Libby
"Ah!"
"Eek!"
I hear two voices ring out and I leap forward out of bed as I was taking a tap, hitting the floor. It's the next morning, but we've made no preparations to leave yet. Standing up quickly as I can, I run outside my room. I peer over the railing to where most of the rooms are located in this mansion. Underneath is a lounge room and Nari has lit the fire place, she's just putting a log on.
"Uh, hey?" I call out. Nari looks up and climbs to her feet around. "Hey Libby, did we wake you?"
"Yeah. What happened?" I reply. "I'm not sure. Josh just kinda freaked out for some reason. There is a storm brewing outside so maybe that is why? He is afraid of them back home when they occur." Is Nari's answer. I look up and can hear a storm brewing outside. "I also screamed because I heard him scream, sorry!"
"It's fine, Nari." I respond. "Someone's in here with us!" Josh whimpers from his seat on the couch that is lined around a square table.
"No, Josh. There is not, I promise. It's just you, me, Libby, Dan, Brax and this, Carter guy we're with... We've checked the place out too and no one lives here, it's abandoned." Nari tells him.
"I know what I saw!" Cries Josh. "Josh, you have a vivid imagination and were all tired, not to mention you're scared of storms. Your minds just playing tricks on you." Nari says in a futile attempt to calm him down.
I shrug my shoulders. Josh looks up at me. "I thought I saw someone run past upstairs on the other side of the room, Libby!"
"Libby, ignore him. I'll calm him down. We deal with this five times a night at home."
"Okay, Nari." I respond. "I need to go actually..." I say, looking around as anxiety is making me feel sick.
"I think it's down the hall and on your right."
"Thanks, Nari!" I answer, skipping my way to the bathroom. When I arrive, I push open the door and enter, shutting it behind me. I look around in the dark room and examine my surroundings.
Shower, bath, toilet and sink. It's nice. There are small windows that align next to eachother near the top of the roof letting the night sky be visible from this room. There are a few vases in the room with flowers inside and some candles, although not lit. This place is clean and smells really nice.
I walk to the sink in the corner and splash water on my face in the dark. It's refreshing when I hear the door open and close behind me. I freeze and turn just a fraction of my head. I see a figure in the room. Around the same size as me, except a little taller, but nowhere near Nari's large size and tall height. I look at the body and I see it's a young woman like me.
Her hair is fairly wavy, a dark ombre red and bright purple. Pretty. It's currently in according to the latest fashion magazines. I'm pretty on top of trends I like to think.
"Ah, Declan, that was so scary! I hope I don't have to ever do or go through that again... It was JUST awful! I don't know what I will do with that weird artifact, but let's just store it in the cupboard for the moment. My body hurts! Oh, I hope that our house guests leave. I just want to be left in peace. I'm happy alone! Well, as alone as I can anyway, no thanks to you and your... Friend."
I keep looking at her, standing still. Artifact! It vanished, but we weren't worrying too hard about it and it's clear she knows were all here. God, were such awful people. We've invaded her home, but it seems she doesn't want to talk to us and is hoping we'll leave. Awww, but I want the Artifact back... Should I say hi? Were both girls. We can have a heart-to-heart chat. Nothing bad will go wrong, really. She'll get a little upset and shocked, but we can talk about it!
"Meow."
Wait, this is the Declan, she's talking too? It's a cat! So cute!
"I know, I know, Declan. My body just hurts so bad. Let's just run the bath and clean my skin. Can't have infection occur. We don't have much medicine left either I think."
I see the girl turn on the hot tap for the bath. I look at her and notice many cuts and bruises. When the tub is full she sits down in it in, still wearing her clothes. Does she know I'm here or?
"Ow! My bruises and cuts hurt a lot, Declan!" Cries this girl. The cat is just staring at her, arms propped up on the side of the bath. Seems like this a cat that doesn't enjoy water.
Alright, I need to say something. She's suffering. I walk over the tub where she is. She hasn't seen me yet as it's so dark in here. I plop down in on the other side of the bath. Her face immediately goes dead pan seeing and feeling me get into the tub with her. Her cat runs and hides in the corner beneath a chair.
