Page 9 of Trick or Stalk

No one who knows our names.

No one who knows where we came from.

A place where Wilder and I can disappear for a while and start over.

I grab another duffel and one of the boxes. Wilder comes up beside me and grabs the rest of our luggage.

By the time we're finished, Wilder has found the thermostat, confirmed we have hot water, and discovered three more dead bugs.

He also discovered a huge bug he named Frank.

I drop onto the battered couch. A cloud of dust rises around me.

“Jesus.”

Wilder laughs from the kitchen. “Move-in ready, huh?”

“Fuck off.”

“I'm putting that on your tombstone.”

I lean my head back and stare at the ceiling. There's a water stain in one corner. Nothing a little work can't fix.

We don't need much. Four walls, a roof, and privacy.

Wilder opens a cabinet. “Nothing.”

“What did you expect?”

“I don't know. Maybe the previous owner left me some chips.”

“There's a store in town.”

“Does it have actual food or just chips and stuff?”

“Weren’t you paying attention?”

“I was napping, asshole.”

I roll my eyes. “There’s a convenience and grocery store.”

“Good. I’m hungry.” He closes the cabinet and grabs his jacket. “You coming?”

“No.”

“Keys?”

I pull them from my pocket and toss them to him.

“I might go look around.”

He stares at me. “At what?”

“The property.”

“It’s trees, Hades.”

“I noticed.”