"Ah I'm sorry ma'am, I didn't think anyone would be here... At all," he said. He scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. I blink a couple times, shocked. It was silent for a bit as we studied each other carefully. He was tall, slouching slightly to avoid hitting his head on the sloping roof. The swirly gold eyes of his stared deeply at me as though he could see through me, his eyes almost glowed.
"Ok I know you can speak because you can yell like..." He rubbed his ear "it's nobodies business,"
I swallow tightly struggling to get rid of the thump in my throat. So many things I could say was rumbling around in my head but all I managed to say rudely was;
"Who are you?"
He picked up the dagger on the ground and leaned it up against the wall "I'm Hank and you?"
I let out a breath I seemed to be holding onto for a while "rose..." I mutter "Rose Red,"
He smiled shyly pulling the door shut and brushing the moss off on his pants. "Pleasure to meet you Miss Red,"
"It's rose," I repeat frowning slightly.
Hank nods staring at the roof.
"So, What are you doing here?" He spoke roughly after long silence. Rain started hammering down on the roof falling through the little gaps in the rotting roof landing lightly on my arms, cold shooting up my spine.
"This is my treehouse..." I say impatiently folding my arms "and I could ask you the same question,"
"This is your treehouse?" He smirked "it's been abandoned for years!"
I frown biting my lip. "I use to live in the farm house on the other side of the fence," I gesture behind me with my head, "my mom and Das made it for me for my 5th birthday,"
"Too old to play in it I'm guessing?"
"No." I snap "no, it's just... Well cut a long story short, I move around a lot and kind of forgot about it until now,"
Hank nodded heading to the doorway beside me.
"What about you?" I say as he heads down the corridor. Stopping abruptly he turned around and glanced at me looking slightly disturbed.
I raise my eyebrows after a long pause when he didn't reply. "Well?"
He shrugged turning back around to face the kitchen. "I found it not to long ago and was curious to have a look inside it today..."
"What?" I choke "you seem to know your way around pretty well, and not to mention leaving your little toys around," my hand gestures to the dagger opposite me. My heart jumped a bit as I stare it the blade glinting in the dull light pouring through the roof.
Hank rolled his eyes "one, they aren't little toys, they can be very dangerous, I'd be careful. And two, it's complicated, it's not really any of your business." His voice was deeper than before, but it still had the little chime to it as he spoke, luring me closer. I had to dig my fingernails into my palm to stop myself from falling into a trance. The pain rippled up my arms making me shiver as my index finger dug into the tiny scratch I cut on a nail earlier.
My legs went all jelly as I walk over to him. "It is my business if you're technically on my property,"
Hank walked over and sat down on the wooden table in the kitchen staring at the carving. His eyes focussing on the detail, studying the secrets behind it.
"So you would know something about this, then?" Hank said after an uncomfortable silence.
I nod, folding my arms and heading over to the front door "yeah, my mother made it for me, she started it when this treehouse was finished, as a welcome present," I look around the room letting myself fill itself with a rush of memories. "She never completed it though,"
Memories flooded back into my mind, films of mum holding my hand as we walk down by the stream a few minutes from here, swinging our arms together. My hand seemed to feel warmer just thinking about it. The room was silent, except for the gentle patter of the rain on the roof, both me and Hanks minds wandering off somewhere else.
"I might go," I say quietly rubbing my arms to cover up my sudden sheet of goosebumps. The floor creaked under my feet as I headed over to the door, the brisk breeze whipped my face as the door swung open.
"Oh wait," I look back at the carving on the table. " Can I please have that?"
Hank looked up from the carving and studied me for a moment. "Why?"
"Well, I would quite like to take it home," I pause "it's too precious to leave here."
Hank frowned slightly, his breath long and deep. "Uh... Yes..."
I walk over to him slowly, "is there something wrong?"
Suddenly falling out of the trance, Hank glanced over at me, his piercing eyes stabbing me. "Ah no."
I reach for the little carving, and almost at the instant that I touched it the ground shook vigorously. My feet slid out from under me and pushed me into the far wall impaling my side with the corner of the desk. Pain seared through my right side making my eyes water and loose focus as I collapsed to the floor gripping my waist. Hanks figure was barely visible through my eyes, he was lying on the floor, gripping it tightly.
It went on for what seemed like forever. But it wasn't until I let out a a cry in pain that I seemed to be holding in that the shaking stopped, everything went quiet except for the small cries escaping my mouth.
My eyes were all blurry and my breaths were short. A warm hand touched my shoulder.
"Don't move Miss Red," Hanks voice said, it was so quiet I could barely hear it. "I'm just going to make the pain stop."
His warm hand slid across my waist trying to gently pull my hands away from the gash in my side, my hands were all sticky reeking of a bloody smell. The throbbing of the wound made my head spin, my mind weaving in and out of consciousness.
"Stay with me Miss Red," was all I heard before my vision turned black.