"I'm sorry we've invaded your home. We didn't know you lived here. Honest! There was lots of monsters outside and night fell and then we just were too tired the next morning to leave so here we are, I guess..." I tell her while trying to smile sweetly so I don't scare her off. She just looks shocked and is making no attempt to move. "Take a breath. I tell her. "I don't want you have a panic attack on me."
"Been there, done that." She responds while still not moving. Well, at-least she spoke to me... "Your injuries are kinda bad. Do you want some help with them?" I ask. She points to a backpack on the floor which seems to hers and it has a small vial of antiseptic inside. "Almost empty." I tell her, getting out to have a look at it, ignoring my dripping wet clothes. She nods. I use what is left to treat her injuries after finding some wipes in the cabinet above the sink. While I do this, she shifts uncomfortably at my touch. "So, how did you get injured?" I ask. She looks away from me to her cat. "Please?" I beg her.
"This chat's been great. I'm going to get out now and go to bed. Please be gone by tomorrow morning. Because if you're not... Then I will drive you out myself when the rooster crows! Understand?!"
She is very short with me and takes her stuff. She leaves me all alone in the tub. "Can we have the artifact back?" I call after her, unsure how she got her hands on it. "We'll see in the morning. Now get out!" Is the last thing I hear before she's gone out the door. After the door is shut, I notice her cat, Declan is gone too. I should tell the rest were not the only ones here. I go down to Nari and Josh together on the couch. I see Dan and Carter are keeping warm together near the fireplace. "Hey Libby... Enjoy your bath, wearing your clothes?" Asks Dan, snickering.
My goes pale and they stop teasing me. I sit down on a chair, ignoring the fact I'm soaking it and they all lean forward somewhat. "Guys, I have something to tell you."
They all nod. "Were not the only ones here." I announce. They just look at me for several minutes and then start giggling.
"I'm not joking!" I yell. They all stop. "Alright, let's say we believe you-" Says Dan, but he's cut off. "Uh, Josh thought he saw someone earlier." Nari announces. Josh nods.
"Hiss!"
I jump up in fright to see Declan up above and perched on the railing. "That's the person who lives here's cat!" I tell them, pointing. "Awww, it's so adorable!" Responds Josh.
"Wow, maybe some does live here..." Chips in Carter, looking nervous.
"And we've just come and invaded her home like that!" Says Dan, snapping his fingers. Carters looks down at his feet. "I'm really, really sorry!" He apologizes. All of a sudden, the girl I saw before emerges, but shadows are covering her body. Her voice is harsh and devoid. "Get out. All of you." She says bitterly. Everyone jumps in shock.
"Well, we kinda can't leave." Says Josh. "Why ever not?!" Snaps back the girl.
"What if there are monsters still outside?!" Josh cries.
She's quiet, then she speaks again. "You have till tomorrow morning to go, but after that, you all leave my... Our house by yourselves or I'll make u leave. Let this serve as a warning!" She is holding something in her arms and throws it at us. A costume head of the monsters we rain from yesterday, lands on the ground near us. Then she's gone and we hear a door slam shut. I see Josh run up and take the costume head to his room. Well, someone likes dress-up...
"Wow..." Says Nari sarcastically and Dan just has an awkward expression on his face. "I'm sorry I brought you all here, but I'm sorry most of all to her as I did not think someone would live here." Carter pipes up. "It's fine. There's no way we or you could have known." Answers Dan. Nari and Josh agree with a nod of their heads. I nod my head too.
"Thanks friends, I appreciate it." Responds Carter. "We'll have to have a plan for leaving though tomorrow as it's clear she wants us gone." Nari add's on. "Yeah..." Responds Dan.
"Let's just go rest up." Nari suggests. "Yeah!" Answers Josh. We all head off to our rooms to get ready for morning.
