Little Green Stars

Chapter 6-Big Girl Panties

Red Lady. Really? Who says that? What kind of asshole is this kid? More importantly, what is his problem? My irritation mounts the closer I get to my stolen home. Soon, I can see the newspaper box loitering in the lawn and an unfamiliar feeling rising inside me: anxiety. What am I going to say to him? What do I want to say to him? Is he even home? All I know is I have to figure out what the hell is going on. I owe Jaxson that much. But, as I stare up the pebbled driveway, I know this is going to be one of the hardest things I've ever had to do—it's like saying bye to Mom all over again. Big Girl Panties Vel. Big Girl Panties!

So much for my big girl panties because I find myself tip-toeing up the path. Every clunk of my shoes makes me tenser. Once at the door, I don't know what to do. I mean, I know I should knock, but I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact that there's someone inside, and it's not my mom. Ok, I need to calm down. I begin to pace, searching for my opening line when this Jin asshole opens the door. Suddenly, I see the wood-paneled shades by the door flicker to reveal one dark eye. Jin.

"Hello?" I call, leaning down as the shutters sway with a sudden motion.

No response.

"I saw you, Jin!" I yell as I pace along the porch in succession with every shutter closing from the entry to the sitting room.

What the hell?

The kitchen! It doesn't have a shutter. I run to the end of the porch and awkwardly climb over to race to the kitchen window. Stumbling along the unwatered rose beds, I place my hands on the window's ledge. Using the ledge as leverage, I jump up repeatedly, but my head barely grazes high enough to see in. This is ridiculous!

"JIN! We need to talk! It's about Rina!"

WHACK! Something hits the window, sending me sprawling at the surprise.

"YOU LEAVE RINA ALONE!" A voice from within the kitchen screams to me.

"Why?!" I yell back, stumbling up from the bushes.

"AWAY WITH YOU!"

Away with me? Wow! I didn't think I'd ever meet anyone as crazy as me, but here I am.

"Hey! You can't talk to me like that, asshole!" I yell as I hear feet scurrying inside.

He's going upstairs. I'd know the sound of that third broken step anywhere. Little does this crazy know that I know this house top to bottom. Meaning, I know all the secret-passageways and hideaway walls are, it's how the Shamrocks of the past used illusions and tricks to mysticize their patrons. Most importantly, I know where the secret-tunnel into the basement is that he would have no idea even exists. Jokes on you, Jin!

I don't even need all that because I run over to the other side of the house to look for the purple brick. Jackpot! The hideaway key is still there. Even if they changed the locks, it would work because you can't change the basement lock, it's grandfathered into the design of the house. Quickly, I grab the key and make my way to the basement door, and with one quick turn of my wrists, the door swings open. Alright Jin, you got some explaining to do.

The basement looks the same, except everything is gone. Oh no! I hadn't even thought of it until now, but where did Maeve put all our family's stuff? She wouldn't have. Not even Maeve would do that, right? It must be in a storage unit somewhere. I take a minute to grieve. The sunlight shining in from the small basement window reveals the infamous, giant greenish-white stain on the floor by the washer. Jaxson and I were equally horrified and enthralled by that stain. When we asked, Grandpa would always say, "it's a secret family recipe" and that it was "a story for another time." Well, that "another time" never came.

Damnit. Big girl panties! I shake myself and head up the stairs. Thankfully, Mr. Paranoid didn't lock the basement door, and it swings open with its typical creak, but before I walk through, I pause. There are boxes scattered everywhere. The dining room floors are ripped up and thrown in the hall like trash. The paisley wallpaper is torn off to reveal greenish-yellow walls. The formerly intricately carved banister I use to slide down every time I went downstairs is sanded clean with the shavings dusted up and down the stairs. It even smells different—there's some nasty incense burning on top of a random box. They've been here less than a week, how has this all happened so quickly?

Big girl panties. I try to remind myself as a tear stream down my cheek. Before I can feel even more pathetic, I wipe my tears and head for the stairs. Mission find Jin is in full effect.

"Jin!" I call out as I walk up the stairs. "I know you're in here. We need to talk!"

Silence.

I mean, I guess I wouldn't answer either if some crazy red-head stalked me and broke into my house. I get to the top of the stairs, stand still, and listen when a thought pops into my head. His bedroom is probably my room. I mean, it would only be fitting with all the other ironic bullshitery that goes on in my life.

"Jin," I say, making my voice sound higher. Maybe if I sound like a sexy girl, he'll answer. All men are the same, right? My attempt makes me cough, bringing a dramatic end to my attempt. "Look, I don't know what that was about earlier in class, but we need to talk!"

"You're not welcome here," The terrified voice from within calls.

Neither are you, but that's an argument for another time. "Excuse me?!"

I put my ear to the door to hear his repeated, frantic whispers, "you are not welcome here, you are not welcome here, you are not welcome here..." Wow, he is literally insane.

"Who the hell do you think I am?"

A rustling begins on the other side of the door, and soon something brushes against my feet. I look down to see a piece of paper sticking out from under the door.

"What the hell?" I say, bending down to pick up the paper. But as I turn it over, I freeze. A drawing, it's me except I look different—I look like a ghost.

"WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?!" I demand as the hair on my arms raise.

Suddenly, more paper comes sliding under the door. One. Two. Three more. Shaking, I bend down to pick up the other three papers and thumb through them. One by one, they all reveal some demented drawing of me. That's when I notice it: each one is dated. 10/4, 10/5, 10/6, and 10/7. Holy shit. Those are the same four nights I've watched myself leave my body.

-Enjoying the story so far? What do you think is going on with Vel? Comment below! Also, please take a second to vote. Thanks. -Barbara :)