House of Thirteen

by Andy Lockwood

  By midafternoon, they had pushed Tau to his physical limit. He was staggering as he lugged the boxes, which meant that each new trip, they endangered another box of artifacts. It wasn’t worth the risk to continue pushing him, even if they were actually enjoying themselves for the time being.

  “Tau, let’s call it a day,” Joe gestured to the couch and though he played tough for a moment, he took the offer and collapsed, stretching sore muscles as he sprawled. An idea occurred to her as she watched him sink into the cushions. She reached out and cuffed Ren in the shoulder. “I’m going to run and get us some takeout.”

  Ren reflexed, wanting to hit her back for the sudden sharp tingling in her upper arm. At the look in Joe’s eyes, she knew better than to punish her for what must be a brilliant scheme. Instead, she clapped and stood up. “Chinese, or pizza?”

  They both turned to Tau, who was so weary he didn’t even realize the question was being passed to him.

  “No worries, I’ll figure it out.” Joe ran upstairs after her money and before Ren could protest, she was already making her way to the door. “I’ll be back in a flash.”

  “Wait, what do we do till then?”

  Joe stuck out her tongue.

  “Play house.”

  TWELVE

  Joe smiled, a spring in her step as she flicked through her phone and ordered a pizza from her favorite place. They did something magical with the sauce that they claimed was an “old family recipe”, but she was pretty sure it was a low dose narcotic. There was no other way to explain how tomato puree could be so addicting.

  The second reason to call Papa Merrin’s Pizzeria was the route to get there. Between Papa Merrin’s and Delaney House was the huge urban forest of Swinton Woods. Three hundred fifty twisting acres cut through the middle of Marysville, offering the beauty and serenity of nature without wandering too far from the safety of the city. Also safeguarded by Swinton Woods was the Marysville time capsule. Joe knew there wouldn’t be time to just dig it up; the capsule was supposed to survive one hundred years. If they were going to open it up and peek inside, they were going to have to plan.

  She could, however, peek to make sure no one else had disturbed it.

  She diverted from the city sidewalks onto a cobblestone path that led through the park. She passed park benches and pedestrian rest areas. It was surprising that more people didn’t take the time to at least walk through the forest. Something about the woods swallowed the city sounds, giving the illusion that she had left civilization behind. She enjoyed passing through, but too much time in the park gave her a creepy feeling. She always felt like she had overstayed her welcome and the forest was giving her the cold shoulder in the hope that she’d leave. She was never brave enough to see what happened if she actually stayed too long.

  She came to the large fountain much faster than she expected to. It was a pristine wishing pool that people threw change into all summer long, before the city came and emptied the fountain for the winter. Residents called it the Founders Fountain, referring to the brass plaques in the stonework that circled the fountain, commemorating the town’s founders. Joe looked around; the time capsule had been laid to its long rest somewhere in the fountain square.

  Joe twirled as she wandered around the fountain, finally finding the sealed plate dug into a small hill at the edge of the stone walkway. She knelt, reaching out and measuring the bolts against her thumb. If they had to use tools, she could at least approximate, right? She leaned in further; digging her fingers around the lip, curious about how thick the lid was –

  A sudden blast of cold set her on edge. She stood up and stepped backward.

  No, she didn’t. Not willingly, anyhow. Cold hands had shoved her away from the capsule and she stumbled. Joe’s eyes darted as she tried to see something that was obviously not there.

  She was conscious of every movement she made now. She took half a step toward the capsule again. She looked everywhere, her head turning in a slow figure eight.

  “Um, I’m sorry?” Joe wasn’t known for her clairvoyance, and had no idea how to deal with ghosts, if that’s what this was. The closest thing to a supernatural experience, after Delaney House, was Tau. She was still a long way from her ghost-busting merit badge.

  “Leave us.”

  She stopped, listening for more. There hadn’t even been a breath of warning before the voice came. It was possible that it was all in her head, psychically. She wasn’t going to rule anything out yet.

