Sage (manxman)

Chapter 6 - Fighting Fear

Chapter 6 - Fighting Fear

            Ford smelled the gardenia in his room signaling the springtime in Middleton. Breathing deep, Ford thought about the past few weeks. Winter was definitely cold. The snow had melted and with it his father’s coma.  Roger, Ford’s father had woken up from a coma and was going through physical therapy. He had woken up and due to some minor muscle atrophy had not been able to move. Now though, his body was much better.

            The tension between Ford’s mother and he had lessened with the addition of his father into the mix. Sliding out of the bed, he had promised Audrey and Hudson to go hiking with them today.

            Scratching his head, Ford entered the kitchen and spotted his grandmother, Noelle, sitting at the counter poking at her eggs. Nancy sat with her and Roger focused making sure her husband was all right. In a way, his mother becoming overly concerned with his father kept the pressure of him.

            “Morning,” Ford whispered and pulled up a chair around the counter.

***

             “We have to go,” Audrey insisted as they walked up into Middleton High School. They entered the white hallways with the old metal blue lockers. The two met Hudson at his locker.  “Hey stoney,” Audrey joked.

            “What?” Hudson tried to conceal what was in his locker and he jumped back. It took him a second to realize it was just Audrey and Ford. “Oh, shit,” Hudson, laughed. “Thought you were a nark.”

            “So we are going tonight?” Audrey pressed and clutched her biology book to her chest. She had been ranting about this party since Ford picked her up to drive home.

            Ford shrugged and leaned against the locker, “I’m still not sure exactly what it is we are going.”

            “Dude, only the biggest party of the year,” Hudson pulled out  a biology book and shutting his locker.

            “Yeah, at the old Monlore Mansion,” Audrey continued.

            “Sounds, fun,” Ford answered with a hint of uncertainty in his voice. Audrey and Hudson exchanged a glance with each other.
            “Dude, everyone goes there, wears something neon, drinks,” Hudson shut his locker and fixed his beanie.

            “Okay, but what makes today so special?” Ford asked.

            “You know the story of Gwendolyn Monlore, don’t you?” Audrey began with a smile growing on her face. Ford knew she was going to tell him weather he wanted to hear it or not. “Well, she didn’t have any friend, so she wanted to throw a party. Her parents said no. But you see, they had the biggest mansion in the town.”

            “Sounds like every other kid in town.” Ford laughed and started to walk away.

            “Yeah, but, she went crazy yo,” Hudson spat in and then continued when Ford focused his attention. “She found this tomb”

“Tome, a book,” Audrey corrected,  “and she cast this spell to put her parents to sleep and she had the party.”

“But dude she messed up, and killed her parents. So, like after the party, she was depressed, right, and“ Hudson made a gun with his fingers and pretended to blow out his brains. “Gone.”