Blood Lineage(2015 Revision)

Chapter 6

I spent the next day looking for a hardware store to pick out paint. I must have asked ten different people how to get there, and I got ten different answers. I finally saw a convince store and stopped to get a drink and hopefully some help. I hated standing out; the minute I opened my mouth they knew I wasn't from around here. I went inside to the refrigerated cases to get a Snapple, then to the counter to check out. I bought a pack of cigarettes and lighter while I was there as well. This was a bad habit that I shouldn't be starting, but it seemed to the only thing that helped calm me. I asked the gentleman at the counter how to get where I needed to go, and he pointed me in the right direction. When I pulled into the parking lot of the hardware store I couldn't help but shout out,  “ Finally!”

I got out of the car and went in to the paint section. I knew I wanted something in the blue

family to go with my new curtains. I sifted through the color samples for half an hour before finally deciding on a color called Poseidon. It was a teal color with a little more green. It was perfect, it even went great with the butterfly lamp. I picked up some brushes, rollers, trays, and those crappy plastic drop cloths because I didn't want to screw any of the furniture or the rug up. I paid for my things and then tried to find my way home.

When I got back to the house it was almost six. It would have been earlier if I hadn't got stuck in traffic. I knew it was going to be an early night for Aunt Cindy, so I took the liberty of ordering Chinese. I was so tired. as soon the delivery guy dropped of the food, I wrote a note for my aunt, took my dinner and went upstairs to relax. I flipped through just about all the channels there were on TV, and how typical, nothing good was on. I opened up my laptop and checked my email, and that was nothing but Spam. I decided to Google the French Quarter, hoping to find something interesting to do on Friday, but nothing jumped out at me. I put my laptop back on the charger and got ready for bed before sitting out on my balcony and had a cigarette. I watched the cars drive by as I patiently waited for Gwen to get home. I saw Aunt Cindy pull up first and Gwen followed maybe ten minutes later. As I got up to go back inside to meet up with Gwen, that damn Mustang pulled up right behind her. What the hell? I still couldn't see the driver's face, but I knew it was a guy. If I was ever going to let that jackass have it, now was the perfect time. I quickly slipped on my shoes and rushed outside, but he was faster than I was; I got there just in time to watch his tail lights turn the corner.

“Hey Elianne! Wow, you have got great timing! I have something for you.” Gwen smiled pleasingly.

“I wish I had great timing. If I did, I would have caught that asshole in the red car.” I was fuming.

“Uh, did I miss something?” Gwen looked extremely confused.

“Do you know that guy? That idiot almost ran me over the other day.” My face was hot and must have been red.

“Yeah, that idiot is Rachel's brother. The guy who just made you an awesome fake ID.” She handed it to me with a smile on her face. “And yes, he is sometimes a complete idiot.” She giggled.

“Thanks. I think I'm going to go bed, I'll see you tomorrow.” I was so irritated that I completely forgot the whole reason why I was waiting for her to come home.

A dreamless night left me feeling relaxed when I woke the next morning. There was a slight chill in the air so I made sure I wore my long sweater jacket on my adventures out today. I left the car at home and set out on foot. I remembered seeing a bath and body shop the day before, I needed to pick up some shampoo and conditioner for my poor dried out hair. The streets were quiet today, I guessed it was because it was the afternoon and everyone was still at work or school. I rather enjoyed it; it was easier to take in the sights when I wasn't surrounded buy a crowd. I stopped at this cute little cafe near the waterfront for a late lunch. Across the street a brightly colored sign caught my attention, it was advertising an evening tour of the area. I had nothing planned for the evening so I bought a ticket. It sounded like fun, and I wouldn't need a street map.

As I made my way back to the house, I couldn't help but feel like I was being

watched. This was an uneasy feeling I had been having since these weird dreams of mine started, but for some reason, ever since I got to New Orleans, that feeling had only intensified. I never felt alone, even when I was. I crossed the street just in front of Aunt Cindy's and the hair on the back of my neck stood straight up and my skin was covered with goosebumps. I felt like I was standing in the middle of an arctic tundra. I froze momentarily, then ran like hell up the driveway to the back door. I fumbled around with the flowerpot for the key and quickly went in the house, locking the door behind me and

running to my room. After catching my breath, I called Aunt Cindy to see when she would be coming home, when she told me she was closing the store tonight, so she wasn't going to be back until after nine thirty. The tour was supposed to start at nine, and I wasn't to sure if I should still go, but Aunt Cindy insisted. She told me I was just being paranoid, and that it was only my imagination getting the best of me. I thought about that for a while, and considered that she was right. I had been so tightly wound lately, maybe I was beginning to snap.