Loose Appearances, Stuck Personalities

Chapter 3: Learning Very Slowly

Waking up that morning, I had thought I was back in my old stiff mattress and was afraid to move for fear of my back hurting. After a few moments, I realized the mattress I lay upon was softer than my own. Or was it my own? Having not yet opened my eyes, I did so. As my eyes adjusted to the light that came in through a large window I didn't remember being in my room, I found myself staring at a white ceiling. Which was odd because my room had tan walls and a crusty ceiling...

Oh, right.

Realization hit me as the events of yesterday passed through my mind. I wasn't in my room. Well, wasn't in my old room. This is my room now. It will take a while to get used to a... better yet worse life. I was still determined to hate this place and last night had proved the fact that I should hate this place. The only place filled with light I saw last night was this house and the people here, and that was suspicious. Barnes was also included in the light data, but it still didn't make much of a difference. I was glad that I had met good people rather than the bad kind, but I was still skeptical. No place should be surrounded by this much dark, after dark. So much so that even the dark loving dead couldn't stand to be near to houses.

Sitting up on my plush bed, I took a look around my room, drinking in all of the details and flaws it had. The walls were a very pale blue and the morning sun shone through my large orange-slice-like window. It was divided into four slices all meeting at a circle in the middle. Plaster covered up a few holes that I assumed were made by thumbtacks. Even the door had few chips and worn out spots on the wood. The dresser and wardrobe were the nicer pieces in the room, but nevertheless, the also had a few wear spots and chips in the lacer. Inhaling, the only sent to pass my nose was the paper and paints coming from the dresser drawers.

Without a word, I kicked off the covers. I grunted a bit as I pried open the dusty wardrobe, putting on a skirt and one of the four button ups I had brought with me. I slipped on a pair of nylons and slid into my nicer pair of boots. Closing the wardrobe, I looked into the mirror. I hadn't seen a better day. I sighed aloud and hung my head.

It would be very hard to hate this place considering with how nice it was compared to my old room.

With a frown, I sat back on the bed and stared up at the ceiling, listening to the sounds of the house. Popping and fizzing could be heard from the other side of the room. After a few seconds, a groan followed the nasty gurgling sounds. I didn't look around, those noises were so familiar that I didn't need to look. I studied the light fixture above me as the Skull began to talk.

"Well, it's not the Buckingham Palace, but it's sure as hell better than the closet you were living in before." I smiled, but my eyes never left the round light.

"My old room wasn't that bad."

"It had mold and water stains everywhere, the bed was almost made of bricks, the floors creaked constantly, and it smelled of vomit. This is paradise." I sighed, pulling out a hairbrush from my suitcase I didn't remember packing. I stare at the object for a few seconds, wondering. This was my sister's brush. My elder sister Molly must have packed in my bag when she had loaded the suitcase. I mentally thanked her as I began to brush my mop of hair.

Out of the three other sisters other, she was the only one who didn't like the idea of sending me off. But she did, in the end. I couldn't blame her entirely and I was rather harsh when I left. I had gotten into a row with her, accusing her of starting this whole thing, but I knew she wasn't to blame. I knew it wasn't her fault she let it slip one night in front of my legal guardian. I made a mental note to at least make amends with her.

"I know..." My voice trailed off at the end as I thought of how I was supposed to feel about this place. Nothing about this place felt safe, except this house. I frowned, "but something is weird here, the houses and the castle... they don't seem... right. It's as if there is some kind of malicious intend coming off of every building except this one."