Sunday morning came early. There wasn't much traffic on the road. A local pastor was driving in his car to the church and practicing his sermon when a car pulled up beside him at a light. He looked over to see a girl singing at the top of her lungs to something on her radio. She was dancing around and not paying attention to him looking at her. She was really getting into it, with her arms and her whole body. She was also looking in the mirror and putting on some makeup. He smiled. The light changed and he went. In the rear view mirror he could see she was still sitting there.

When she looked up from getting her lipstick right, Mendalie saw the light was green. "Oops," she said and accelerated. The car was her baby. She loved that car. Her parents paid for it on the condition that she stay in school and do well. It was a red 2011 Dodge charger. It would've been considered a guys car she thought but, that's why she wanted it. So many guys loved to hang out with her just because of it. And that's what she wanted. Aside from Runa, her only friends were guys. She was a 'girlie' girl but she didn't have much use for other women.

She was a tomboy; at least when she was younger. Her dad meant everything to her and they always went camping together and did all kinds of guy things; like fishing and working on cars and going to football games. They even ran in a couple races together. So it was hard for her to know what Runa felt. Runa's dad was never there, even when he was. So she would invite her to go with them when they did things. George was kind of like a dad to Runa sometimes when they were kids.

Mendalie pulled into the parking lot behind 'Bell, Book and Candle' and saw Brian Williams pulling out in his car. She didn't know what to think about him. He wasn't very sociable and he didn't act like she existed really. She went right in and up the stairs because she had a key still from when she lived there too. They were roomies for one summer right out of high school.

She heard the shower running when she walked in.

"Runa?" Mendalie said, "Runes, it's me." She saw a couple dishes on the coffee table and she saw a broken plate on the floor. She thought that was strange. She picked it up and there was some blood on it. She tossed the pieces in Runa's trash.

"Hello?" Runa said. "Brian? I thought you left."

"No dollface, it's me," Mendalie told her.

"Oh, Okay. Well, I'll be right out."

"Are you okay? There's blood on this plate."

"Oh, oh yeah, I broke it and cut myself but, I'm okay."

"Oh," Mendalie said. "Okay. I was thinking of stopping somewhere on the way to the mall."

"Okay, I'll be right out," Runa told her.

Mendalie was waiting at the bottom of the steps and looking at the basement door. There was a piece of wood nailed conspicuously over the opening. When Runa came down she said, "Um, what's with the board, dear?"

"Oh," Runa said, looking at it. "Yeah, some doors are better left closed."

Mendalie laughed.