How To Not Eat Thy Neighbor

Chapter 9

I know what you're going to say. 

"Ricky, why did you not listen?"

I've got a beautiful little thing called curiosity, and it'll always get the best of me. Mid twenties and I still don't have reining that one in under my list of skills, I know. But hear me out, maybe it wasn't that bad of an idea?

And even if it was, why would I care?

(Spoiler alert; it was bad, I should care, hindsight will forever be 20/20)

Something about "taking things out back" made me curious. I wanted to see Eliza kick someone's ass, for one. For two, I wanted to see someone in general kick Cedar's ass. 

Yeah, I'll admit it. I want to see Cedar get his ass handed to him. 

If you couldn't tell what I was about to do, I was about to do the exact opposite do what Eliza said to do. To get away from here. Avoid Cedar at all costs. 

I knew where she'd be going, anyway. There weren't many places you could have an inconspicuous fight during the day here. We hardly had alleyways. The ones we did have had two endings. In broad daylight, you'd notice a fight. 

That left the back alley that happened to be conveniently located right near the coffee shop. A poorly placed alley if I did say so myself, but nevertheless, an alley. 

Quite frankly I don't like whatever mumbles I'm hearing, but for the second time in ten minutes, curiosity gets the best of me. 

I'm pretty damned close to the entrance too. The roofs of two neighboring buildings shade the area. The further you go back, the harder it is to see anything. 

A low voice echoes. It's sinister in nature. Deep, but in the sense the ocean is. Filled with everything known to man that might just hurt you. 

"How long has it been now? A few hundred years?" It's almost a low chuckle. It would've been intriguing if I hadn't known who it belonged to. 

I can only describe Eliza's voice as a verbal eye roll. 

"Not nearly long enough, shall I say." She's polite about it, somehow. I would've ripped his throat out already. Or at least tried to .

"Well. I politely disagree. We ought to see each other more." I can hear the smirk in his voice. Simultaneously, I want to punch him. I don't know how Eliza hasn't lost her calm yet.

"I think we're over formalities. We have been for years, haven't we? And don't pretend you don't know, don't you?" It's malicious as hell - 

"Fine. I've got questions, so do you. Let's not have a repeat of the past. I know you'd hate that."

"Last time, I wasn't the coward." I can hear Eliza grit her teeth as she speaks. "Now, if you will. Just what are you doing back in town?"

"You think you're all so clever..." he laughs a little. He sounds like a madman. I don't doubt that he is. "I have unfinished business."

"So that's what this is about? Business? You're just as much of a coward as I thought you were." He's hit a nerve. And hit one hard. 

"I find it amusing you still know exactly what I'm talking about, even after all these years... it's predictable, really." He laughs again. 

"You're not going to lay a hand on him, Cedar. You know it." I can feel her fury. She means Michael. 

I can see the glint of a knife being pulled from his pocket as I lean in. I pray neither of them see me. 

"What if I already have?" It's a voice full of malice. Only now does it occur to me Eliza might not know the extent of Michael's chest and arms. She might not know at all. 

"If you really—" she starts. "You were a lost cause before. Don't make it any worse, Ashgrove. You know the hole you've dug yourself into."

Now that is what a stricken nerve looks like. At this point, I'm shocked she hasn't just up and punched him. 

"All these years Eliza... I never would've thought a person could elicit this from you. What happened to that stone face? Oh how I miss it." He sounds absolutely devious. She may not be hurt physically, but you can see the pain in what I can see of her face. 

I can hear her breathe. It's heavy. She's almost panting, in a sense. 

"Shut up. Don't speak to me. I came for official things. This isn't the right time." She nearly shouts at him. It's loud and clear to me, as far away as I am. 

"Your heart will always be the death of you Eliza." He steps a little closer, clutching his knife.

"Don't take a step closer." She orders, returning to the stone face. She draws her own knife from her pocket. 

"You've fallen so far from grace, my dear." He blatantly ignores her command. "Never did I think I'd see you like this. Scared." He fake gasps. "Or showing an emotion."

He knocks the knife from her hand. I swear I see a tear fall. Eliza herself is really, truly, scared for the first time in my knowledge. 

"You care about him." Cedar states, devoid of anything. 

"For once... you're the one who's wrong here." She tries to collect herself. She tries to grab her knife, bending down against the alleyway wall. 

"Don't." He states, grabbing her hand and yanking her back up. She inhales, face contorting in pain.

"Sage oil." He says with a faint air of arrogance. "The gloves, that is. Coated on the outside. It'll scar, never heal. Not completely, at least."

"Oh..." she says. The fury is rebuilding itself. "You, Cedar, are a colossal bitch."

"Let's not change the subject, darling." He stands his ground, unfortunately. "Those are the eyes of someone in love. I could recognize them a mile away."

"I said you should shut up." She yells back again.

"Eliza, you of all people should know I don't listen." The air is tense as he goes silent for just a moment.

"What a turn of events..." he shakes his head in displeasure. "You couldn't have... it's just so unlike you..."

"To do what?" If her hand wasn't injured, she'd be ripping him apart.

"You're not in love with Michael, no... it's someone else. You've connected with another being. Crawled out of that little reclusive den of yours." He laughs, still shaking his head.

"The human. You've fallen for that little blue haired human. The one I tried to torment. That's why you cared. You care about that human... never in my day did I think I'd be saying those words, Eliza. What a change." He starts stepping away.

"And just what are you doing?"

"God. You truly are a sucker for pain. I'm leaving. I'm ending your torment for the day. I know all i need to. You've suffered all I need you to. Have fun getting yourself home."

She collapses to her knees on the asphalt. He throws his cloak over him and does what he said he would. He leaves. He barely leaves a trace beyond Eliza's quiet but weeping form.

And from it, few words come out.

"You can come out now, Ricky."