Turns out Kindle lives in a big building but only in a small part of it on the top floor. I've read about these apartments and always thought them strange. "Why would you want to share this building with so many people?" I've never been in a building this high. The only floors in the cabin were the basement and the top floor, nothing else.
The inside of her apartment is quite colorful, but it definitely fits her personality that I've seen so far. There are clothes scattered all over the floor and she doesn't seem to be too into cleaning for dust covers every available space.
"Sorry about the mess. I'm little laxed when it comes to that." She blushes and starts clearing an old green couch. "You can sleep here, if you don't mind. It's actually quite comfy, I fall asleep on it all the time." She trails off as she hurries to a closet and pulls out some blankets and pillows.
I stand back as she prepares things and I take the time to study the room. Some pictures of her and other people line the walls, a small black box sits in front of the couch and next to it a small wooden desk with another small black box- this one has a small white thing and a box with letters on it. What catches my eye is a flat looking piano with a bench.
"Ok." Kindle says clapping her hands together. "You can sleep on the couch, if you get too cold you can go in the closet and get some more blankets. If you feel hungry you can see if there's anything good in the fridge, but there's probably not- I need to go shopping. The TV works so you can watch that but keep the volume low. My room is the pink door so if there's a problem you can just find me there." When I don't answer or respond she just claps her hands again and heads to her room.
I meant to say something but the words just never came out. Setting my stuff down I walk over to the couch and get a closer look at the TV. I've read about this things, but I never could fully imagine what one would look like or what it could actually do. Searching for the turner, I find it tucked under the cushions and look it over. I find an 'on' button that looks promising, and press it pointing the remote at the screen. The blank screen suddenly comes to life with color and images. The images are like pictures but they move and change constantly. There's also sound, which comes out low. I look for something that will increase the level of noise and find the volume button. The people on screen now have voices and they appear to be arguing. I still can't really make out what they're saying because all that comes out is the sound of bleeps. It's quite annoying so I turn it to a different program. This one is different than the other program, it has a cartoon look. At the bottom it says the words 'Adult Swim' whatever that means. I continue to change the pictures on screen till all of the choices overwhelm me and I turn it off. This TV is strange but I'm finding that out about most things in this world.
I decide to settle in for the night since I plan to leave out of here once morning comes. I toss and turn on the couch which is rather uncomfortable compared to what Kindle said. My bed at home was definitely more comfortable than this brick.
I wonder what things are like back at the cabin. Mother is probably still asleep. I wonder what she'll do once she realizes I'm gone. Will she even care?
My eyes wander to the keyboard piano in the far end of the room. My hands itch to play something familiar, something that brings me comfort. It looks a little different from the standing piano I have, but it should produce the same sound. I sit up and after debating it, I go over to the bench. I wasn't going to sleep anytime soon and I needed something to calm my nerves. I glance over at Kindle's closed door. I don't want to wake her or anyone else in her building. I turn on the piano and check to see if there is a way to lower the volume. My hands hover over the keys waiting- anticipating. But then I pull my hands back, turn of the keyboard, and lay back down on the stiff couch.
I don't know why I bother. If I want to break free from my old life I have to avoid the things from the past. It makes me sad, though, to see something I love so much be closed away behind the door of the past. As I stare at the ceiling I drift off in wonder and think of my music.
*****
The sound of sweet violin music floats over my head and fills every room. Birds stop their noisy chirping, woodpeckers wait like statues, the forest is filled only with the sound of my violin.
A smile plays on my face and I have no care in the world. The joy I feel expressed in the tune I play. Nothing in the world is weighing me down.
I stop when I hear voices outside the cabin.
"Ruby! Ruby slow down, my feet are tire." One voice whined.
"This is it!" The other voice exclaimes. "The music's coming from here, I know it is."
"It looks like a haunted house."
The footsteps approach closer. I'm careful to stay hidden, but I peek out of the window. The voices belong to two young girls, one a smaller redhead, the other a taller and slightly older dark haired girl. The taller one creeps closer to the cabin than the redhead.
"Hello." She breathes. "Anybody home?"
