Page 17 of Hated By the Gargoyle

I needed to change the subject. To speak of something, anything, else.

I glanced around at his cave. Anywhere but at him.

“So this is your home?” I wondered aloud, stepping away and putting much-needed space between the two of us.

He seemed to break out of a trance and nodded slowly, his bicolored eyes on my every move. Awkwardness hung in the air, and I tried to walk away from it and glanced around the cave.

It was a large space with high walls of stone. There were bioluminescent worm creatures against the walls, bathing the entire spice in a dull, fluorescent green light.

I was surprised by the little pool of thermal water there. It steamed and flowed through the cavern, going deeper into the darkness I would be too afraid to venture into.

It seemed he’d collected many things in his house. It felt like something out of a movie. There were knickknacks all throughout the space. Things that seemingly didn’t go together and yet somehow fit in a whimsical, aesthetically pleasing space.

There were forks, rocks, and shells strung together on the ceiling like wind chimes. There was no bed, but there was a mound of blankets and pillows on the far wall that were arranged like a little nest. There were several chests, some closed, some opened with clothes and jewels spilling out of them like pirate treasures.

A makeshift table was in the center of the cave, a raised rock with a flat top and overturned stones that looked like chairs.

It was… cute.

I wanted to take pictures of it.

I turned back to the gargoyle, who was staring at me in what I assumed was defensiveness.

“Carlota would hate it,” I stated.

He bristled.

“But it’s nice,” I added, to lessen the blow.

For a moment there was silence and then… “Why would she hate it?”

There was vulnerability underlacing his tone, though he quickly tried to mask it by stomping awkwardly side to side, kicking a thin layer of dust up.

I knew his reaction would depend on how I answered him. The moment seemed to require sensitivity, because he was looking at me like he wanted to learn.

But I couldn’t bring myself to lie.

“Because it’s not a luxury high-rise suite with a jacuzzi, a swimming pool, and it’s in the middle of nowhere in the Underworld in a dank cave without electricity or proper running water.”

He regarded me coolly.

I shrugged, unapologetic in my honesty.

“But I like it,” I added again. “It’s got a little something… Character.” I finally lifted my camera and snapped a few pictures, hiding my flushed face behind the lens. I lowered it after capturing a few things, a bone-deep tiredness gripping me.

It had been a day and my entire body was aching. As much as I wanted to bathe, I wanted to sleep even more.

I turned to the gargoyle. “We’ll be safe here, right?”

“Yes.”

“Safe enough to sleep?”

“Yes. Sleep, feral creature.”

I inched my way towards the bed. It wasn’t a mattress, but it looked comfortable enough.

“Sleep and let me know the taste of blissful silence once again.”