Crimson, Clover & Honey

{ 14 }

I end up finishing my bottle of wine, resting it beside my bed. I was definitely feeling the effects of the alcohol now, my face flushed with heat. The silence of my room calms me further, my eyes beginning to close. Just as they shut I hear tapping on my window. I ignore it but it continues, small pings echoing.

I groan, getting up from my place. I thrust the window open, glaring out. Theo stood in my yard, rocks in hand.
"What took so long?" He questions me, lowering his throwing arm.

"I was almost asleep," I complain.

"I just wanted to let you know I am here, so you feel safer," he tells me, "go back to bed if you so wish." I just nod. "Wait, Lorelei, are you drunk?" Was it that obvious?

"Does it matter?" I ask, crossing my arms.

"Lorelei this is a vulnerable time, you can't be putting yourself in such states. If anyone caught you doing such a thing when youre supposed to be pregnant..." Theo's voice dies down, his eyes widening at the trouble I was stirring.

  Theo's sudden invasion of my privacy and choices makes me confused, irritated even.

"I wouldn't have any clue I was even pregnant yet," I defend, "so don't worry about it. Not like my parents are here anyway. Speaking of, I would invite you in but apparently when Kallum came over today he left something in the house. Xavier was complaining about it earlier."

"If Xavier got past it that means surely I can," Theo shrugs, "it must not be anything too strong."

"Actually, if I were you, I would get Naomi and try to find it. Just in case."

Theo nods at my suggestion, "On it. Goodnight, Lorelei."

"Goodnight."

I slam the window shut and slouch back into my bed. My bed is cold from my lack of presence and I sigh. At this point, if my parents walked in on Theo and Naomi snooping around the house I wouldn't even care. I was just hoping this alcohol didn't hurt me too much when I woke up, but it was certainly helping me find the sleep I could not achieve.

When I awoke, it was to a loud banging noise. I lift my head, looking out the window to see it is day but late, afternoon. My head spun a bit, I must have slept for quite some time. I was dehydrated and hungover.

The banging does not stop despite my movement and I realize it is coming from my living room. Were Theo and Naomi down there, what had they found? It takes certain focus to peel myself from my sheets and get a move on to the lower levels. I pass my parents bedroom, door still closed. Maybe it was them?

Getting down to face the living room, I find the furniture upside down, against the walls. The rug had been thrown up. Naomi stood to the corner of the room while Theo took a hammer and pointy stake, carving into the floor. He was banging away. I noticed white lines marked on the floor and he was busy tearing symbols and lines apart.

"Morning, sleepy," Naomi calls to me. She seemed far calmer when she was not intoxicated. I think back to my first memory of her and give a small familiar smile.

"Goodmorning to you both. What the hell are you doing to my living room?" I am squinting a bit, the brightness of the front windows making it hard to focus my sight.

"We found the issue you told Theo of," Naomi goes on to explain, "it appears Kallum had left some marking in the house. One specifically marking blessed grounds. The longer it stays put, the stronger it gets. We were lucky to have found it now."

"My parents didn't come home?" I ask, she shakes her head in response.

"Have they been gone?"