I dare to call back."Hey, over here near the window."
The girls' heads jerk over to the window where I hide. I push open the curtains and show my face. The tall girl looks at me funny and puts her hands on her hips.
"Who are you?"
"Miles." I answer."Who are you?"
"Ruby." She said. Jerking her thumb back she points to the redhead girl who inches closer. "And that's Tina. Did you hear that music too?"
"Yeah, I made it."
She narrows her eyes at me. "Nuh-uh."
I nod my head. "Yes I did. Want proof?"
"Yeah."
Leaving the window for a second, I grab my violin and return, holding the violin up so they could see me play. I play the same song I played to get them here.
After I finished, I set the instrument down and faced the girls again. "See?"
"How old are you?" She ask.
"Seven.What about you?"
"Seven."
"I'm six." Tina cried.
"Wanna play with me?" I ask them.
The girls look at each other before shrugging and answering,"Sure."
I go outside to join them and we soon we're all playing hide-and-seek and making up our own games. I've never had so much fun in my life until that day. The sun shone brightly down that day and the temperature was cool enough to play outside without getting too hot. We laughed and sung and used our imaginations. We played until my mother called us in for lunch. We all talked like we were long life friends and we did this everyday. The lunch was grilled cheese and tomato soup. Ruby bite hers into a dinosaur.
"We should do this every day." Ruby said beaming.
"Yeah, we should." I agree.
"Now we're all best friends for life and we have to be there for each other." Ruby added seriously, but she dropped the tone and laughed as Tina put tomato soup on her lips like lipstick.
"Oh honey, you're a mess. I'll help clean you up. Let's go to the bathroom." My mother said to Tina. The two left the kitchen leaving me and Ruby smiling at each other.
Ruby has the pinkest cheeks I've ever seen. Her smile was as bright as the sun and her hazel eyes sparkled especially when she laughs. I've never had a best friend before, it is the most amazing feeling in the world.
"You have the most beautiful voice I've ever heard." She said admirably. "I wish I was as good at singing as you are."
I get red all over and duck my head down. "I'm ok. I could teach you. You could have a singing voice even better than me."
"Yeah right." She smiled.
We sit and talk a little longer before we decide to go back outside. Ruby stops at the door though. "Wait! We're forgetting Tina! I'll go back and get her, you wait outside for us."
With that we go our separate ways and I head outside to wait for them. I entertain myself for a few minutes before I get antsy and run inside to find them. Our cabin wasn't that big. Checking the bathroom I'm surprised to see it vacant. Confused for only a second, I realize they're playing hide-and-seek with me. Going along with it, I search everywhere for them, under beds, in cabinets and closets. But I can't find even one of them. That's when I remember the basement. Of course they would choose a tricky place like that.
Creeping down the cold steps, I whisper their names, not trying to hide the smile on my face. Only the light from above guides my path further into the basement. I feel something under my feet. Hair. Looking down I freeze in place.
Ruby lays lifeless at my feet. White as a ghost, her eyes opened wide in fear. The blood sucked from her body. I'm trembling as I walk further into the den. Covered in sticky web, Tina suffers the same fate as Ruby. Her skin even paler than when she had blood flowing. I'm scared to death and am glued in place.
"Miles. What are you doing down here?" My mother who was hiding in the shadows, steps forth into the dim light.
I tried to find my voice but it just wouldn't come. I run into her and hold her tight. My tears staining her clothes. I feel her hand stroke my head as she quiets me.
"Hush now. You'll be fine. Friends are only flexible people in your life. They constantly come in and out of your life."
I stopped sobbing and stood back from her. Horrified in those few seconds as I realize what had been done. That she had killed Ruby and Tina and now has no second regrets about it.
"You killed them." I take in a shaky breath and back away from her. She was a monster, killed the only friends I had. Backing up, I stepped on Ruby's hand, it cracks under my weight. I feel a nausea feeling building in me and I dash from the basement. But the damage was done, the only face I could see was Ruby's hollow, deadpan eyes staring up at me. Those hazel eyes that sparkled now were dull.
