Hide and Seek

Chapter 4

We all go a little crazy sometimes

*LOUIS POV*

I instinctively react to this invasion of personal space by trying to put some actual distance

between us, pushing him back with my hand on his torso. He rocks back on his heel totally

unaffected physically. His eyes widen, not expecting that from me, before he recovers and the

emerald orbs turn charcoal black almost. He grabs my wrist and his fingers overlap.

"Don't-" He spits. "-touch me."

"Then wear a damn bell and don't ever sneak up on me!" I snap, pulling my hand back and I feel

Hanayen's body against my thigh.

"I wanted to tell you that I'm going into town now. You should move your car because it will roll

down the hill with the wind and you won't have a way out of here."

I step around him. "Fine. I will."

He opens the door, steps out and slams it shut so that the sound reverberates all through the house.

No wonder those hinges are so weak already. I take my bags only to stop all movement again, I

don't know which room is mine. He clearly said not to go anywhere so what the fuck now? I

throw my bags back down and the floor creaks, I almost tell the graphite flooring to shut up

because my head's throbbing again. I look around the room and find nothing of real interest.

I go into the room on my right, one sofa and a static television is all that's needed to complete the

depressing space. The piece of sad cloth covering the window is pinned at the four corners with

clothes pegs. It doesn't block out any of the sun's rays. I approach the television and try to put the

damn thing off, the sound it emits is nauseating. It doesn't go off and I give up all hope on that

mission.

Hanayen stands protectively beside our packed belongings poised to pounce on the slightest speck

of dust that had a fishy motive. I hated Middleston's ghost stories.

"Relax, will you?" I tell the dog as I circle the perimeter of the room. "It's just an old, dusty

house."

Hanayen is taking no chances and does not relax his stance. I roll my eyes and look to the poorly

upholstered sofa. I sit down on it and the cushions squeaks as they sink to support my body mass.

I rise to my feet when I feel it may go all the way down to the floor. I have my work cut out for

me in this room alone.

The doorway is undisturbed and just getting to settling back in its prehistoric phase when I

interrupt the balance again by walking through it. The stairs are fairly clean, maybe I won't have to

do much there. But the cupboard beneath the stairs is open a crack due to the absence of a lock or

handle of any kind. I press the tips of my fingers to the door pushing it closed but it just reflects on

the hard pane and bounces back into my hand. I sigh.

"Maybe this could be your room." I humor Hanayen trying to get him to ease up on the