Dreamer

Chapter Eighteen: Best Of You

Were you born to resist, or be abused?

Nathaniel and Amber. Amber and Nathaniel. Nathaniel and Amber… Dubois?! That couldn’t be right. I was just seeing things. Yes. I was tired and a bit frazzled—I knew firsthand that those could cause problems. Yeah, that was it—blink. Blink. Blink.

…Nope. I still saw their pretty little faces, smiling—almost smugly—at me. Well, if this wasn’t a strange, and potentially fatal, situation, then what was? However, the oddities of this occurrence could have been saved to consider at another time, because I really needed to get out unnoticed.

The house was quiet… a little too quiet for my liking. Thankfully, the next door I stumbled across was a bathroom, and not one of their bedrooms. I locked the door behind me and released a deep breath. I used the facilities as quick as possible—getting out of that place was of utmost importance.

I glanced in the mirror and grimaced. I was a wreck—tousled hair, smudged make-up, but worst of all, I was just so tired, and it really showed. I splashed my face a few times with icy water in hopes of waking up a bit.

I dried myself off and just about unlocked the door when someone tried to open it. When whoever it was realised it was locked, they proceeded to knock.

’Please, if there is anything at all up there, please, please let them go away—or at least be William!’

…But of course, I wasn’t so lucky. Not that luck had anything to do with it.

“Amber, is that you? Can you hurry up?” Came the sleepy, but very recognizable, voice of Nathaniel. Oh dear… now what? Was I supposed to answer? If I just ignored him, would he go away?

Neither of those options seemed like very good ones.

“Hello? Why aren’t you saying anything? Are you okay, Amber?” What a persistent guy.

“What are you yelling about, Nate? It’s too early!”  Oh wonderful, Amber had awoken as well.

“Oh… Amber? If you’re there… who is in here—ah, but I beg your pardon, I’m quite sorry for the disruption.”

Typical Nathaniel. But perhaps it was a good time to say something so as not to arise any more suspicion… “I—”

“Ugh, it’s probably just one of dad’s tramps. Who cares? I’m going to the other bathroom.”

“Amber! You can’t just…” I heard him sigh. “I apologise for my sister’s rude behaviour and will not bother you any longer. Sorry again…”

“No problem.” I mumbled. I listened for footsteps, but I could not tell if he was gone, or not. I waited restlessly for a few minutes. ‘What have I gotten myself into…?’ Really, I just wanted to safely and discreetly leave that place.

Finally, I took a deep breath, “1…2…3…” and slowly began to open the door. But a squeaky thing it was! I looked through the small crack I created. All was quiet… alright. Time to make my move. I opened the door just enough so that I could slip through.

All my experience from sneaking around in the homes I’d been came in quite handy. I was as quick and quiet as a mouse. I warily made my way through the hallway, keeping a hawk-like eye out for people. After a bit of wandering, I reached the stairs. And what lay at the bottom of those curved steps? Why, the magnificent front door of course! My ticket to freedom.

I slowly approached the staircase; from this point on I’d be in plain sight for all to see. But, as I grew closer to freedom, I heard voices. They were coming from the dining room that William and I had been in yesterday… which was also downstairs… only somewhat close to the stairs. If I played my cards right, they—who I recognised as Nathaniel and Amber—wouldn’t see me.