Wait! Solayo artifact, I remember. If we're going to be by morning, how will I get it back? Should I try and find her room and ask for it back? I walk over to the other side of the house to where she was standing before. I knock on all doors. No answer. Eventually I come to a hallway and notice the window has been boarded up. Why? I wonder.
I turn towards the door and knock on it. Maybe this is her room? I receive no response or anything so I knock again and receive no reply. All of a sudden, the door opens and the girl from before is standing there. Her face is heavily shadowed because the light is off. I sware it's like her eyes are glowing.
"I'm sorry." I tell her. "Is the house on fire?" She asks me with the straightest face I will ever see in my god damn life.
"What? Uh, no, no!" I respond to her question.
"Then what do you want?" She snaps while glaring. "I just want Solayo artifact back." I request.
"So, they are yours? Well now, I understand more... I've seen this before, not much use to me."
"He? Brax?" I ask. "Mmm." Is her response. "You're not very talkative." I state.
"If you've got nothing worthwhile to say to me, then please, GET OUT!"
"Of your room?" I ask. She just glares at me, so I decide to change the direction of the conversation. I'm clearly upsetting her. "What happened to the window outside?" I ask. She just shrugs her shoulders, saying nothing. She looks disinterested.
"You have a gorgeous pet cat." I smile. Her expression shifts and she nods, smiling slightly, but then quickly returns to scowling, all hint of friendliness gone. I see Declan jump of the windowsill of her room and walk up to her, wrapping himself around her leg. She gives him a little scratch under the chin despite her visible anger. "Do you know where Brax went?" I ask as we haven't actually seen him. She says nothing and continues to rub her kitty's head.
"Ummm, how did you get injured?" I ask. She looks away, hiding her eyes. "You said you don't have much medicine left. I have some on me and some bandages." I tell her. "I could help you out if you want?"
She quickly looks at properly for the first time. Her face kinda gasping. I show her the supplies. "Is it a trade?" I ask. She nods. "Why don't you lay down on your bed and I'll help you?" She picks up Declan, placing him on her bed and lies down on it.
I grab the chair from the corner of the room, moving it over to her bed. I place the bandages and medicine I have on the bed. I take her leg in my hand. She flinches again at my touch. "I promise I won't hurt you. I just want to help you. We could maybe get to know each other." I smile. I look her ankle. Bruises and cuts are everywhere, all over her body. Fresh ones.
"How did this happen?" She turns her head away from me so I can't see her eyes. "Meow." Says her cat. Adorable, I think to myself, but I can't understand you. I pour the medicine onto her bruises and cuts. She lets out a yelp and starts to sob a little. I take the bandages and start to bandage her leg. When I'm done, I move the chair back a little I borrowed from the corner of the room and she sits up, while clearing tears from her eyes. Declan comes and sits in her lap. She strokes his head.
I put my hand over to stroke him, but she flicks my hand away. "No!" She cries out a bit. "Sorry!" I speak. "You can have that stupid item back. It's on the top shelf." She says, pointing to the cupboard. I go over, opening it and take out it out.
"Thank you. Umm, do you want to get to know eachother? I'm a girl like you. We could be friends.
"Friends?" She says perplexed. "Yeah!" I squeal in excitement.
"She had them a long time ago." She says while looking down. "What?" I ask, confused, not understanding. She says nothing. "Umm, I have some nail polish on me. Cherry red, bubble-gum pink, aqua blue and lavender purple. Want some?" I ask and I see her flinch and some colour returns to her cheek and her eyes don't look so dark anymore. She looks friendly, no longer hostile for little reason.
"Cherry red, thank you."
"Okay!" I respond, pulling them from the little bum bag I opened a moment ago. She stays where she is on the bed and I sit down on the bed in front of her. She flinches a little again. I think it's because of how close I am to her? This girls seem so anxious. Something bad must have happened to cause her to not trust people.
I take one of her hands and start painting. She giggles a little at how cold it is. While I'm doing them, I look up. She quickly shifts her eyes away from me. Yep, she's scared of us. "What's your name?" I ask. She doesn't answer.
"My name is Libby."
She looks at me for a few seconds.
