thunder clouds | l.s.

nine | little hole under my bed

Chapter Nine

I had snuck back to our cabin early morning, three in the morning to be exact. I decided to stay downstairs and charge my phone as I laid out my painting. I used acrylics because they dried faster, but at the same time I also used a spray that mum had gotten me a while ago. The painting seemed to be dry, so I took a think black paint pen and signed my signature on it. I hung it up on one of the hooks meant for backpacks to let it fully dry.

It was now four in the morning and I didn't know what to do. But I knew hat it took two hours to make batter and bake muffins, and thirty minutes to cool. So that would be six-thirty and most of the boys would be awake.

I pulled out some butter, milk, eggs, flour, chocolate chips, and other necessary ingredients. I pulled up a recipe from Food Network on my phone and followed the instructions to make Paula Deen's chocolate chip muffins. Of course I used a bit less butter than what she called for, it what mum taught me to do when cooking from her recipe. And to use a bit extra when cooking from Giada's recipe.

I finished the batter and it was almost 5:15 in the morning, and I finally put them in the oven. I had made enough for three dozen, I could only bake one at a time and it took 25 minutes for each batch.

It was 6:30 when everything was done, and I put them in the oven to cool for 30 minutes. And right at 7:00 the annoying alarm in all the cabins rang. It took the boys 15 minutes to come downstairs and to find the muffins. I set them up piled on each other on a big plate, and took one and cut it in half for myself.

The boys had each almost eaten five or six, then there was Niall that ate nine... so far. He didn't get fat and I didn't understand it. Could I have his metabolism or whatever is keeping him this thin?

"Thanks Harry." Niall said, and the boys agreed and mumbled a thanks. I later went back upstairs to pack my things, folding every thing nicely and putting them away in my duffle. I quickly went back downstairs, changing my clothes into an olive green jumper with blue jeans. I slipped on a green bandana and took my painting to the teacher. She was waiting outside collecting the other students work. I finally got to the front and handed her my painting.

"Lovely Harry." She smiled. "The detail of the stars are beautiful."

"Thank you Ma'am, each one of them forms a constellation." I finished.

"It beautiful." She smiled, and I walked away content with my work- when I heard:

"Suck up."

"Show off."

"Bet his dad bribes them to say that."

"Didn't you hear? He doesn't have a dad."

There was a whole group of murmuring, and I kept walking. My face was burning, and my eyes threatened to spill, but I didn't. I just climbed in the bus and sat in the back, not expecting any of the boys to sit next to me. They didn't.

-

It was two days after we had gotten back, and I was at home. We had the week off due to the construction. I decided I'd stay home all week, maybe working on a new piece since mums birthday was coming up.

I sighed as I looked through my book of fabrics, dyes, buttons and strings. I picked out a simple suede and navy dye for the collar, and then some black string so it wouldn't be as noticeable on the inside. Not that anyone would get see the inside. I then grabbed white string for the detail.

I pricked my fingers a few times to get used to the feeling and started my work. I first worker on the collar, taking the string and putting it into my sewing machine and payed the thin piece of fabric under it. I turned it on slow, and started taking the white string and Turing it into small roses. There were about 15 when I was finished, each looking identical to the next. I then punctured the end of the collar to but the special attachment pice mum liked. She wasn't a fan of buttons.

I finished the collar and then moved on to the top half. I took a white silk and pressed it, making sure none of the folds were wrinkled. I started to measure it.

-

I woke up with an aching pane in my hand, the fuzzy feeling you get when your hand falls asleep. Felt like a TV going out of order on a certain channel.

I realized I must have fallen asleep while sewing, because the lights were off and I just have burnt the power.

I stood up, but tripped over a misplaced shoe. I turned my face to get up, but something caught my eye. There was a small hole in the bottom of  the wall, under my bed.

Mum and dad were out, along with Gemma and Ava. They were all going to my Aunts wedding that overlapped with my trip. So I decided why not, I'll try not to break anything.

"Hey, I need your help." I said.

"My help? I'm at my shift right now." Alice sighed.

"But I thought you were in town for the summer? And doesn't your school start a month later than mine?" I asked her.

"Yes, I am. But I told you I got a summer shift-" I interrupted her.

"But take a lunch break. Please?" I begged.

"Anything for you Styles." I could practically hear her sarcasm, and imagined her rolling her eyes.

-

Twenty minutes later she was here, and we were trying to move my bed a few inches so we could get through. We finally prevailed, and I mean she because I can't lift. Anything. We found the little hole and pulled on it, seeing the out print of a small hole. We pulled as hard as we could and finally got it open. Behind it was just white wallpaper with yellow lilies on it.

"Get me some scissors." She said. But then her watch made a weird alarm sound. "I've got to go. Use the scissors to cut the paper, tell me what you find. If there's anything."

"Will do, thanks." I said.

"Sure thing Harold." She said, ruffling my brown curls. "You'll have to come visit, u know you don't want to. I know I'm the only one you told, but you have to come back. He's better now. He visits during the summer and the first thing he asks me is for you, but he doesn't call you by his name anymore." She sighed.

"Maybe he forgot." I said sadly.

"Maybe, but you forgot his." And that was the last thing she said before she said her goodbyes and left.

I sat back down in front of the wall, and slowly put the scissors in, and they went all the way through, poking a good seized hole. I stuck my finger in it, ripping the paper. I started to take it off, and noticed it was pitch black. I grabbed a flash light form my night stand before going in.

I finally squeezed through the hole, and stood up on the other side. I flicked on my flash light and gasped at all the things in this room.

-

-v