The House on Clamoribus St

Chapter 7 - Starlight

3.

Starlight

“Umh, cats do blink,” the handsome stranger said not releasing his hand from my grasp. I looked back at the feline, the center of the pendant was once again solid glitter.

“No!” I snapped. “I know what I saw! It was an eye…” I snapped, still staring at the jewel. “I swear it blinked --”

The stranger shrugged.

“Shoo! Go away!” he said to the cat. In response, the dark creature arched his back and hissed for a few moments, until finally, it turned around and jumped off the hood, swiftly disappearing into the darkness as if being chased, or better said as if expecting someone to chase it.

“Are you ok?” he asked squeezing my hand gently. At the electrifying sensation of his touch, I recoiled my hand away from him and I turned around to face him, silent, confused. The intensity of his gaze made my stomach do a flip and I had to draw a deep breath as his lips parted to speak again. “My house is just behind those trees, on Clamoribus Street, you can use my phone there -”

I nodded in response before my brain snapped me back to reality, he was a stranger!

“Am I to understand that in this time and age, you do not own a cell phone and I have to follow you into your house to use your landline?” I asked suspiciously. He chuckled. “Was that funny?” I asked.

“On any normal day, I have my cell phone in my pocket. On a day when I am lucky to not lose my head only because it is attached to the rest of my body, I leave it attached to the charger next to my bed.” His eyebrows arched, and he ran one hand through his hair in embarrassment, the other one stroking his impeccable trimmed beard. Yet in spite of the worried gestures of his body, his eyes bore deeply within me radiating with confidence. “Come with me,” they said. “Come.”

I did not realize the exact moment when the words came out, nor what logic was behind the formulation of said sentences. My head screamed for me to hush, say nothing and find another way. He could be a serial killer! Yet somehow, my lips spoke of their own accord ignoring any rationalization going inside my head.

“I will come with you. Perhaps my friends are already in your home searching for a phone as well.” My entire body seemed to quake, weakened by the simple way his lips curled up into a smiled, pleased with my response.

“Perhaps you are right,” he said.

I reached out for my purse, pulled out a notepad and a pen and scribbled a note for John and Jaime.

“Guys, I went looking for you” I wrote. “I am heading to…” I paused. “What is the address?” I asked.

“6-6-6- Clamoribus Street.” he said. My eyes opened wide. “That is C-l-a-m-o--” he paused as my fingers remained frozen over the third six. “Superstitious, really?” He scoffed. “It is truly the only house there, they can’t miss it, even if they tried.”