The Solstice family were an odd bunch; murder, witchcraft, and funerals were integral parts of their everyday life. Elvira Solstice was no exception. Her parents married out of pure loathing, and spent their lives slipping poison into each other's f...
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I realised pretty recently that I spend a lot of my time worrying about things. On that day in particular, I had another appointment with Officer Fauker about the whole Solstice family situation. I decided to drive to the police station and it wasn't long before the ride started feeling a little rougher than usual. Were my tires flat? Was something wrong with the engine? Was that spare tire I attached last week too loose? I must've pulled over and anxiously inspected my car about five times before I got to the station.
Then came the overwhelming sense of fear and worry about something completely unrelated. That's usually how it goes. Why do I have to get involved with this police investigation? I could get hurt doing their dirty work. I thought to myself, Fauker is overstepping. I can't even deal with the thought that I might need to see some mechanic who'll try to squeeze as much money out of me as possible because I don't know anything about cars, let alone a murder investigation. I don't want to go back to that weird suburban castle. I'm done. Finished.
The only thing I needed to do was say it.
"Fauker," I said to myself as I drove down main street. "I won't be going back."
I started sitting up straighter in my seat. My brow was furrowed in complete determination for the rest of the drive. When I finally made it to the police station I stomped on the parking brake like it was a small cockroach. That's how much I meant business. However, I was still silently going insane about the wobblyness that my car was suddenly afflicted by.
"When are you going back?" was the first thing he asked me when I took a seat at his desk.
He looked very busy. Everyone did. Cops were rushing around much faster than I thought possible. Something had to be going on, something real serious. Oh no, he's busy, I thought. I'm wasting their time. I'm being a selfish prune. He's going to think I'm selfish.
"Mrs. Zavai?" he pressed.
I defiantly pushed to my feet and puffed my chest up. My eyes burned with intense fury.
"This. Afternoon," I said, previous confidence crumbling around me.
I wanted to strangle myself with the table lamp's power cord, but even that would have required courage that I didn't have.
Fauker's face flipped from focused to extremely jovial. "I love your enthusiasm! Now excuse me and the rest of the precinct for a moment, I believe the ice cream truck just pulled up out front."
He slipped into the powerful stream of police officers as they swept out the door, wallets clasped in their sweaty hands.
So, yes, that is how I found myself standing at the doorway of Castle Solstice for the second time. Well...I don't know if 'doorway' is the right word if it's a castle? It didn't feel right at the time because, well, a doorway is a doorway. This was not a doorway. It towered over me and was wide enough for four people to walk through at the same time.
