The Neighbor

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She didn't feel like reading after that. Her tea had gotten cold and though she'd felt frozen in time, it moved on without her. She sighed, cleaning up her things before settling on her bed. She hugged her knees tightly, pressing her face into them hard enough that colors started to dance around in the blackness of her lids. 

She must've fallen asleep eventually, because the next thing she knew was that she was woken up by the light of the sun. She hadn't thought it possible to sleep that night, but she'd gotten an undisturbed and dreamless rest regardless. It felt like the universe finally going a little easier on her. Still, the dreaded memories of last night crept into her mind without warning, haunting her as she clothed herself and went downstairs. 

On the kitchen table lay a little note. It read;

She should've expected a lonesome morning - the weather had given away that this was not going to be a good day

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She should've expected a lonesome morning - the weather had given away that this was not going to be a good day. Despite it being summer, the sky had darkened to an ashen grey. It was raining, but only a little. It was the most dreadful kind in Amity's opinion; she'd much rather it storm and that it would be over with quickly. 

She sighed, grabbed a barren and white slice of bread to chew on and slipped into her yellow raincoat. She wasn't going to wander around the house aimlessly - besides, it was about time she apologized to Luz.

She'd set only a foot outside the door when she nearly tripped over a box. Her arms flailed around trying to catch her balance successfully. She fought the urge to kick the package straight across the porch, instead kneeling down to read who it was addressed to. Willow Park. What an unusual name. Well, at least the mystery was solved; the package was not for the Blights and so it must belong to their neighbors. Amity looked at the rickety staircase... Well, it was worth a shot.

Heavy package in hand, Amity climbed the staircase. She panted and heaved but at last got to her destination; spirit broken but bones intact. Her hair fell into her eyes as she leaned down to put the package down and she blew it away angrily. She looked up and spotted a little, wooden sign underneath the doorbell.

 She looked up and spotted a little, wooden sign underneath the doorbell

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Well, that seemed to check out. Amity rung the doorbell, after which it played a cute little melody. For a while nothing happened, making Amity believed nobody was home, but after a loud crash and some glass shattering, someone opened the door.

The young lady was dressed in a dark green dress that seemed like it belonged somewhere in the 1800's, dark hair poofy and pinned up half-way. She was a bit robust and wore large, round glasses. Her eyes were as close to black as Amity had ever seen, but they twinkled with gentleness.

"Good morning." Her voice was a little squeaky, almost that of an elderly woman. Amity hadn't said anything in a bit and the woman looked at her expectantly, before the package at her feet was noticed. "My, how nice of you to bring my package up. You're from downstairs then?"

"Uhh yeah - my family and I just moved in yesterday. It's nice to meet you."

The woman shyly moved her hair out of her face, carefully dragging the package inside and turning back to Amity. Only now did she notice the peculiar scent coming out of the woman's apartment. It was a nearly sickening aroma of about a dozen different flowers combined, overwhelming yet not unpleasant. Amity shifted her weight from back to front a few times, before clapping softly and saying;

"Well uh - goodbye Willow. I hope that whatever's in the package will be of use to you."

"Oh, it will be." Now, that sounded a little sinister. Amity, who'd just turned towards the stairs again, turned around to spot only the glint of the lady's glasses before the door closed with a soft thump. She almost seemed a different person just then. A shiver ran down her spine, but she didn't dwell. She'd wasted enough time here.

It was time she got to Luz... Now, where did she live? Amity jumped off the front porch, looking around, slowly twirling, when she spotted a pointed arrow sign. It only read Noceda but it didn't need to say more. Her destination was set.



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