind when the apartment door in front creaked open. Out walked Jeremy Hauss, fellow sophomore at Delilah's high school. She occasionally acknowledged his presence at school, usually with a small wave or a hushed hello. Now, Jeremy wasn't too good for Delilah (or vice versa); there just wasn't the need to socialize. Their friends were entirely different people, their classes never shared, and their overall personas didn't attract each other.

She nodded and lifted the ends of her mouth, the gesture returned by him. She then turned and took the stairs with the twins a noticeably large distance ahead and he waited for the elevator to slide its door open.

William was exhausted, and has been for the last sixty five or so years of his life. He was tired of the world, tired of his life, and tired of the persistent itch that would occur in his mind every time he thought of Delilah Lerone. He knew something was missing, the last puzzle piece, and he knew it was crucial one. The daughter of his next door neighbor was a sweet, headstrong and stubborn girl that reminded him faintly of a woman from a past life. She came to him with apple pie every Friday, and together they would talk about the mysteries and gems of the world. She asked him for advice and he asked her to make him a pastrami sandwich (he sometimes referred to her as Deli). That's just the way it was (and has been) for the past five years. Sure, he's lived here since the day Delilah and her family moved in, which was more than five years ago, but a fog enveloped his head when he attempted to think what precisely what he was doing before they came. Wise Will (as Delilah called him every so often) couldn't even remember why he moved into this particular apartment building. It was a long bus ride from his editor's office at the city newspaper and the rent wasn't kind to his elderly physique that was planning on retiring. Why this building? He didn't particularly regret it, per say, but why?

Will felt a migraine pulsing through his skull and abruptly stopped mulling over the thoughts. The elevator dinged at the arrival of his floor, and he stepped out and slightly to the side to let in a boy who looked about fifteen years of age. He pondered over the name of the young man, and felt relieved when the depths of his brain came up with Jeremy. At least he remembered something.