Our Contract of Distrust

-- 14 --

"Sully's house."

"Who?" 

"What? No, I just said someone's house." 

"Oh, okay." Eddie doesn't look convinced. 

But even if I wanted to honestly answer her question, I can't. I also don't know who Sully is. Just that this is her place. 

And that that fact doesn't feel like a good thing. 

"Why'd you stop? Did you want to get out and have a look or something?" Eddie asks. 

"No." I can't think of anything worse. "I just thought that tree looked interesting." I lie. 

It really was an impressively large willow, but it looked just as foreboding as the house.

"Fair enough." The tension I feel seems to have infected Eddie also. "Should we head back now?"

"Yeah."

Somehow we maintain a conversation on the way back, but for the life of me I can't retain a single thing it's about.

I drop Eddie and her car back off at the shopping mall. Apparently her previous chauffeur is ready and willing to drop her home.

Eddie gives me her new number before we part. But who knows when we might meet again.

Eddie is someone people flock to but can never pin down. She never seems to reject or avoid anyone, yet she has a way of drifting in and out of people's lives.

Sometimes I wonder whether or not it's intentional. But as she smiles and waves me off I decide I don't really care. I like her all the same.

I'm more worried about what our spontaneous expedition revealed.

What was that place? And how had I known to get there?

On the walk home my mind can't focus on anything aside from that place.

It's a wonder I don't end up lost.

The evening passes in a blur.

I feel numb.

Did I cook something?

Did I eat?

I think I showered.

I think Feodor was there.

For once I can't seem to care.

I don't have the slightest clue as to who Sully is, I just know that her mere name sets a terror in me far greater than that caused even by the physical presence of my prison warden.

I want to sleep early. To forget it all.

But I've never learnt how to disable my thoughts.

So they keep racing.

Faster and faster until I feel dizzy.

Until I think I might throw up.

I clench my eyes shut tighter and will myself to sleep.

Surely, eventually, if I try hard enough, it'll come.

____________________________

It's that house.

The one I went to today.

An old building of brick and wood. The weeping willow alongside it.

Someone should burn that tree.

I've been here before.

I think that Henry voice brought me.