Stygian: The Silence Of The Whisperers.

27. I Want A Pet Or A Doll

(Rick)

"Tell me what happened back there!" Martha screamed, throwing the pair of baby blue mittens at my face on our way home. 

"Ah," I wasn't sure either but if I said some clown chased me and a strange boy with a cat's features...she'd report me to the head office, to dad. "A clown chased me. My friend from school was around and he pranked me. I didn't want to admit it because I was embarrassed...and you might disown me as your brother before the whole moms crowd." 

Somewhere along the lines, the truth rested and I always liked mixed flavors hence the mixed truth. And, Al was wrong. I had friends, many of them. Only, I had no close friends or bestfriends. The homies I got along with, you might as well call them the God's favorite because they always got away with everything they did, despite their misdeeds.

It was scary. The endless chain of running around in circles ... until the lights flashed back on. 

Martha didn't say much after that, she knew of my irrational fear of clowns and that I wouldn't lie about it. I mentioned nothing more to her and we returned home.

My phone battery was dead. I'm sure there were tons of messages from everywhere worrying if I went mia to catch bad guys. That's the image my 'friends' have of me, anyway. Al called them bullies because he might have seen them beat me up more than once. It had started as a friendly quarrel between my friends who happen to even have been seniors, all because I hadn't paid their debt back.

The debt being...paying them back in full for all our hang-out period, as a return price to have betrayed them. I don't even know how befriending my classmate Daniel Whitlock was going to hurt the sentiments of our gang.

Apparently, his sister was super attractive and they were wealthy which was why I thought the guys were just jealous I was going to bag all the goods. 

Turns out, they had a month-long beef I didn't know because I barely attended any parties. Money issues.

I had purely mean intentions when I approached Daniel, for my homework. But, friends...

"Yo, Mister Rick Adams...are you possessed by evil?" Bella shoved her face into mine making my heart stop for good. 

I was back at B-PI without even realizing it. How did I end up here? Wasn't I with Martha just a second before...I do remember handing my mittens to her, asking her to give it to mum and then, a mouse had appeared making Martha run off. And then I...I think I followed it. 
My fingers curled around Bella's wrists when I realized I never aimed to come here to the agency but to go back home. How on earth did it happen...!

"Bella...something weird is happening. I didn't walk here on...my-my-my own." 

"Yeah, I figured. Marigold told me about you facing some kind of trouble. It's pretty serious." Bella tucked her hair behind her ear and asked me to walk in front of her to Jane to get advice right away like I was in need of immediate counselling. 

I looked behind me in the forest. I had entered through the backdoor of the B-PI...why would I do that unless I always used this pathway. 

Even in subconsciousness. 

My stomach hurt again. I think my constipation was getting worse day by day. Meds did no good to me anymore, it'd be better if I see a doctor. I hugged myself, sitting on the couch in the open-room when I saw Ashley return from Jane's desk, stamping her foot in rage. There was a guy beside her whom I recognized as Kevin, trying to coax her leaving a displeased Jane behind. 

"What's it?" Bella appeared out of the blue after disappearing for the bathroom and sat next to me.

"I dunno. You wanted me to talk to Jane but that pair of siblings ruined her mood. I'm honestly scared to talk to her now." I had no intentions of being reprimanded before a pretty girl.