Luscious Death

Chapter Two

    The morning sun peaked through my curtains, the natural light slowly illuminating my room as I stretched in my bed, a small meow greeting me from my hip. I sat up and took a sleepy glance around my room before deciding on making breakfast. The soft fluff of a robe makes me smile, tying the fabric around my waist as I walk into the kitchen. Pancake weaves in and out from between my feet, meowing loudly before running to the door.

"I'm coming, I'm coming. You don't have to be so impat-." I stopped in my tracks as I looked down at my cat, my heart beating in my ears.

      Wet boot prints dampened the tile by the door, fading from being nearly dry. My body felt frozen, rigid as the hairs on my neck stood up as I seen my shoes lined up neatly from where I had kicked them off yesterday out of the corner of my eye. I grabbed Pancake and quickly opened the front door, a little relief of not being completely confined into a locked house, I allowed myself to glance once more over what I could see from the front door. I clutched the feline closer to my chest as my dishes from the night before rested in the dish wrack, far from where I left them in the living room the night before. Chills ran up my spine and I couldn't resist the urge to run anymore.

      I ran the short distance to my neighbors door, glancing up at the sky as I knocked quickly. Dark gray clouds hovered over, the threat of rain more real by the minute. The door opened and a dark haired girl stood before me, eyebrows raised as she takes in my appearance. In this moment is when I realize that I don't have pants on and my cheeks instantly flush.

"I'm so sorry to bother you but I think someone may have broken into my house last night while I was sleeping. I live alone." I stammer, nodding my head towards the direction of my apartment. Her eyes widen and she opens her door further, motioning for me to come on. Relief washes over me as I step through the threshold, glancing around.

"I'll get you some pants and you can tell me what happened. I'll let you use my phone if you want to call the cops." She offers, giving me a sympathetic smile. I nod, too embarrassed to say anything about my pant-less state.

After putting on the offered sweatpants, I was allowed to let Pancake roam as she fixed coffee for the both of us.

"I'm Natalie, by the way." I speak up, realizing how rude it was to just show up on this ladies door step with no introduction.

      "Oh, I'm Amelia. So, Natalie, why do you think someone broke into your apartment? Was there a broken window or was something stolen?" She asks as she turns and hands me a warm cup. I suddenly feel shy, slightly embarrassed.

    "Um, no, not exactly. I woke up this morning and some of my things have been moved. And someone washed my dishes. There were shoe prints by the front door but they didn't look fresh and I don't have a roommate." I explain, the feeling of doubt sinking into my chest as I say it out loud.

      "Are you sure you didn't do them in a sleepy state and forget about it? Do you sleep walk?" She asks, taking a sip out of her cup as she pushes milk and sugar in my direction.

      "Ah, no. I don't sleep walk and I know I didn't do them before I went to bed. I didn't see any windows broken or anything. I don't know if I should call the cops or what." I admit, feeling a little silly that I didn't investigate further. She stays quiet for a second as she drinks her coffee before setting her cup down.

      "Come on, let's go." She says, motioning me to follow her.

      "Where are we going?" I ask, snagging Pancake from where she sat on the chair beside me.

      "To look a little more in your house. You won't be alone and I'll have 911 on speed dial." She offers, waving her phone at me for reassurance. I sighed and nodded, drudging after her.

     I felt a little safer knowing that someone else was with me as I walked back into my place. It didn't seem as scary as before. I pointed to the two examples from earlier, showing her where I fell asleep at and walked her through what I did the night before. So far, those two things were the only objects that had been touched. Amelia reassured me that everything was fine and that I had probably done them before bed and had been so tired I had forgotten. An uneasy feeling settled in my stomach but I left pancake down and looked over my living room once more.

   "You wouldn't by chance be able to stay for a little while?" I ask Amelia, not wanting to be alone in my house just yet.

     "Yeah, I can do that. I don't really have much going on today, anyway." She smiles, seeming to understand my hesitation on her leaving. I immediately feel a little better, the worry of a panic attack tucked back in its place. At least I'll have company.