*****
I wake up on the ground in Kindle's apartment. My body covered in cold sweat and my heart beating faster than normal. My back aches and I feel sick like I'm about to throw up. Trembling I support myself against the couch. I hear Kindle coming out of her room and come over.
"Are you ok?" She asks concern written on her face.
"No." I shake my head trying to clear the memory from my mind, but all I can see is those deadpan eyes staring at me. "Where's the bathroom?"
"Over there." She points over to where the closet is. "But do you need me to-"
I don't hear anymore after that, as I rush to make it to the toilet in time. I empty all my contents into the bowl. I don't stop till I feel as if I could throw up my stomach. I could hear Kindle knocking on the door.
"Do you need me to get you anything?"
I spit out the mouthful of water, I rinsed with, out into the sink.
"Are you sick? Should I come in?"
I sink to the floor and study my hands. Everything seemed to be spinning around me.
Kindle comes gingerly into the bathroom. She has to look away from the toilet as she flushes the substance down the drain. Kneeling down next to me, she looks at me concerned.
"Do you need me to get you help?It wouldn't be a bother."
After that, I couldn't stop the tears. I cry silently but I hate when I do because once I start it's hard to stop the tears from falling. I can feel Kindle guiding me from the bathroom into her bedroom. Her hand rubs gently along my back and that just causes me to cry harder. But after what feels like an eternity, the tears dry up and I no longer and shaking.
"Everything's going to be ok." She soothes. "Are you feeling better now?"
I nod grimly, afraid that if I talk I might burst out crying again.
"Does this happen often?" She ask softly.
I shake my head, drying the remaining tears from my eyes. I cleared my throat and looked at Kindle. Her honey blond hair was a mess and she gave me an encouraging smile.
"Sorry for waking you. I didn't mean to cause so much trouble." My voice sounded raspy even though I cleared my throat.
"No, no, it's not a problem. Are you sure you're ok?"
"Yeah, just a bad dream."
"I hate when that happens. You're sleeping fine than- bam- a bad dream. It must've been awful. We can talk about it if you want."
I bite my lip. I'm not sure if I want to tell her everything about me. I've already put her through enough tonight.
She takes my hesitation as a no. Instead she ask about a different topic.
"What's your favorite color?"
"What?"
"What's your favorite color? Mine is pink. And purple. And light blue. I actually think I like all the pastel colors. What about you? You look more like a red kind of person."
I stare at her like she's talking a different language. "I don't know. I don't think about those kinds of things."
"Really? Come on you have to have one favorite color."
I shrug and she moves onto another topic.
"So what's your favorite singer or band?"
"Favorite singer or band? I don't know, I've never really hear other singers or bands."
She looks at me funny. "You are very strange. Strange in a good way though. So what things do you like to do or think about?"
"I like reading."
"Really? What kind of books do you like?"
"I like anything really. My favorite authors are Mark Twain, Louisa May Alcott- oh, I also love poetry like from Edgar Allan Po, Robert Frost, things like that. I've also read many Shakespeare plays." I was probably boring her with my nonsense about reading and poetry and whatnot. "Sorry, I'm getting carried away."
Kindle perks up. "Oh no. I find it nice that you enjoy reading so much. Do you write any stories?"
"I do, but unfortunately I left them home."
"Well I'm sure they're wonderful. So what's your family like?"
I wince. I didn't feel like talking about my mother. "I'd rather we didn't talk about that."
I'm glad she doesn't take offense to me skipping her topic. I decide to ask a question of my own.
"Where do you work?
She brightens even more. "Clique Cupcakes." After she says it though, her face drops a little.
"What's wrong?" I ask.
"Nothing, just some things going on at work, but I'll bounce back." She smiles but then looks alarmed. "Work! I have work tomorrow! It's so late!"
She jumps into bed and throws the covers over herself. She looks down at me and tosses me a blanket off the bed. "You don't have to go back into the living room if you don't want to. Night Miles."
I sit there for a few minutes before I hear Kindle's snores rip through the room. I lie down and try to get comfortable on the ground. I worry about having the vivid nightmare again, but after a while I nod off to the sound of Kindle's snoring.