Heterodox (BOOK 2)

Chapter 17

~Vesper~

Imagine a scream.

Imagine a scream so loud it startles the flock of pigeons right off the telephone lines.

Imagine a scream so loud it wakes up all the dogs in the street and the one after, causing a domino effect of barks and howls to compete.

Imagine a scream so loud it scares the perfectionist gardener into accidently clipping of the entire beak of the swan bush.

Well imagine no more! It was me and it's as real as it gets.

I hear a rushed thumping of footsteps on the stair. Someone may have missed a step, because I next overhear a hitched gasp and an irregular pattern of footfalls. Missing a step like missing a beat. A string of curses when someone stumps their toe. A fresh set when the drop down ladder hits their noggin.

What unlucky individuals.

But not as unlucky as me.

Finally, they all spill out of the trap door; Darci, Latte and the fraternal twins. I turn around slowly and almost waddling robotically, facing them like a sheriff ready to duel at high noon. When I wipe the gunk that covers my eyes, I take in the scene in front of me. It looks like the fraternal twins were the main casualties; sporting the damage from ascending the stairs. Circe keeling on the side without the injured minimus and Talon rubbing circles at the side of his temple. It seems like Darci's main damage came from running as she is almost doubled  over, her heavy chest heaving.

Despite their different positions; they all have gawking in common.

Suddenly, Talon just outright laughs; a loud set of guffaws that startles everyone.

I narrow my eyes at him. "It's not funny."

"Did-did I mention how much I love Karma's humour?" He ignores me; grinning widely and wickedly. "Cuz I'll say it again: I love-"

"Oh, shove it, Talon."

Okay, allow me to brief ya.

Around nine or ten this morning, I came over to the mansion because mom went to complete some errand and I was bored. I was in Circe's room, twiddling my thumbs when I just happened to notice a patch of the ceiling in the wrong shade. Note that, this was a small error that can be overlooked by the common eye, but being the artist myself I set a mission to fix this flaw.

My mistake.

I, being short yet in self-denial, tried to reach the bucket of purple paint at the top of the shelf but ended up tipping it all over me; unto my hair and dripping down my face to my overalls.

So here we are.

Gaping at a girl that looks like a nutty, purple minion.

"Oh darling!" Darci exclaims, full of concern (Unlike someone I know), "What happened?!"

Okay. Not explaining this again.

"Look," I lower my eyes and release a heavy breath, "I applied a lotion in my hair this morning. One of the ingredients, when combined with a certain ingredient in paint can cause hair loss."

Talon almost looked like his eyes would pop out of his skull.

"It is absolutely essential that my hair is washed out in the next five hours or there will be dire consequences."

Darci is the first to answer, promising eagerly, "We'll try our very best, Vesper."

"Doesn't MB's family have a hair salon and barber shop?"Circe wonders aloud.