Purgatory (Part One of the Purgatory Series)

Chapter Seventeen: When Pigs Fly

A/N: No pigs were harmed in the writing of this chapter. It is a story. Fiction. Besides ceiling fan blades can't support that much weight without breaking, so it's implausible anyway. Mmkay? Great.

The afternoon sun refracted through the stained glass, making blue and purple kaleidoscope patterns on the worn, beige carpet. I had been lying on the couch staring at it for so long I felt brain dead. But better brain dead than having to remember purgatory, right?

Hamhocks grunted quietly at my feet, rooting around under his pile of pillows. I smiled down at him; laughing when everything but his pink, curly tail disappeared under the fort he had managed to build. I hadn't really had time to miss him while I was away, but now that I was home I don't know how I ever survived without the little pig.

"Comfortable under there, buddy?" I called to him, grinning when he poked his tiny snout out from the mound of pillows in my direction.

"Thea?" my mother called from the kitchen. Probably worried about my lack of inactivity, as usual.

"Yeah, Ma?" I called in reply, refusing to get up unless I was absolutely forced to – or I got hungry.

"Thea, I know you've been through a terrible ordeal, but you can't just keep lying about all day. It's not healthy," she said, walking into the living room.

"I told you I would rent an apartment if you didn't want me staying here, Ma," I said, flopping onto my back with a sigh.

She glared at me and snapped, "You know your father and I love having you stay here, Thea. That's not the problem. The problem is you are lying here wallowing in your misery and it isn't healthy. You need to get out of the house and get some air."

I rolled my eyes and mumbled, "As Edmund Pevensie once wisely said, it's not like there's not air inside."

"I heard that," my mother snapped in response. "Don't get smart with me. You know I'm right. Stop acting like a child, Thea, you are twenty-two years old."

I closed my eyes. I knew she was right, but I wasn't ready to get out and face the world again. Knowing my luck I would walk outside and get mauled by vampires just like before. I shuddered.

"Your father thinks getting a job would do wonders for lifting your spirits," my mother continued rambling. "And your savings isn't going to last forever, especially when you insist on paying us rent."

I shook my head hard and turned toward her, "I just can't yet, Mama. Okay? I need you and Dad to understand that."

She sighed and crossed her arms across her chest. "Fine. But you are going to get up and get dressed for dinner. I invited that nice young man who just moved in next door to eat with us and I'll not have you sitting around in your pajamas when he shows up."

I launched up from the couch, overturning Hamhocks' fort and causing him to squeal unhappily.

"Are you serious? I've been here two weeks and you're already trying to set me up with your neighbor? C'mon, Ma!"

She threw her hands into the air and exclaimed, "What is the matter with wanting you to make friends and perhaps find someone you're compatible with?"

I picked up a squealing Hamhocks and marched out of the room, tossing back over my shoulder, "It's not going to happen, Ma!"

"He's a lovely young man! Just wait and see, you'll love him!" she called at my back.

"When pigs fly," I called back.

Looking down at Hamhocks I said, "And you don't plan on growing wings anytime soon, right, little guy?"

He looked at me and grunted in reply before laying his little pink head down against my arm and closing his eyes.

"You're right," I said, looking down at him. "It does seem time for a nap. Maybe we'll miss dinner altogether."

I woke up to the sound of hysterical pig squealing. Someone had roped fake wings around Hamhocks' body and tied him to the ceiling fan, so that he continually spun around and around like some kind of disturbing baby mobile.

He kicked his stubby, little legs in the air trying to free himself, but all it did was make him look more helpless. As I freed him from his revolving prison a note fell off of his back.

It read,

See? Nothing is impossible.

At least make an effort. Please?

Love, Mom

I couldn't help but roll my eyes. I might as well give in; I knew she wasn't going to let this go. After all, I got my stubbornness from her.

Changing out of my pajamas, I realized I had no clean clothes. That's what happens when you're a lazy bum for two weeks, I guess. Frowning at the pile of clothes on the floor I picked up something that looked presentable and sniffed it. I shrugged. Nothing a little perfume wouldn't fix.

As I opened the door to my bedroom my parents' voices echoed down the hallway.  I couldn't catch what they were saying, but the new neighbors' voice sounded vaguely familiar. I moved a bit closer to the kitchen trying to figure out where I had heard it before.

The voice was deep, so deep I could practically feel it rumbling in my bones, and vaguely accented. The problem was the only guys I knew with accents I met in... 

"I've really been looking forward to speaking with Alethea," the voice said.

My eyebrows shot up at that. His tone made that statement sound almost threatening.

"Oh, I'm glad to hear that," my mother replied to him. "She's had a rather rough month and we're trying to help her as much as we can, but it would help if she had someone to talk to who shared her interests." 

"I think she and I will have quite a bit in common," he replied. "I've also had a bit of a trying time recently."

"Oh?" my mother asked, being nosy as usual. "I'm sorry to hear that."

Before she could start asking him a million questions about his problems I walked into the room and interrupted the conversation.

Our new neighbor had his back to me, sitting at the table facing away from the door, but I knew. I knew who he was before he ever turned around. And I screamed.

...

Here you go, another chapter just like I promised! And with flying pigs too! Guess who that mystery man is and get a dedication on the next chapter! Vote please!