"Hi Libby." She responds. Alright, now were getting somewhere. "I'm a student a high-school student... Would you share with me what you do for a living?"
"I don't really do 'anything'." She answers. "Are you freelance?" I ask.
"I said, I don't do anything." She responds rather angrily. She is becoming irritated. "I'm sorry." I tell her. "Let's focus on something else. How long have you been living here for? What did you do for a living?"
"Three years. Nothing much, just pretend to play a role if anything."
She's an actress for a living?
"Are you done now?" She questions me. I look down to see I finished all the nails on both her hands. I put the nail polish away.
"Thanks, Libby." She speaks. "You're welcome."
She's moving her fingers around, looking at the nail polish on them. "My name is Shelby." She speaks. "Aww, cool! I tell her. "You have what you came for... So please leave..." She demands, looking scared.
I head to the door, but turn around before leaving. "It was nice meeting you and getting to know each other." I tell her. "Even if it was only brief and that I did most of the speaking."
"Yes... It was. Best wishes on your journey when you LEAVE IN THE MORNING!" She yells, expression back to angry, her skin pale and eyes darkened again. She goes to push me outside the door, but I turn around and wrap my arms around her. She goes stiff in my arms.
"Bye, Shelby." I tell her. After a few seconds, I let go and leave, closing the door myself. As I do, I notice last minute before the door is fully closed that she has fallen to the floor and is crying into her hands. "I'm sorry, Libby, I'm so sorry!"
I try to shake the image from my head.
---
"Libby, Libby, Libby!"
"Eh?" I jump up in shock. "Dan! Why are you in my room?!" I scream seeing Dan.
"It's morning!" He exclaims clapping his hands. I roll my eyes. Just what I want to hear. Not. We'll have to go back outside now. Today will be day 3 of being trapped away from home.
"Well, actually we won't be going anywhere." He says, reading my mind because he literally can. Our powers have come back slightly, but not alot. "Why?" I ask. He grasps my arm, pulling me from my room. He pulls me up the stairs to the next floor to the balcony. I see Nari and James, standing near the door that leads onto the balcony. Dan leads me next to them. I see Carter, standing on the balcony. Next to him is... Shelby! He brings his hands up to rub her back. She flinches when he does, but doesn't stop him. Carter turns around to look at us. I look up noticing the sky is still dark like it's night-time. It should be morning...
"What time is it?" I utter. Shelby turns around. She has a robe over the top of her PJ's. She covers her face, the best she can with her hand. Carter steps forwards. "This is Shelby. She lives here and is the owner of this Estate. I've apologized to her for our arrival as it was I who led you all here. We have talked and she doesn't usually get visitors out here often. Be gentle with her and try not to overwhelm her. Any of you. Especially you, Josh. Your level of excitement is-"
"It is not!" Josh yells.
I hear sobbing. We turn around to see, Shelby is crying.
"Just stop." She whimpers. Nari pulls Josh away. "I'll take him elsewhere..." She announces.
"I made food in the kitchen." Shelby speaks up, but she still doesn't look at us. "Ooh yummy!" Josh squeals. I see Josh run off down the stairs with Nari on his tail, figuratively speaking.
"Wait up, Josh!"
It's just me, Dan, Carter and Shelby... "Let's go eat, shall we?" Asks Dan who's reaching over to hold my hand. "Uh, wow. Thank you." I respond. He starts pulling me towards the stairs. Maybe things can work between us... Perhaps we should see someone for help? I see Carter is following us who's trying to coax Shelby to come eat with us. She's coming, but is keeping her distance from us.
I make it to the kitchen and sit down next to Dan. Nari & Josh are already eating. I notice piles of food on the table. "How she makes this all on her own?" I ask. He shrugs.
Carter is still trying to coax her in. Finally, they make it and she sits furthest way from us to eat. "So...?" I speak up. Carter stands up. "Well, it seems a rare solar eclipse has occurred and it'll be dark for quite some time."
