Page 91 of Mommy

He was there when my dad died and he was there when my mom moved away. He came to my dads funeral, and watched me throw away all his shit.

“I love you, man.”

The words are out, and Ezekiel isn’t missing a beat.

“Love you too, bro.”

He’s grinning at me, and I grin back.

I’m not sure if today counts towards my three mess ups. I’d say no? I didn’t touch the guy, I shot him on the spot. Clean. This wasn’t personal, right?

I guess I’m back on track.

Chapter forty seven

Ivory

I’m not sure how much time has passed. I cleaned up in the living room and the kitchen, washing every piece of tableware by hand just so that I’d have something to do.

That was… an hour ago? I sat down on the couch after I’d finished. I stared into the dim living room and waited for a noise.

At some point I must have fallen asleep, because when I peel open my eyes now, I’m laying on my side, my face smushed into one of the decorative pillows.

Why did I wake up?

Maybe Derek came back and I heard the front door. There’s definitely been a noise.

Yes, there it is again.

A creaking sound that I can barely make out over my own breathing. But it’s not the front door.

Shit.

Maybe someone saw Derek leave and thought this was their chance to break into the house. After all, nobody knows I’m staying here. And Derek doesn’t officially have a dog, so no one knows Posie is here either.

Not that she’s a big help right now. She’s deeply asleep, her snoring almost making me deaf to the next creak.

The sound creeps me out.

I’ve been moving through this house for weeks now and I don’t think I’ve ever heard a floorboard creak. Everything is so perfect and in place, there’s no room for loose pieces and spooky noises.

I had switched off the light and now I lay in the darkness absolutely motionless, trying to listen for… footsteps?

A crunch filters into the living space, sending my pulse into the sky. I hold my breath, listening for another noise when a deep rumble sends a chill down my spine.

There’s a shadow at the far corner of the room, and it’s huge.

I keep as still as I possibly can, even though I know that my chances of staying undetected are below zero. I’m laying on an almost white couch. I could probably be seen from space.

As if on cue, the shadow moves. In my direction.

My breathing comes to a stuttering halt.

Before the couch, they crouch down and I look into the black and white outline of a skull.

A skull?

I search for depth in the contours, but come up short. It looks like a mask.