The Complete Crimson Forest series

Bryxx: Chapter 3

"May?" Aunt Betty attempts to grasp my attention as I day dream.

I drop my fork in surprise and it clatters to my plate.

"Are you alright?" she asks me, her brows furrowing. "You've been spacey all afternoon." I have yet to tell her about my visit with Kade or our agreement.

"I'm sorry. This place is just getting to me I guess," I mutter and stab at a boiled carrot with decade old salt and pepper sprinkled on it.

Her furrowed brow increases. "Your mother used to say that."

"And then she went crazy," I finish her unspoken thought.

Aunt Betty nibbles on her garlic toast. "I think it's best we finish up here and leave. Your past here is too much. It would get to anyone."

"Do you think that this place is the cause of all the stuff that happens here or do think that it's the events that have happened here that lead to further events, like some sort of domino effect?"

My aunt takes a deep breath and finishes chewing and swallowing her mouthful of food slowly before answering. "I've never liked this place. I've only been here a handful of times. The first was when you were born, the second when your brother was born, the third when he disappeared, and the fourth when your mother tried to kill you. From the very first time I came here, I thought something was off. I can't explain it really. It's just a feeling. A chill, something cold creeping up my spine every time we drive past town and into the country side nearing this area. Maybe it's silly, but I can almost feel the crossing of a border somewhere between Sunnybrooke and here. A few miles out of town and I just get this feeling. I told my sister that—your grandma—once and she thought I was nuts. Well, until your mother told her all the weird stuff that had happened out here and that continued to happen. Your mother continued relaying the events of this place to her over the years and then she would relay it to me. I never understood why your parents never left, especially after your dad passed away and your brother went missing. Your mom had no reason to stay here really. Maybe she felt closer to them here. I'm not sure I'll ever understand, but the day that I got the call about what happened between you and your mother... I swore I'd take you away from here and make sure you never came back. Yet here we are now. To answer your question, I'm not sure I believe in whatever it could be that would make this place so...deadly, but then I'm not sure I believe in such a coincidence either. Too much has happened around here to be coincidence. I wish I could think of a rational explanation for it all, but I can't, no one can."

She raises a good point. If there is something weird and unbelievable going on here, then what is it? What could it possibly be?

"Kade stopped in while you were napping. He's an investor and he agreed to buy the place as it is. We just have to take what we want and go. He will deal with the rest. He will be here in the morning to sign papers and switch over utilities and stuff before we go."

My aunt looks surprised but nods as if she's more than ready to get the hell out of here. "Good. It's not healthy for you to be here any longer than needed. What papers does he need to sign right now? Did he even come in to see the place?"

I shrug. "I don't really know what is entailed in selling a house honestly. He seemed really intent on buying it as is. Maybe he's planning to knock the place down."

She seems a little skeptical. I am too. My aunt chuckles and nods. "We'll have to call a real estate agent tonight then, because I've never sold a house either. My friend Cheryl sells houses. I'll give her a call."

After my aunt goes to bed rather early in the evening, I walk about the house, taking it all in for the last time. I think about taking pictures but decide against it. The memory of this place is enough. I grab a box and take a few photos from around the house and put them in it to take home with me. I also take a few knickknacks from my old bedroom to bring along with me, some old photo albums I found in the attic, and a quilt that my grandma made my dad when he was a kid. After my packing, I retreat to my old room and lay down in bed on top of the covers. I stare at the roof deep in thought.