One Night Only

Chapter Four: Home

Goliyo came to pick me up on a bike. He lead my way and I followed him to a house. It is everything Warin is considered to be. Hidden, small and peculiar. Creepy.

The house is claimed to be his. I could have slept in my car, I say to myself. Goliyo is chatty. He keeps asking me questions which are irritating at 10 in the night.

"Are you from the city?" His accent is similar to the man who helped me start my car.

"Yes, New York City."

He goes inside his house and starts adjusting things. The house probably has one room. Everything is in that room. The bed, the kitchen and I assume the bathroom is outside. Or there isn't one.

"What is your name miss?"

"Miyan Chronles." I say, he stops and looks at me curiously for a few seconds. Then he nods and sprays some room freshener. It doesn't cover the dirty house smell. There is the smell of food, sweat and freshener mixed all together.

"Do you want something to eat?"

"No." It instantly leaves my mouth. I am no stranger to cheap food but nothing from here is going inside me.

"Why did you come to Warin?" He asks and leaves me anxious. Till now I was determined to be a part of this town but suddenly it feels weird. It is understandable but not for me. I am fluid. I adapt quickly according to my surroundings.

"I am here to-", I shouldn't tell him about the case. These people have already been interrogated by the police and don't seem to enjoy it. "I am here to be a part of this town. My grandma belonged to this place."

"Oh, really? Who is your grandmother?" He inquires while he sits down on a chair which is more rust than iron.

"Tamora Chronles. She passed away six years ago." I say with an ache in my heart that hasn't faded till now. She was my world, only person who cared for me. I never felt the absence of a parent because she raised me so well.

Goliyo looks at me with an arched eyebrow, "I have never heard of a Tamora Chronles. And Miss I know everyone here." He speaks with a tone of doubt and disbelief.

"Oh, Shwaka was her maiden name. Tamora Shwaka." These people seem to be doubtful and cautious. A mention of someone who was from here may help me gain their trust.

He rubs his chin in deep thought but end up shaking his head. "Sorry, I don't remember her." He gets up from his chair and starts walking towards me. Involuntarily my grip tightens around my purse.

His eyes check me out briefly and his lips perch. "You can take that bed for tonight," He points to a mattress that he just now cleared up. "But before that Miss, how are you going to pay me?"

"I can pay you cash." I propose and mentally recollect the amount of money I got in my purse. He takes more steps towards me and I move backwards.

"Oh no no. I cannot take money from a lady." He says closing the distance between us as there is no room left for me to move. I gulp and look down looking for an escape. All my insides are cursing at the sad reality of this world.

'The car found had no signs of hijacking or assault. It is assumed they left the car voluntarily.'

Kicking him won't be a good idea as I really want to fit in this town. But I don't want to get raped. This has to be played out carefully. I need to find a calm way out. My throat has closed up and when I try to speak, nothing comes out.

I try again after clearing my throat, "Mr. Goliyo. I guess I have a place to stay. Sorry for the trouble it caused you." He is so close to me that I can feel his breath on my forehead. He is taller than me but by not much. His clothes look unwashed just like his abode.

I put a hand on his shoulder and push him a little back. Thankfully he doesn't react strongly and moves back. "Are you sure? You can stay here for the right price." He offers and sounds naïve. I start walking out of the place, still looking down. I am terrified to look up at him or even remember his face. It feels like walking out of the lion's den, alive.

But I stop and look back, he is standing on the door with a blank face. As if he doesn't understand the depth of what just happened. As if he isn't aware of what he really is doing. I take my cellphone out of my purse and search for an image in my gallery.

"Mr. Goliyo, can you tell me where this house is? I know it is in Warin, but where?" I show the image to him. He narrows his eyes to take a keen look at it. He moves a bit closer to look at it properly and I take a small step away.

"This is near the entrance of the town. First right from here and then straight." He informs and I rush out of there to my car. That's how much I don't want to be anywhere near Goliyo.

"But why do you want to know?" He inquires but till then I am driving away from the front of his house. Why didn't I just go straight to my Grandma's house? I really thought Warin people would be more welcoming.

Even though I was almost sexually assaulted I am relaxed. Has it not hit me yet or has this become so common that I don't feel the difference. It triggered a memory of the time I came to New York. Nothing about that city was right. I should have left it earlier.

In just five minutes I reach the house. It is away from the residential area. But also it is bigger than any of the houses there. It is covered in leaves and dirt. I am scared if I open the door the whole house will collapse.

The door has a screen on it and it is torn apart. But not in a way that it was done on purpose but because it was abandoned. The wooden door opens with a crack.

But I don't feel any energy. This house was left for good and nobody dead or alive wants it anymore. Except me. I don't sense any paranormal activity here. At least not in the living room.

It is small and attached to the kitchen. There is a table with two chairs with a blanket of dust on it. Everything looks untouched for decades. The whole place is stinking of a pungent smell. The one which is of toilet and rotten food.

I take out a napkin from my purse and hold it on my nose. Goliyo's place seems like a vacation now. The staircase is narrow, can accommodate only one person at a time and it is wooden. The first two steps I take are cautious as I am testing the weight they can hold. Other than a few creeks it was good to go. 

When I reach the first floor of the house there are two doors. I enter one and see that it is a small room, same size of mine in New York. It has one window and a bed. The window is closed and its glass is broken from one end. 

Did grandma leave this place in a hurry? I still don't know why she left Warin. When I asked her why she said she wanted to pursue bigger things but I knew that wasn't it. This place looks like it was robbed by someone but left things which couldn't be robbed. There is a cupboard which has a broken lock. 

Dust rains on me when I open the half-open cupboard. It is empty and covered in spider nets. I inspect the cupboard for no reason. Maybe I want to find something that could be related to my grandmother or her family.

Maybe I am looking for comfort and familiarity in this new town.

I open the drawers and one of them has something inside. I dismiss it as some left over piece of paper but give it a second look when it shines. I take it out and unfold it.

"Caput vivat, Miyan." When I read out the paper I feel something pass through me.