How About Seven? ✔

34. Possessed Gramophone

"You what?"

Damian shrugged. "I don't see why you're so upset about it. I thought you weren't talking to Roxy anymore."

I spluttered. The images of Roxy and Damian together, holding hands, sharing a drink, kissing each other was too much to bear. I tamped down the desire to lay into Damian with fist and hammers. 

"When did you guys - " I couldn't even say the word properly. "When did you guys started - dating?"

"Less than a week ago." Damian placed a finger to his chin thoughtfully. "Actually, I think the day Emrys attacked you was the first day of our relationship."

I struggled to form comprehensible words.

"Just shut up," I said at last.

The taxi dropped us off and we walked the rest of the way. William lived in a small terrace house in an equally small neighbourhood. There were no towering triple storeys and opulent gardens here; rather kids shrieked and laughed as they chased one another across uneven lawns. Bicycles and skateboards zoomed along alleys and sidewalks, and women hanging their laundry talked to one another over the low walls.

A small girl not more than eight years of age opened the door on our third knock. Damian crouched down and put on his most charming smile. His voice took on a gentle quality that I hadn't thought he was capable of producing.

"Hello there, little one. Is William in?"

The girl blinked up at Damian with her wide baby blue eyes. Then she slammed the door in his face.

"Will!" we heard her shriek as she ran through the house. "There's a monster at the door!"

I stifled the choking laughter that threatened to burst out of my throat. Damian glowered.

"Your snake charms might have worked on Leila and Roxy, but not this little girl." I smirked. "She's as smart as her brother."

The door opened again, and I could see William's eyes peer out cautiously through the crack. He did a double take when he saw me standing there, and then opened the door wider.

"Hayley! And Thomas." I'd almost forgotten that that was Damian's alias. "What are you doing here?"

William's younger sister snuck a peek at us from behind his trousered legs. Her eyes expanded to the size of saucers when she saw me, and a chubby little finger came up pointing.

"Oh! I know you! You're the lady Will has on his cellphone - mmmpph!" For William had hastily clamped both hands over her mouth.

His face turned a dark shade of beetroot red. "Aha. Ha. Hahahahahahaha ... Willow, why don't you uh, go kill Barbie and Ken or something?"

Willow slapped her brother's hand away from her mouth. "It's not kill, Will. We need to torture them first!"

From behind her dress she brought out a ninja figurine, before proceeding to make several vicious slashes in the air. With a loud battle cry, she raced away from us. 

William was looking positively mortified. "That's um, my second sister. She's convinced that Barbie and Ken are a tyrant king and queen, and she's going to lead a ninja rebellion to overthrow the kingdom of England. Even though I've told her multiple times that those are all three different countries."

Damian snorted. "Your sister has potential. Slightly demented yes, but potential nonetheless."

William's house was a cozy hodge-podge of cream walls and scattered things. There were books on the couch, stuffed toys on the carpet, and hard Lego bricks that threatened to break any visitor's leg. Their television set was an old model that looked as if it had seen several generations, and the leather armchair was peeling in spots. As we made our way past the kitchen, a small child came barreling out of it, carrying what looked like a bizarre contraption fashioned from a hairdryer and a fork. Right on his heels was a much older girl, early twenties at least, her straw blonde hair streaming out behind her as she screeched in a foreign tongue.