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Naomi was the reason Dana learned to just ignore people and their small minds. Naomi helped Dana pick herself up and move on with life. She would always tell her to take what she wants when she wants it. Reminded her she was her own knight on a white stead. That she couldn’t rely on someone else to save her. Naomi had a way about her, you really listened to what she had to say. She was always wiser than her years I think.
When Naomi died it broke Dana. How does one die by sliding into a shallow ditch? It never made sense to me. I saw the black marks across her body. “It’s just oil streaks” they kept saying. I never believed it, not for a second. Someone was hiding something and it made zero sense as to why. Naomi was just a regular woman and mother. At least, I don't think she was into anything shady or nefarious.
The coroner was the only one that tried to say something wasn’t right but we were ushered out of his office by the police officer before he could tell us anything worthwhile. We tried to meet up with the coroner the next day but he was gone. “Traveling coroner” they said. At every turn we were red taped. We both know that the truth was covered up.
When we were able to get all the cremation details done, when we got the odds and ends put together as specified in Naomi's will, we found Naomi had left Dana a lot of money. Enough money that made me question why they were living in a small apartment. Between the will and notes on how she wanted her body handled. How she left Dana a ridiculous amount of money, everything made less sense to me and firmly cemented in me that Naomi's death was never just an accident.
When Dana got the money, she put the down payment on this house. It had been sitting for years and the owner wanted it sold. This is the house she has always wanted. She always said she had a pull to this house. Something about it called to her. This is the only house in the whole town she wanted. Couldn’t be swayed otherwise.
So, I helped Dana pack up the apartment, it didn't take long but she had a hard time leaving it that last time. I waited with her, standing in the entryway. While she silently reminisced. She had tears streaming down her face and I just held her hand in moral support.
This was where she and her mother spent almost two decades together. Every trial, every lesson to be learned, every time she came home happy or sad. Every scraped knee that needed a bandage and every bad day that needed a hug. All her happy memories with her mother, the one family member she had were in that apartment.
She knew her mother would have wanted her out of the apartment and into the house of her dreams. We both knew it. So, we closed the door and moved onto the next part of her life.
I wake up to Dana trying to escape my hold and I grip around her tighter. I’m so warm but I am uncomfortable. Hanging onto this couch by a thread. She smacks my arm and practically pushes me off the couch.
“Dammit Noah I have to pee!” I relent and she scrambles over me, sliding ungracefully over my side and onto the floor. I hear her hurried footsteps and a door closing. I sit up and scrub my face of sleep. I stretch out my arms and stand up. There's most definitely a kink in my neck that I try stretching out.
After effectively hurting myself more, I turn to go into the kitchen but jump when I see Dana standing there just watching me.
“Jesus and his disciples Dana! How are you so damn quiet? Especially in a house that's 200 years old?” She shrugs and bites her lip turning around to go into the kitchen. Oh boy, we’re going to be awkward. Alright, we're gonna have to fix this.
I walk into the kitchen intent on getting coffee brewing while I think about what I want to say to Dana. How do we start this conversation? I scoop some coffee grounds into the filter and fill up the water tank. It should be an easy conversation right? We’ve been friends for a decade. Maybe, that’s the issue though. Crossing that boundary without messing up this friendship. That’s definitely where I struggled to cross that boundary before.
“Who are you?” Dana asks. I turn around, confused. She’s not looking at me, she's searching the room, looking confused.
“What?”
“Not you Noah.” She huffs and continues her perusal. “Sorry.” She puts her head in her hands, elbows on the table. “That was rude. I heard my name being called again. Maybe it’s a chance of auditory hallucinations?” She chuckles a bit, sounding more dismayed than anything. I rub the back of my head. I don’t know how to deal with this. I mean, I will help her anyway I can but I don’t even know where we would start. As if she read my mind she starts speaking. “It’s the same voice. It’s a faint whisper. It’s definitely a man.” She rubs her hands together and starts picking at her nails. I don’t ever really see this side of her. Definitely not for the last couple years. She’s unsure of herself right now and I hate it. She continues some more while I stand at the counter. Not sure if I should give her the space she likes while processing or go sit next to her.
“I want to research this house. When I tell you that this house called to me; I meant it.” I look back at the coffee pot. The coffee was brewed enough for a couple cups so I pulled down some mugs. I brought the mugs over to the table. She grabs hers and takes a quick sip. “I remember riding my bike out here and I saw this house and I just felt this tug, this pull to this house. I couldn't tell you why. I just did and maybe that has something to do with what is happening now.” I nod letting her know I'm still listening. “I also don't think this will stop if I leave this house. I think I should stay here. I know yesterday you said we could go to your house but I don't want to bring something that might be deadly into your house, much less anyone else's. I don't think I even want you to be here. I don’t want you to get hurt.”
