𝗍𝖺𝗎𝗋𝗎𝗌- 𝗍.𝗅.

𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖻𝗈𝗒 𝗇𝖾𝗑𝗍 𝖽𝗈𝗈𝗋

𝖥𝗂𝗇𝖺𝗅𝗅𝗒 𝗉𝗎𝗅𝗅𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗎𝗉, the twins woke from their half-conscious slumber to the sight of a chocolate brown house. The windows were a mesmerising green colour, mixed with red detailing. The door was grand, made of dark oak. Black metal detailing adorned the deep surface, Violet and Alex held their hands tight together, Alex holding Pippa in her left. Violet plugged her ear with a headphone and gave Alex the other. Scrolling through their playlist, Violet settled on Trouble by Cage The Elephant. Alex grinned at her in approval.

"Great," Alex muttered to her sister, "we're the Addams Family now."

Violet laughed, "what's with these people and moody houses?"

Ben smirked at his daughters' conversation before turning around. "Hey, crank pants! Get over here." Alex and Violet exchanged a look before trudging over. "Isn't this place amazing?" he asked.

Violet took a look around the yard whilst Alex scoffed at her father. "If you wanna get axe murdered in the middle of the night, only to be left to rot whilst your dog eats you, then yeah, dad, it's gorgeous."

Before her parents could argue back, the door creaked open. Alex smiled at the realtor as she let them in, ignoring her attempt at small talk. Whispering to her sister that she was going to explore, she handed her back the earbud and took Pippa to the back garden.

After wandering around for a few minutes, Alex settled herself on the stone wall that marked the property line, bundling her jacket in front of her crossed legs to lay Pippa on. Pulling a joint from her bra, she leant against the brick pillar and let the flames lick the paper. Smiling down at the sleeping animal, she took a minute to breathe in the smell of the cannabis. Turning her head to the left, she was met with a smiling blonde.

"What the- holy shit! Who the fuck are you?!" she pushed her hair out of her eyes, alarmed.

The boy laughed, shaking his head. "Sorry, I should've coughed... or something. I'm Tate. I live next door."

"Oh, Alex." She sighed in relief, "you gonna axe-murder me?"

"No," he smiled, sitting on the opposite side of the wall, hanging his feet off the edge, "I'd wait until you weren't expecting."

Alex made an impressed face and took another drag, "very impressive, I'd go the brutal route, in front of your family. You smoke?" she asked, holding the joint out for him to take.

He accepted it, nodding, "that's always the worst way to murder someone. What're you gonna do with all those witnesses?"

"That's the cherry on top. After I've killed you, I'll set your family on fire and leave them there. Fool proof."

She sniggered as the smoke escaped Tate's mouth with a chuckle. "Very nice. Your folks buyin' the place?" he nodded his head to the house looming over them.

Alex nodded. "Think so. They seem to like it well enough. Guess I'll be seeing more of you, pretty boy." She gathered her belongings together and took one more huff from the joint before lodging it between Tate's lips, smirking as his eyes stared into hers. She scooped Pippa up again and left, turning round one more time to see Tate's eyes following her steps.

"You thinkin' what I'm thinkin'?" she asked Violet as they met at the door, looping my free arm through hers.

"If you're thinkin' about takin' it, then yeah." The two grinned at each other before going to find their parents, chatting between themselves.

"Murder suicide," the two walked into the room just in time, sharing an interested look, "I sold them the house, too. They were a lovely couple. You just never know, I guess."

The adults talked between themselves about finance for a while whilst Violet and Alex looked around the room. The mirror was foggy and covered in dust. Looking closer, Alex could swear she saw Tate's reflection, though, he was nowhere to be seen in the room. She took steps toward the mirror, and the blonde's crooked smile grew wider, a twinkle in his eye. Looking behind her to see if anybody else was seeing what she was seeing, which they weren't, she took a deep breath. When her gaze returned to the mirror, he was gone. "I must be high, Jesus," she mumbled to herself, turning away and walking back to her sister.

"Where did it happen?" Violet asked, looking fascinated. Alex ran her fingers through Pippa's fur as the kitten purred.

The realtor frowned slightly. "The basement."

Alex and Violet exchanged a look before Alex glanced at the mirror behind her. "We'll take it," they announced in unison, earning surprised, though not apposed, looks from their parents.

"Perfect," the realtor smiled, ticking a box on her clipboard, "I'll put the sign up right away."