  “Who is ‘us’? Why do I need to leave? Can you tell me?” Joe knew how ridiculous she would appear to passersby, but there were none to speak of. No one to catch her talking to herself for her five minutes of internet fame. She was, as far as she could see, alone.

  She took another step forward and a deep wide cold spot grew on her chest. She stopped moving, either the cold or the contact made her stop breathing as well. She swallowed hard. Her mouth had gone dry. She forced herself to inhale.

  “I’m not here to –“

  A face appeared right in front of her, mere inches from her own. It was so white it was almost glowing. With the exception of the deep blue eyes within the white mask, it was virtually featureless. Passive and featureless, Joe believed it might be the most angelic sight she could ever imagine. And she was correct until the face bared teeth.

  “We know what you are here for!” It definitely spoke, though she didn’t see its mouth move. It snarled silently, a white hand appearing on her chest. It poured cold into her, burning right down to her heart. Joe stumbled back, losing her footing against the wide wall around the fountain. She yelped and spun, expecting something worse, but it was only the fountain, gurgling and spurting water into the air. She spun back and whatever it had been was gone. She didn’t need to be told again to move along. She would tempt fate another day.

  She rubbed her chest trying to work warmth back into it as she turned tail toward home.

  The fountain was long out of sight when she realized that somewhere in the world, a delicious ham and pepperoni pizza with extra cheese was waiting for her to collect. She growled, wanting to spend no more time in the Swinton Woods, but she really wanted her pizza. She felt the cold radiating from her chest and realized that if anything could cure what ailed her, Papa Merrin’s would do the trick, or there was no cure.

  **

  Joe managed to get the pizza back to Delaney House without further incident, but as the sun set and the shadows grew longer, the more she was certain someone – or something – was following her. Every half block she would spin in a circle, continuing her momentum, just in case she turned and someone was actually there. Every time she turned, however, the streets were as clear as the last time. She didn’t even bother to come in through the back door. She rang the bell at the front and waited on timid tiptoes bouncing in place until the deadbolt slid away.

  Ren opened the door, sarcastic lines playing on her tongue ever since the doorbell chimed. One look at Joe’s face cast the clever words away, never to be uttered aloud.

  “Joe? Get in here!” She tugged the girl’s shoulder, not meaning to bark orders. Joe was already half in the door by the time Ren reached for her. “Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine.” She shook her head and took a deep breath. Ren’s eye insisted and Joe shot a glance at the doorway beyond. Her voice dropped to the softest whisper she could manage. “We’re on the right track.”

  She moved into the common room, watching as Tau was already sitting up, the scent of pizza tingling his nostrils.

  “That smells so good,” He licked his lips, then gave Joe the same look Ren had used in the doorway. “Everything alright?”

  Joe stopped for a second, hunched over the table opening the box. “Some creepster was following me on the way back. Gave me the heebies, that’s all.”

  Whether Tau really was a charlatan or a good guy mixed up in something bad, it was almost impossible to determine at this point. Sometimes he seemed so carefree, or just plain careless, that ther
e was no way he could be in the amount of trouble he claimed. But then he would pull a brotherly move like going to the window and making sure there was no one lurking that made him seem like he really might be that guy he said he was. It made Joe’s head throb, more than the idea of being frozen into a statue in the middle of Swinton Woods. She wasn’t sure what she had encountered, but she was convinced it had the ability to turn creatures to stone. Or ice, which made more sense with the chilling sensation that still tingled against her chest.

  Ren arrived with plates and paper towels. Joe stole a large piece of the pie and sank into a chair. She was happy that it was still warm, but not to the point where the cheese burned her mouth. This was just south of the perfect temperature. She chewed and swallowed, voicing her approval as she stuffed another mouthful between her teeth. Perhaps it was the secret ingredient, or maybe it was just magic in general, but the more pizza she devoured, the less she could feel of the place the forest spirit touched her.

