Hometorius : Coming Home

chapter 36 : Sumo Warrior Costume

Marylin POV

After a few minutes of walking in silence, we got to the porch in front of the house. It was dark outside. I was still holding Agis' hand. Above all, to not get too far away from him, but also to give myself some courage. We went to the empty pavement. "I wonder what time it is". I started looking around and realized that I didn't have my gloves or a pen on me. I clung even more firmly to his arm.

"Anri?" I said, and when he looked at me from above, I quickly corrected. "I mean, Agis. I'm totally defenseless. I don't have a pen or gloves... I don't even know where I left my bag."

Agis stopped and looked into my eyes again. Then he pulled me to him and slowly leaned to my ear. For some reason, a wave of heat hit me, and I held my breath as I felt myself blush. I've seen scenes like this in romantic movies. The boy always kissed the girl in such a situation. Or did God knows what other stuff. Alternatively said some absolute dogshit crap.

"Even if you were fully armed up to here," he put his hand to his forehead as if to shield his eyes from the light, "anyone would have no problem defeating such a skeleton."

Then he made a long sweep with his hand, from my head to my feet. He didn't wait for my reaction and just moved on, so he didn't notice that I was struggling to hold back my laughter. Perhaps it's a good thing he didn't see it. I think he wanted to offend me rather than make me laugh.

* * *

We stopped in front of an old building built in Gothic style. It was illuminated by only one street lamp. The tall windows were dark. They looked as if someone had sealed them with black paper on the inside. Even in the daylight I wouldn't dare to come inside while walking the street alone. Agis didn't seem to feel the least bit uncomfortable. He climbed three steps and stood in front of a huge door. He turned and measured me with his golden eyes.

"Come on, move," he called softly in his old voice and, without waiting for me, pushed the gate open.

Even though the building looked like it had been abandoned for several years, the door opened without the slightest objection. He walked into a small hall that was more like a corridor. A moment later I stood in the doorway.

The moon behind me was reflecting a lot of light, which was quite scary when combined with my silhouette. He glanced over his shoulder at me. I knew what that look was. He was looking at me like I was an artificial skeleton in a biology lab. Or some ghost from a bad horror movie. Or a strange tree. And that's how I felt too.

I stepped inside with my head held high and my mouth open. I couldn't stop looking at the high ceiling, delicate ornaments and colorful stained glass windows. I looked around the interior like a child in a toy store, absorbing every square inch of the surfaces. As my eyes fell on Agis, I stopped admiring the building.

"What are you doing?" I asked and, moving the weight of my body on one leg, crossed my arms.

He was kneeling in front of the door, looking like he was trying to peep through someone's keyhole. His expression didn't say anything. He was stone-faced as always.

"I'm trying to open this shit, can't you see?" he spoke in his old, dry and unpleasant voice, not taking his mind off his task.

I went back to admiring the interior design. Suddenly, I noticed some movement to my right, just outside the door. There's no way someone could find us here. Or maybe? I wondered how Anri- I mean, Agis would explain that. "We were bored at home, so we came to practice ballet in an old gothic house"? Anyone would most likely think that we were trying to steal something, anyway.