I See You

CHAPTER 4 - Risks and Rewards

Emma's old life was merging with her new one, and she found herself resurrecting habits that had been snuffed out during her relationship. Before she got married, three to eleven had been her preferred sleeping hours. It had allowed her to miss the crowds through college, shop at night, eat breakfast when most were already in class, and study after they had gone home or out for the evening. Working remotely meant she could return to that schedule, and she found it was still appealing to her.

That morning she began with her waking ritual of yoga, meditation, and a quick shower, followed by food and coffee despite the later hour. It wasn't until she set her steaming americano next to her breakfast tacos that she tapped on her laptop. The screen lit up with a 'Thank you for your order' and shipping details.

"I didn't complete the purchase, did I?" she asked, scrolling through the digital receipt. "Apparently, I did. Note to self, no late-night shopping. You might accidentally purchase inflatable zoo animals."

"Whatever you say, crazy lady," Wyatt chuckled, inhaling the spicy mix of peppers and eggs loaded into the blue corn tortillas. What he wouldn't give to shove one of those into his mouth. Watching her sprinkle cilantro, diced tomatoes, and some dry crumbly cheese on top was nearly erotic.

After breakfast, Emma returned to her pillows under the window for another day of work, and Wyatt wondered again if she would ever check-out the rest of the house. He could empathize with her pain and loneliness, but then there was the side of Emma Porter that was simply odd.

"Who buys a house and only looks at two rooms, well three if we include the bathroom, but I would bet money I don't have that you only sought that out due to necessity."

That day he didn't watch her work. Nor did he stick around the next. By Wednesday, she had been there nearly three weeks, and though her eyes had wandered to the stairs, glimpsed inside the den, and skimmed over the basement door, she seemed content to keep her world confined to the front living room and the back kitchen. That was until her phone pinged with a message stating her new furniture would be delivered Thursday between noon and two.

Emma's face twisted with panic as her eyes darted around the final smattering of boxes, over her antique writing desk, across her bedding, and landed on a growing pile of laundry. Though it was still early Wednesday afternoon, she sprung up like something bit her and started frantically breaking down the empty cardboard from the little she had unpacked. She stuffed all her dirty clothes into a box like a makeshift basket and tidied her bedding, as if she didn't realize it would be used again before tomorrow.

Wyatt recognized this was fear. Strangers coming, being seen with things out of sort, being judged, possibly facing confrontation. Emma really didn't like people but not because of them. It was her own discomfort.

"Maybe I should actually look at this house I bought," she said solemnly, analyzing her whirlwind cleaning.

"Yes, maybe you should," Wyatt answered with a smirk.

Emma picked up the box of her dirty clothes and walked back to the kitchen. The door to the basement was in there, and from the pictures online, she knew the laundry room was downstairs. Setting the box on the floor, she put the bottle of detergent and dryer sheets inside with the clothing and cautiously opened the heavy wood door. Stairs descended into darkness, sending a chill down her spine. She felt along the walls for a light switch and looked around the outside, but there was nothing.

"Sorry about that. I was going to run a line up here but kind of died before I got to it," Wyatt said, rubbing a hand on the back of his neck.

"No, nope, not going down there. If this house really is haunted, that's exactly where a poltergeist would be. Maybe there's a laundromat in town," she said, kicking the door shut.