There's an Invisible Man Sleeping in My Bed

Chapter 2

            Thalia found herself glad that her house was over a hundred years old. It meant that her room had an actual key lock, the key normally just left sitting in it, which she took full advantage of the next morning before changing. But first she swept her room carefully, checking every corner and spot a body could conceivably fit before deciding it was safe enough to undress.

            Despite the heavy feeling of her eyes, a sure sign to her that she’d find dark smudges if she were to look in the mirror, her mind was buzzing. She laid awake for hours, working through idea after idea about her invisible visitor. The realization that he’d been around for months explained some things she’d previously dismissed. Things that she intended to use to verify his existence.

            Her current theory was that he was a ghost of some sort. She’d never believed in them before this, but she couldn’t deny that someone invisible had been in her room. A ghost seemed the most fitting explanation, one she’d conduct some experiments to prove.

            Thalia’s first attempt began as soon as she got home from school. After checking the answering machine, she was unsurprised to find that her parents were extending their day trip to Toronto into a weekend getaway, she got to work. Several bowls, measuring cups, spoons, and a baking pan were quickly banged onto the light wood of the kitchen counter.

            Colt frowned, watching as Thalia pulled things from the oaken cabinets that lined the blue kitchen walls at shoulder height. Something had her full of piss and vinegar. He wondered if something had happened to her at school. Edging closer, he caught sight of the last thing she pulled out of the cupboards.

            He grinned at the sight of the sugar she plunked down onto the counter. This wasn’t the first time she’d gone into a baking frenzy, though normally she waited until she’d finished her schoolwork. Not that he was complaining. Especially if she was making chocolate chip muffins. His first introduction to them had been only a few months ago and he’d found himself thinking about them more than he thought was healthy. But, he figured that since such a thing hadn’t been around when he’d been born, he had every right to obsess over them.

            Watching her walk the same short path around the part of the kitchen she was working in, he moved closed. Of the few rays of sunlight that fought their way through the clouds, one managed to make its way into the kitchen through the window over the sink. It hit one patch of Thalia’s hair, showing off how truly dark it was. He’d seen obsidian that was less black than her hair. He remembered when he’d first seen her, a shock for him since the face didn’t match her voice.

            That had him shaking his non-existent head. Years of wandering around and he’d been brought up short because Thalia’s voice sounded so very much like hers. He remembered turning then, mouth dropping, unable to believe she was somehow still alive as well. But it had been a girl with eyes that hovered between grey and blue, her features far softer than the striking symmetry of that woman’s.

            It was kind of funny how so many years later he’d run into a girl with a voice almost identical to the one in his memories. Still, that was the only respect they were alike in. Something he was grateful for. Having met one woman like that was enough for him for the rest of his existence.

            Watching Thalia pour in a cup of chocolate chips, he grinned. He’d already seen a banana tossed into the mix. While he wasn’t sure about that flavour combination, he was very willing to give it a try.

            It wasn’t long before she was sliding a tray into the oven and setting the timer on it. He took that as his cue to back up until he was hovering in the doorway. He really didn’t want her to run into him. It’d raise a lot of awkward questions if she realized that he was there and she hadn’t just tripped over her own feet.

            He really didn’t want her calling a priest in to get rid of him.

            After rinsing the various utensils she’d used, Thalia walked out into the adjacent family room, dropping onto the black leather couch. Colt waited until she looked settled before sneaking back into the kitchen to see how long until the muffins would be done. Satisfied that he’d be able to steal one within the hour, he checked in on Thalia.

            The slow, steady breathing and the fact she’d curled herself around a pillow rather than lying on top of it, told him she was asleep. He shook his head, chuckling to himself, as he moved of the wood floors of the kitchen to the thick green carpet of the family room. He paused a few feet from her, bending down so he could see her face before nodding. The circles under his eyes explained her uncharacteristic nap.

            Satisfied that she’d be there for a while, he made his way into her father’s office. There was a book about the history of warfare he’d wanted to read since he came across it last week and now was the perfect opportunity to start it. Settling into the heavily cushioned desk chair, he let out a sigh of contentment.

            It wasn’t too much later that the loud beeping of the oven’s timer jerked him out of his reading fog. He glanced briefly up at the door then turned back at the book. But when a minute went by and the noise continued, he stood with a frown. Leaving a stray hair that had been on the desk as a bookmark, he poked his head into the kitchen.

           The beeping was louder and the scent of bananas and chocolate wrapped around him, making his mouth water. Remembering, he glanced around but saw no sign of Thalia. He grimaced, eyeing the oven for a moment before heading into the family room. That last time he’d tried to work one of the household machines, Thalia’s mother had been forced to call someone to fix it. He still thought that the washing machine had too many buttons.

            Thalia was where he’d left her, still asleep on the couch. He hunkered down near her head and whispered “Thalia.”

            She didn’t move. He sighed and tried again, this time speaking louder but using her mother’s voice. “Thalia, sweetheart. You need to wake up now.”

            She stirred a bit at that so he went in for the kill. “You’ll be late for school.”

            Thalia opened her eyes, staring blearily at one wainscoted wall. Momentarily confused, her walls were a uniform yellow, the beeping of the oven finally registered with her. Groaning, she rolled off the couch and stumbled into the kitchen, rubbing her eyes with one hand.

            It was only when she was tipping the muffins onto the cooling rack that she remembered her mother’s voice telling her to wake up. She froze. Dumping the tray in the sink, she glanced around her. She saw nothing out of the ordinary but that told her nothing. Frowning, she decided it was time to enact plan b. Staring into the family room, she called “Come on out. I know you’re there.”