Isa had just left the classroom when Campbell started bombarding her with all sorts of questions, till her head ached.
“Why did he call you? What did he say? How did you react? Did you have any cold, dark feeling inside you? Was he scary? You look pale, is it because of him? O my gosh! Did he do something to you? Were you…”
But Isa wasn’t listening to the endless litany of questions directed to her. She had other things to ponder on.
Like, if her life is really in danger. If she should leave town. But where would she go? Should she tell her friends? Would they believe her? They’d probably think she’d gone nuts on hearing her first sentence.
Hey friends, there’s this evil that wants to take over the town, and we’re all probably in mortal danger, especially me coz, you know, I’m the main target. Haha, who I heard it from? Oh, just the librarian and the janitor. I believe them? Yeah…I guess. You think I’m nuts? Yup! I think I’m nuts too…
No!
I can’t tell them that! Besides, I must’ve heard wrongly or something. And, I definitely don’t want anyone thinking that I’ve gone crazy or else, they’d ship me to a padded room, lock the door and throw the key in the bottom of the ocean!
“… talking to you, Isa” Campbell shook Isa’s body. “Wh…what? I’m listening” Isa stuttered.
“What was the last thing I said,” Campbell asked in annoyance.
“Uh…cupcakes?”
“…”
Isa arrived home and quickly went to find Aaron to tell him everything. She had been thinking so much that her head ached, and she needed someone close enough to share her problem with. She hoped that after telling her brother everything, and he understood, they’d both leave town, find a place to stay and continue with their normal lives.
“Why are you in such a hurry? You miss me that much?” Aaron grinned down at her from the stairs. She had been so engrossed in her escape plan that she did not notice him.
“Aaron…” she breathed out. “What’s wrong?” Aaron frowned and quickly descended the stairs and hurried to his sister.
“I need to tell you something.” “Spill it Isa.”
“At school today…”
She narrated everything to him as detailed as she could. She did not stop for breath but went in to voice out the thoughts in her head. Aaron listened silently.
When Isa finally stopped, she looked at her brother, “well?”
He watched her for a while before doing the unexpected.
He burst into laughter.
A very stunned Isa stood there and watched her brother laugh. She had told him her terrible experience and all he did was laugh?!
Aaron laughed until tears streamed down his eyes. Isa on the other hand flushed with embarrassment.
“Come here.” Aaron hugged her while still laughing. She remained there, not understanding her situation anymore.
“Okay. You said you overheard the librarian and…the janitor talking.”
Isa nodded.
“And…you believe them?” She nodded again.
Chuckling, Aaron said, “dearest little sister, you should really quit crazy talk and stop listening to them. Messes with your mental health.” He poked her head and ruffled her hair. Slapping his hand off, Isa glared him.
“C’mon kiddo, forget what you heard. It’s just crazy talk” Aaron laughed. Isa shook her head and laughed. She was such a drama queen! Overthinking the whole thing. Making such a fuss out of this.
I almost scared myself to death.
“Yeah, you’re right” she said. Fixing her hair, Isa climbed the stairs but stopped when Aaron called, “Isa.”
She looked at him. He had on a serious look so Isa listened attentively.
“Do you want to cook dinner tonight?” He asked, smiling.
“Do you want to die before morning?”
“No.”
“Then we’re both on the same page.”
After Isa had showered, she went to the library in search of the key to the chest she’d found.
She opened drawers, cupboards, between books, but didn’t find anything. Minutes later, she tossed a book she had been flipping through aside, and groaned in frustration. She was covered in sweat and dust and would need another shower before dinner. “Where is that stupid key?” She asked herself looking under shelves.
“Lucky?” She called out.
Lucky’s ears perked up from the corner of the library where he lay. He had his eyes closed and didn’t answer. “Lucky!”
He turned and stared at her with a blank expression.
“Lucky, if you were a key to an old chest I found in my library, where would you be?” She asked facing him. Lucky stared back at her for a few moments before he yawned and slept off.
“Lucky?”
“…”
“Lucky!”
“…”
“Oh you lazy dog” Isa said in exasperation. “If I were a key, where would I be?” She asked herself. But she couldn’t come up with anything. Dirty and confused she sat on the floor and wondered for some minutes. “Maybe in mom and dad’s room?” She suddenly asked.
Isa stood before her parents room and lowered her hand for the nth time. Since they moved back, her parents room has remained untouched. They pretended like it wasn’t even there. Like they, she and Aaron, silently agreed not enter. At least…that’s what she thought they felt.
And now here she was, right in front of their door, with courage no more than a spot. Sighing, she retracted her hand and resolved never to come there again.
I guess I’ll never find that key.
After dinner, Isa helped Aaron clear out the dishes.
“Aaron?”
“Hmm?”
“Do you like it here?” Aaron paused and looked at his sister, wondering why she had asked that. “Yeah, I guess,” he said. “It’s not bad here. Nice atmosphere. You and I were born here after all.”
“You really like it here?” She asked again. “Yeah Isa,” he glanced at her, “I really do like it here.”
“Okay.”
“… don’t you like it here?” Aaron asked. “What about the people here?” Isa asked instead.
“Of course I like the people here. It’s a small town and everyone knows everyone. They nice to everyone…”
Aaron like looked squarely at Isa, “and you? Do you like the people here?”
Isa pouted as she wiped a glass cup. “Well, the people here are a bit…”
“Mad?” Aaron suggested.
Well, I was going to say mentally deranged but, mad’s close.
“Yeah,” Isa replied. Aaron shook his head, chuckling, “Isa, we’re all a little mad in this town, don’t you think? There are just different levels of madness in people. You get me?”
No.
“Yeah, I get you.” A while later, Isa asked again, “and Charlie? What level of madness is he in?”
“Infinity level.” She laughed.
“They man is just cray, cray,” Aaron added. Isa shook her head in surprise. “Did you just…”
“Damn right I did. Forgive my language, will you.”
He washed his hands and wiped it on a towel before asking, “is this about what Marian and Charlie said?”
“Yeah” Isa answered quietly as she wiped the last dish. “Look, if it bothers you so much, then you should avoid people who talk crazy” Aaron suggested.
“But that’ll mean not talking to anyone since they’re all mad.”
“Of course not. You can talk to anyone. Remember the different levels of madness.” He pinched her cheek. Isa giggled. “Alright. No infinity levels.”
“Good girl.”
At night, Isa lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling. She thought of playing trace the ceiling, but quickly discarded the idea. She shuddered, involuntarily. No way was she going back to that memory.
*Ping*
Isa took her phone. A notification came up on the screen. It said that she’d been added to a group by Campbell Garcia. Then she got six messages at once.
Campbell: hey Isa, you there?
Dylan: what’s up Isa?
Cole: hey babe
Dylan: Cole…
Cole: sorry. What’s up Isa?
Ciara: hello Isa.
Isa smiled as she read through it. She began typing.
You: wow. Hey everyone. Thanks for adding me.
Campbell: no biggie
Dylan: so how’ve you been?
Campbell: yeah, how are you?
Cole: cool as always?
You: I’m alright. Been resting, nothing much.
Ciara: did you do your biology homework?
Campbell: *groan*
You: haha, yeah. First thing I did when I got home.
Ciara: good. At least someone other than me is serious with education.
Cole: *yawn* 🙁
Dylan: I’m not bothering her…
Isa glanced at her bedside table. The chest sat there, unopened.
You: know where I can find a lockpick?