  The rest of the meal was shared in silence. Ren and Joe could not discuss Joe’s trip because of Tau, and they had nothing left to discuss with him. Tau himself was worn down from the day and almost welcomed the silence to relax against. The pizza filled the rest of his thoughts until none remained between them.

  Ren stuck out her belly and slapped the sides of it. “Oh my god, that was the best pizza ever.”

  The other two could only groan an agreement, Joe slowly swinging her legs around from a seated position to cradle herself in the lap of her chair, ready to slip into a long, deep food coma. Ren didn’t want to rush Tau out into the night so quickly after dinner, but she did want to talk to Joe. The look on her sister’s face when she opened the door was still etched into her mind. It was not casual fear that was on her face. What had she seen? What did she find?

  Without any sort of pressure, Tau stood up, stretching.

  “Thanks for the pizza. I should take off. I’m not going to be any more use to you tonight.” Ren nodded, standing up. Joe waved groggily, her head lolling back against her shoulder as she folded her arms back around her chilled body.

  Ren followed Tau to the front door, dragging her feet, feeling the comforting weight of her own food coma looming.

  “Thanks, for all your help today. You deserve a good night’s sleep.” Ren half smiled as she leaned against one of the displays. Tau opened the door.

  “I’m sure I’ll get it. Tomorrow?”

  Ren nodded and watched him hop down the steps, letting gravity do most of the work till he got to the bottom. Then he strolled slowly down the walk. Ren had no intention, nor any desire to pursue him. She closed the door and twisted the lock, still not certain about him. She was glad the cat puns were slowing.

  He’s going home for a catnap.

  She shook her head and turned her attention back to the Joe’s mystery.

  “Alright, I want to hear what happened.” She called loudly as she entered the room, but Joe didn’t budge. She crept over, slipping into the chair in the opposite pose, so she faced Joe. “No nap till story time is over.”

  She put a shoulder into Joe’s hip, watching the girl bounce. Her head rolled back a little and the smile faded from Ren’s mouth. Joe’s lips were purple, and her skin pale – more than was the norm. Ren reached out, her fingers touched clammy skin and she drew back. She jumped up and held her sister’s face.

  “Joe? Joe! Don’t you do this to me. Wake up!” She tapped Joe’s cheeky lightly, patting out an intense rhythm.

  “So tired. Let me sleep.” Joe mumbled, trying to brush Ren off weakly.

  “Oh no, I’ve seen far too much TV for that.” She grabbed Joe, pulling her up to the edge of the chair and letting out a great huff as she hoisted the cooling body over her shoulders. “You are going to owe me so much for this.”

  Step by step, she made her way across a room far too big for this much weight. Opting for Mariel’s master bedroom instead of attempting to tackle the stairs, she hoped Mariel didn’t believe in locking her own door.

  She let the doorframe bear part of their shared weight for a moment while she tried the door. It swung easy on oiled hinges. Ren thanked all the gods in all the pantheons. She let momentum carry them into the room and threw Joe onto the bed. Her dark hair was wet from cold sweat and her breath was shallow. Grabbing the girl’s limp legs, she worked off Joe’s shoes and her socks. Then she worked Joe out of her jacket, trying to focus but she couldn’t help think the worst as her fingers brushed against the wet cold skin. She had to distract herself, and wanted to reach Joe at the same time, and pull her back to the surface.

  “While it is true that I spent a majority of my time chasing handsome gentlemen, this does not mean that I don’t appreciate the fairer sex. I mean, I certainly do, but Joe, this is probably the laziest way anyone has ever gotten me into a bedroom. Wake up!”

  She didn’t respond, not that Ren really expected a miracle. She worked Joe out of her tight jeans, swearing that the girl would never leave the house in anything tighter than sweats ever again. She pulled Joe up, cradling her as she worked her top over her head. She pulled the covers back on Mariel’s bed, and rolled Joe into place on the pillow.

  As she pulled away, Ren felt a cold chill work its way up her spine. At the cleft of Joe’s breasts, resting comfortably on her pale skin was a dark bruise in the shape of a long-fingered hand. It pressed against her sternum, branching up and out across her chest. What had happened out there?

