Cursed: The William Brothers Saga (UNEDITED)

Chapter 20

Song of the Moment: E.T. by Katy Perry (LOL)

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"Why are we looking at women's clothes?" Johnny looked around nervously as if his reputation would crumble with his appearance in a women's clothing shop.

"We aren't. I need to find someone." I looked around the store as we gained weird looks by women around us.

"Who exactly are we looking for?" Johnny asked after passing the underwear section. An older woman came out of the back room with a box full of t-shirts. Her short, black hair was beginning to gray. She caught me staring and froze.

"Anthony William?" She set the box on a nearby rack of shoes. "I haven't seen you since my grandmother's funeral."

"I know, Millie." She looked so much like her. "I want you to meet my brother, Jonathan."

"People just call me Johnny." He reached out to shake her hand. She smiled nervously.

"This is Millie Thompson, Maude's great niece." Johnny's eyes widened in disbelief.

"Oh, it's, uh, nice to meet you." He chuckled nervously.

"Likewise." She deadpanned before turning to me. "You want something, don't you?"

"Please?" I grinned guiltily.

"What is it?" Johnny stared at me, waiting for me to respond.

"Maude had some. . .things. Jewelry, specifically speaking. I need to find something." I explained. She pulled out a set of keys out of her back pocket.

"Red key," She picked it out, "opens the attic in my grandmother's old house. You already know where it is. Now leave me alone, Great Uncle Anthony." I flinched a little bit at the formal title. After finding out what and who I was, she never trusted me.

"Thank you, Millie." I attempted to hug her, but she put a hand up to block my chest.

"Just grab what you need and bring back my keys." And with that, she picked up her box again and shoved past me. Johnny and I left the store immediately after the awkward encounter. My brother turned to me after we exited into the mall.

"What's her problem?" I didn't want to talk about it, but I knew he wouldn't stop pestering.

"She has it in her head that I had something to do with her Great Aunt's death. Maude's sister, Winnie, was like a sister to me. She wouldn't come near me after her sister died. Winnie told Millie of all her suspicions as she grew up. Maude wasn't just some orphaned flapper, Johnny. She had a family besides me and our daughter." He shut up after that.

We arrived at the house in an hour. Winnie had moved out West with her husband and children after Maude died. As I was standing on those brick steps, I remembered the times I tried to visit my niece and nephews. Winnie stopped me at the front door before the kids could see me. She told me that they wouldn't understand; her husband wouldn't understand. She said that Maude was the only one who understood my kind. I couldn't just stay like we were all still family. I took her sister away. Then, she shut the door in my face.

"You okay?" My brother asked, snapping me out of my remembering. He put a hand on my shoulder.

"Yeah," I cleared my throat, "It's just been a while since I've been here." I unlocked the front door and let us inside. Cardboard boxes sat on covered couches. It looked like Millie or her mother was selling the place.

"So what are we looking for?" My brother asked.

"We need to go to the attic. Maude's sister kept some of her things." I glanced around for the latch for the attic. I eventually found it in the hallway, the string hanging down for me to pull. I pulled it but it wouldn't budge. I examined it closer and saw the lock. I took out Millie's red key, reached up and unlocked it. The ladder came down with raining dust. I climbed up first and pulled out my phone to use the flashlight.