The Dark Stranger

Haunted

"The Dark Stranger"
© VeGirl 2014

The minute I walk in through my door, I hear the desperate calls from my plants. Yeah, not literally but still...

I drop my Samsonite by the door and tend to the poor neglected plants that are slouching. "I'm coming, I'm coming; you don't have to scream so loud," I mutter to them. "I wasn't gone that long. You have to at least try to manage without me." I realize that I am in fact talking to my plants and roll my eyes at myself.

Talking to plants, is that in any of the degrees of going out of your mind?

While scurrying out to the kitchen to fill the watercan, my eyes flicker out the window above the sink. In the wreck of a house I spot a man standing in the window.

The weirdest feeling is running through me and the grip on the jug slips as I am frozen to the spot.

The man in the house retreat and back away until I can no longer see him and I lean closer to get another glance of him. Has somebody moved in while I was visiting my parents or is it a burglar? Next second, I realize that if it was a burglar, why would he have picked that shack of a house?

My curiosity is awakened, that's for sure.

The rest of the evening I spend unpacking and doing laundry. Tomorrow is a workday, and I get to bed in a reasonable hour to have a clear head for work. I can't stop my mind from wonder about the weird stuff that has been going on in my life. First I find out that I'm adopted, and then I meet a vampire in the flesh!

Or was it my flesh that met him?

Can I tell Eddie about this, or will she have me shipped off again? Why couldn't she be the one that met him, she's the one who likes vampires! I'd rather meet Nicholas Cage.

* * *

I am in an upbeat mood next morning. Albeit some dark weird dreams, I had a good night. The radio is playing several of my favorite tunes, and I sing along while I drive to work. A wide smile grazed my face as I meet Eddie on my way to the changing room. "Eddie!" I exclaim loud.

"Sam, how good to see you again." She hugs me.

"Yes, and it's amazing to be back," I snicker. "But let's not get overexcited, it's just a job!"

"It is the best job!"

"Yeah, keep telling yourself that," I snicker as I leave to get changed into my work-attire. When I return, Eddie meets me with a Latte Macchiato from the new coffee-machine. "Why thank you, miss," I joke and take a swig of it. "But you don't have to ease me into the job; I haven't been gone that long."

She gives me a sincere face. "I'm so glad you're feeling better," she says and I can hear in her voice that she is all choked up.

Had I been that far off? What happened?

"Sure I am." I smile wide and pretend to ignore that thought.

"I'm glad to hear." She gives me another hug. "Now, get some work done," she chastises me, but I know this is just our normal joke.

"Okay, then you better go roll your thumbs in the office," I tease back and retrieve a tongue stuck out from her mouth, but I just laugh.

Throughout the day I am determined to ignore the worried looks my colleagues cast when they think I don't notice, and I platter about my brother and how my cousin got plastered when we went out dancing.

I respectfully leave out the dark, biting part of the story.

When my shift is over, I head to the supermarket to bunk up on some food before I head home again. The fruit-section I absolutely relish in; determined to make this a change into a healthier life.