I shake my head, frustrated that she thinks she can push me away. Just a friend or not, she should know that I would never leave her to deal with this alone. I haven't before and I’m not going to stop now. “I don't know if you hit your head that hard yesterday but you can not really believe I will just walk out to my truck and leave you here, by yourself after everything you went through yesterday.” I sit back in my chair and stare her down. Irritation written across my face I’m sure. She stares at me for a moment and then I can practically see the fumes pouring out of her ears.
She calmly places her coffee mug down and places her hands flat on the table. That’s when I know I done fucked up. “Well…excuse the fuck out of me for caring about what happens to you.” She abruptly stands up, grabs her coffee and storms out of the kitchen. I’m about to slump into my chair and give her some space, when Iast night comes to the forefront of my brain. I stand up, chair sliding across the floor and I'm running out of the kitchen after her and following her upstairs. She gives an irritated grunt and continues into her room when she hears me pounding up the stairs after her. She pulls open her drawers, pulling out clothes and slamming them closed. She huffs past me and into the bathroom. I follow closely behind. I slam my hand onto the door before it closes all the way. “What do you think you are doing Noah?” She asks, if looks could kill. The police would be drawing my chalk outline right now.
“Just…” I let out a long breath, “don't lock the door. I don't want something to happen and it takes me longer than necessary to get to you.” I tell her, pleading with her to listen. She nods and shuts the door. I listen to the shower turn on and slide down the door, thinking about how much I pissed her off. This is not at all what I had planned this morning.
Chapter 6
Dana
I swear to the gods this man. I aggressively scrub my hair and think about what he said ‘I don't know if you hit your head that hard…’. I didn't hit my head hard but what's wrong with wanting to protect the special people in your life? The ones you love and care for. I have no idea what these shadows or this voice are capable of. Now that things have escalated I have the right to be concerned. I finish rinsing my hair and move on scrubbing my body. Do I love him? I mean, as a friend most definitely but as something more? I don't know. I mean he just told me his feelings. Sort of. What if yesterday’s kiss was a once off and he's actually a terrible kisser? Or what if he can't handle where my life is going right now? Cause my life took a hard left yesterday. I don’t even want to handle it.
I finish scrubbing up and shaving. While I ponder where my life is right now and how much I hope it doesn't continue to spiral downward. I have an inkling though, that this isn’t even the beginning. I finish up my shower and turn it off. I pull my towel around me and step out of the shower. I finish drying off my legs and wrap my hair in my towel.
I start towards the counter for my brush and I hear the moan again. I stand still and side eye my left and right not seeing anything. The moan vibrates through the bathroom like a haunting melody. My eyes flick back to the mirror and I see a ghost trying to flicker to life behind me. There is color to them but they look like a bad TV signal. Cutting in and out. I stare for a moment transfixed but then the face contorts, still flickering in and out, just like the old lady in the rocking chair.
“Oh! No, no, no, no!” I yell, scrambling to get out of the bathroom. I get the door open and run directly into Noah who loses his balance and we topple over. I land directly on him and I land hard. He lets out a wheeze but clings to me as I start to get up and try to run.
“Hey. Hey! Hey!” He tries to grab my attention while trying to hold onto me. But I am scared and nothing is going to stop me from getting the fuck away from whatever the hell that was. I scramble off him only to lose my footing again. My towel falls out of my hair as I flip over and scuttle back up against the wall breathing hard and looking around everywhere trying to find the unseen threat.
I see Noah as he grabs my towel, bringing it over to me. He holds a hand out to help me up. I look down at myself and wince. I slowly stand up and reach for the towel. I can see Noah gulp and try to not look at me, trying to just stare at the ceiling. I grab the towel from his hands and I wrap the towel around me. I turn and finish the walk to my room. I drop the towel after kicking the door closed but not all the way. I hear a hiss behind me. I guess he wasn't expecting to see my naked backside as well. I also wasn't expecting him to just follow me in. He had to know I’d be getting dressed in here. Seems like a ‘him’ problem.
I rifle through the dresser and pull out some clothes. I refuse to go back in that bathroom right now and get the other set I pulled out that is sitting on the sink. I pull my clothes on and turn around. Noah is sitting in my reading chair with his head in his hands. I walk over and sit on my bed across from him. He lifts his head and gives me a concerned look. Probably wondering what lit a fire under my ass.
“What happened?” He asks, leaning forward. He scoots father to the edge of the chair and waits.