  Ren tucked Joe into bed, pulling the blankets tight around her. When she was snug, Ren rushed out of the room, making her way to the kitchen. She twisted the hot water open on full in the sink. She got two large freezer bags and filled them, wrapping them in a kitchen towel and hoped that improvisation was enough. She took them back to Mariel’s room.

  She placed the bags on top of Joe, keeping a blanket between them for added insulation. The last thing she wanted to do was harm when she thought she was helping.

  But what happens when they cool off?

  She shook her head, laughing to ease the tension. She walked around to the opposite side of the bed, facing away from Joe.

  “This is seriously the laziest play that has ever worked on anyone.” She could feel her pulse quickening as she undressed. She tried to play it off as concern for Joe - which was not false, just… inaccurate.

  Ren slipped under the covers and slid up against Joe, shuddering slightly as her warm skin made contact with flesh that seemed almost waxy in its cooled state. She rolled Joe, pressing closer, holding her makeshift hot compress against Joe’s body. She rested her cheek against Joe’s over her shoulder and whispered gently, trying to ease the tension for herself and hopefully lessen the shock when Joe came to.

  “Just remember that it’s not what it looks like – ok, it’s exactly what it looks like, but not that way. I’m trying to help. I don’t know what else to do, Joe. I took some first aid classes when I was younger, when I was a babysitter. They just told us what to do, then gave us a multiple-choice test. That’s it! That’s everything I am basing this attempt at life saving on. Well, that and television. It can’t all be wrong, can it?”

  There was no response, just soft shallow breath, barely perceptible in the arms that held Joe close.

  “You can’t leave me, Joe. You were the first thing I found in this world. You rescued me, now I get to rescue you. That’s how this plays out, you hear?” Her chin quivered, and she felt flush, but she hoped that the heat coming to the surface would help. At least that thought made it okay to be on the verge of tears right now. “You don’t get to leave. I –“ Ren swallowed, feeling the tears run as she blinked, holding Joe tighter. “I need you to stay right here.”

  THIRTEEN

  At some point between the emotional overload and the general exhaustion of the day, Ren fell asleep. When she woke, it was slowly, her faculties trying to fill in the missing information. At some point, she had moved to lying on her back, and Joe had turned and was pressed into Ren’s side. On
e hand she could feel was threaded with one of Joe’s while the other felt like it was just gone. After a moment of inward panic, she realized that it must be under Joe and had gone numb. She moved her fingers reflexively, trying to get the blood and feeling back in them. It was a bizarre sensation knowing she was touching something, but completely unable to identify what it was. Joe emitted a sleepy noise and Ren turned to meet her face to face.

  Joe smiled sleepily. “I’m not sure what to ask first: Why are we in bed mostly naked, or why you are squeezing my butt.”

  Ren retracted her hands, wide-awake and flush with embarrassment. Then, the reason they were here crept back to her and she wrapped her arms around Joe, squeezing her tight and kissing her hard on the cheek.

  “You’re okay? I didn’t think you were going to make it.” She held Joe, pulling her, pushing her, prodding, playing the frantic mother making sure her child is still in one piece after a playground fall. “I was so scared.”

  “Ren, it’s okay. I’m fine.” Joe took the frantic shaking hands in hers and held them close. “I don’t actually remember much of last night. I vaguely remember getting back here after…” Her voice drifted off, and her mind when to a faraway place. Her eyes grew wide with the dark memories and she squeezed Ren’s hands tighter against her. Ren held tight to her, trying to be her anchor.

  “Joe?”

  “I remember…” Her eyes snapped back to reality and the safety of the present moment. “Something is in the park, protecting the time capsule.”

  “Something.” Ren repeated, almost hypnotically as she reached out and moved the blankets. The handprint was still on Joe’s chest, though she seemed completely unaware of it. Ren touched it, and Joe looked down, trying to see. “Something very dangerous. Do you think the knife is there?”