"You're not going to send us outside?!" Nari panics, standing up to point a finger at Shelby. She looks up at Nari, her eyes glaring. "Hey, Nari... It's fine. Just sit. We've talked and we can stay here till it's over." Carter explains. "So, she's not throwing us out?!" Nari continues.
"Shut up!" Snaps Shelby who stands up from eating. Her long hair covers her face. "Nari can be a little loud sometimes, it's okay." I tell her, walking over to her as I stood up. I go to place my hand on her shoulder, but she runs away from us, but not before pushing her plate of food towards me. "Uhh..." I murmur,
"We really need to stop upsetting her I think!" Says Dan. "Yeah." Answers Cater who's nodding his head. After the rest have finished eating. They leave to do only god knows what. I'm going to go and try to find Shelby again. I'm still eating the last of the food though, that Shelby pushed towards me.
As I eat the last bite of a pancake and hash brown, I feels like my lungs are being constricted. I slip off the chair I was sitting on. Bringing my hands to my throat and clutching it. I struggle to open my lungs and pass a breath. I can't breathe for some reason. What is happening?! Am I have an allergic reaction? I wonder. All of a sudden, I hear the door leading into the dining room open. I raise my hand and manage the choke out the words. "Help me!" My lungs feel like they are burning and with every passing minute, taking a breath becomes harder and harder. Just then someone comes into view. "Dan?" I start.
"Hello Libby, good to see you."
"Shelby!" I exclaim. I bring one of my hands to my chest trying to steady my breathing.
"Nope."
What does she mean, 'no'?!
"Help me!"
She let's out a sly laugh and walks around me and rests against the table.
"Nope."
"Why?" I manage. "You're all in the way. You've invaded my house and I want you gone."
"But we're friends! I painted your nails last night!" I tell her.
"We could have been before you came into my room and woke me up. I might have considered it and you invaded her bath, you upset her."
"I'm sorry! Help me please!" I cry again, not listening.
"I'll thank u for the medicine though. You might have just saved our life, Libby." She says.
"Good, I'm glad your happy. Now help me! I think I'm having an allergic reaction." I cry while gasping and clutch my throat again. "Nope. You're an annoyance. A persistent grub who will never leave me alone I'm sure. News flash, I'm not interested in being friends with you."
"Okay that's fine. You just had to say!" I tell her.
She just stands there. "What are you doing?!" I cry.
"Eliminating you all one by one."
"What?! Where's Brax? Did you do something to him?" I ask, trying to put the pieces together, but not it's becoming really hard to continue. "He won't becoming to rescue you." Shelby responds.
"You're trying to kill me! Did you kill him?"
She cracks a evil grin. "Did you poison my food afterwards?!" I wonder.
"Poison your food? Yes. Just a few minutes and you'll be gone from this timeline, Libby.."
"Wait! I could help you or something else. You must have an antidote, please!" I beg.
"You have nothing I want and nothing to offer me."
"We could be friends. Please!" I beg again. "Don't kill me please, I'm scared! I'll prove it to you!"
"Fine, alright. You have me interested, Libby." She walks over, jabbing a needle into my leg. After a few seconds, it feels easier to breath. She picks me up in her arms. "What are you doing?" I ask, trying to resist, but I feel exhausted.
"Hiding you away from the others. If you're really going to be our friend, I can't have you deserting me now, can I? No one can have you, but me."
My eyes start to feel droopy. "What did you...."
"Don't worry. Just a couple hours and I'll be back to see you before you wake up."
She flicks a switch in the wall and heads down a flight of stairs with me that have appeared. Eventually we come to a room. It looks like a lavatory.
She opens a door in the wall of the room which leads to another room. She places me down on the floor and I see her unfold a camper bed, quickly making it and she then takes a hold of my arms and drags me onto it. I let out a choky breath. My muscles feel so tired, I feel tired.
"See you later, Libby. I'll be down to check you in a bit. My best friend!" She says, giggling darkly. I try to speak, but no voice passes my mouth. She closes the door behind her, leaving me in the dark and unable to move from this bed.
107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhqVmYqNdfr
