No Rest for the Wicked

7

"I don't really see the need for a largescale clean up. The house looks better than fine." Thomas told me as I aggressively dusted the mantle in the living room.

"I haven't had guests here yet and I want it to be perfect." I said. That's when a box in the corner caught my eye. "See? A whole box of things I have yet to put away."

"Fair enough."

"Let's see... A few more books and some empty picture frames." I observed in the box. I pulled out the frames and walked over to the short flight of stairs that led to the windowsill. I flipped a few of the frames over to examine them. "I guess I never put anything in these."

"Is there a reason why?"

"I dunno. I probably meant to at some point, but never got around to- uff!" I slammed right into something while I wasn't looking. The frames clattered to the floor once I lost my grip on them.

"I'm sorry, are you alright?" Thomas asked.

"Yeah, I'm okaaaaaaayyyyyyy-wait.... Did I slam into you?" I asked, shocked.

"You did, I'm sorry."

"I crashed into you." I emphasised. Tentatively, I extended a finger and then poked Thomas in the shoulder. It was solid.

"Miss Kira?"

"You're... You're tangible. I-I-I thought you were... Like Lucille. She's not solid, but you are. I suppose I didn't check." I said, amazed.

"I guess I never thought about it. I don't have any sort of explanation as to why, though I suppose there is one somewhere." Thomas bent down and picked up the frames I had dropped on the floor, passing them to me. I took them, still shocked. I cleared my throat and shuffled beside him to get to the windowsill.

"Do you mind getting those books left in the box?" I asked, standing the empty frames up.

"Of course." Thomas said warmly, going over to the box and grabbed the four or five book still inside of it. "Neil Gaiman's Norse Mythology?"

"One of my favorites. Makes horses a hundred times funnier." I said, meeting him at the bottom of the stairs. "I'll read it to you sometime."

"Sounds enjoyable." Thomas said, holding the stack of books out to me.

"I still can't get over this. It's incredible." I said, taking the books from him and opening said mythology book to skim through it again. Absentmindedly, I leaned in and pecked him on his right cheek. Walking right past Thomas, I put the books on an empty part of a shelf. "You're such a big help, thank you."

Thomas remained stiff as a board as I collected the Clorox wipes and duster. I didn't pay it much mind.

"I need to run out to the store and grab a few things. I should be back soon." I said.

"O-of course." Thomas stammered. Smiling, I went into the kitchen and shoved the cleaning supplies under the sink.

A panging headache started to pound in my skull all of a sudden. I groaned as I gripped the counter.

"Where's the Tylenol?" I asked to no one in particular. I trudged over to the cabinet and shuffled around the various medicines inside. I retrieved the pain meds and popped a couple in my mouth with water. "Should feel better in a few minutes."

I walked back upstairs to grab my phone currently charging before I left for town. As I did, I caught a glimpse of my reflection in the dark screen.

"Jesus, Lizzie was right. I do have bags under my eyes. And my face looks thinner... Must be the environment change." I shrugged before going back downstairs and leaving the house.