Jori Collections: 2017-2021

(5.29.18) Patterson Joins the Dead (For Real) - M, 10.7k [F]

["True love is like ghosts, in which everyone talks about and few have seen..." -Francois de la Rochefoucauld]

Drenched, wet, soggy, whatever - those were the only things on my mind as I remained curled on my couch, huddled with my thick alpaca-fur sweater and purple plaid pants. Even my toes were bundled up with thick, red socks. To my left sat Cat in slippers, a robe and blue pants. We both shivered, even though the thundering rain hadn't been hailed on our skin for nearly an hour. It plundered against the windows and door, sure, but not us. The heater was taking a beating, I can say that much.

As for Jade, though, I can't really say the same. She was too pissed to even venture out of her car - not Cat's brother's topless convertible - to get warm.

It's her loss.

We continued to blandly watch the television, until Cat's phone vibrates against the coffee table. "You going to get that?" She turned towards me.

I arched a brow before muttering, "It's your phone." She groaned quietly, weakly reaching for it. A quick glare was thrown towards me, and I just scoff, "What? It is your phone!"

"But I'm your guest..." I rolled my eyes: She was still going on about the damn conversation from earlier after having me make a huge pizza just for her. Not a slice for me. "Oh, it's Jade," she perked.

"What did she say?" I asked curiously. She furrowed her brows, shifting a careful glance towards me. "What?"

"Nothing," she shrugged, "just she said a lot of bad words."

I grinned quietly to myself before mumbling, "Oh come on. Just tell me."

"'Tonight was the shittiest night ever and I hope all of the fucking tires pop on that stupid-ass vehicle,'" Cat replied, verbatim.

I paused for a few moments, feeling myself swaying with the ideas. "Well...you can't really blame her. I mean, first there was that creep at the gas station and it took us a few times to relight that candle," I mumbled. Cat nodded in agreement, setting the phone to her side. Shifting deeper into the couch, I felt my body tremble lightly at the thought of that candle. Every time we had lit the candle to set along with the other memorial pieces, it was quickly put out. Cat was adamant about having it lit as to not have the house smell like rain, but of cinnamon buns - of all things. Jade hadn't cared, though she wanted to get home (there wasn't any paranormal activity to entertain her). I, however, couldn't help but look at the other candles - they were all merely dried wax puddles in their dishes. The wicks on all of them, however, stood to the full height of each candle, untouched.

Everything about that I had hated. Everything.

Jade thought it was cool.

Cat thought nothing of it.

I found it sinister - it didn't belong.

The garage door opened, tearing me from my thoughts. "Hey Dad," I grinned softly before frowning at his own expression. "What's wrong?"

"You two visited Mona's house, right? To mourn and all?" He turned towards us gravelly. We both nodded softly before he mumbled, "Well uh, check the news. It's unfortunate..."

I quickly switched over to the Los Angeles' news network as he strode away, Cat sitting forward eagerly. "-so by the time firefighters had arrived at the scene, Mrs. Patterson's house was already engulfed in flames," the news reporter - Tom Haiden, I think - publicized, "and it could not be saved."

Cat, with her eyes wide, turned towards me. "Our candle..."

"No- No, we don't know for sure...lots of things could start a fire," I said. It was more to assure me that nothing was wrong than anything else. "And besides, the candle kept going out like the other ones."