Curse And Craving

5

She pulled over a dining chair and looked up at me with pride on her face, her eyes becoming suspiciously glassy. “Don’t you dare start crying on me. You know I hate that watery stuff. Tell me about your day.” “Yeah, yeah,” she said with a laugh. She launched into a detailed description of each attraction she had visited while I set the table and filled our plates. “I wish I could have gone with you, but I was able to take a tour of the museum, so I got a dose of culture myself.” “Oh, yeah? See anything particularly interesting?” she asked, scooping a large spoonful of rice into her mouth.

“Yes, but it wasn’t an exhibit. I had another odd encounter with an eccentric Irishman.” I’d told her about the strange hottie who had stopped me in the street the day before as soon as I’d gotten home. “Maybe the lack of sun does something to the people here. Makes them a bit deranged.” “This one wasn’t quite as creepy as yesterday, but still odd. The guy starts talking to me about this statue and then a painting.” “That doesn’t sound so odd. I’m pretty sure my gramps talks to everyone he sees,” she said matter-of-factly. “First, he wasn’t old. Second, it was more what he said and how he just walked away after.” I described the man and recounted our discussion of the artwork and his parting words. “I swear the guy was not in the room when I first walked up to the exhibit, and then just as quickly, he was gone. I have no idea how he knew my name, and I can’t tell if I’m reading into his good to see you, or if that’s just how people talk here.” “Huh. You sure he wasn’t hitting on you?” “I don’t think so, but who knows.” “Well, save some of the crazy hotties for me. I didn’t get a single suggestive look or anything today.” I snorted a laugh. “You can have them all, promise.” “I still have a couple of weeks. Surely, I can find me a fine young Irishman by the time I go home.” “Undoubtedly,” I said wryly. Ash winked and stood. “I’m going to wash off the grime of the day. You okay getting the dishes? I swear I’ll get them next time.” I playfully rolled my eyes. The kitchen was not Ash’s favorite place, and it was not the first time I did the cooking and the cleanup. “No problem —go ahead and shower. I’ll take the next one when I’m done here.” I gathered the dishes and took them to the sink, which was in a dark corner of the room now that the sun had gone down. The single light bulb in the room was not a problem during the day when the windows let in plenty of light, but evenings were another matter. I was lost in thought and up to my elbows in suds when I registered movement out of the corner of my eye. I turned toward the table where I had seen something move and froze, hands dripping soapy water onto my bare feet. Crawling around on the table was a tiny man gathering crumbs. He was about six inches tall, had he been standing, and his skin was a leafy green. I blinked my eyes several times to clear the hallucination, but it remained. A doll-sized human wearing little scraps of clothing scurried about on the top of the table. Sensing he had an audience, the little man froze. Quick like a bird, his head whipped in my direction. His already large eyes opened even farther as we locked gazes. Neither of us blinked. Neither took a single breath. Shock jumbled my thoughts. Before I could collect myself, the man vanished like a bubble bursting into thin air. He disappeared. Gone. I sucked in a lung full of air as I frantically scanned the room for any signs of where he had gone. Panic engulfed me, and I started screaming. All rational thought fled while shrieks and obscenities flew from my mouth in a fiery stream. I ran about the room searching for the man under the couch, in the cabinets, and behind the blinds. A dripping wet Ashley flew down the stairs wrapped in a towel with a shiny black hair dryer gripped in her fist. “What the hell happened?” “Ash, I saw a tiny person on the table! He was crawling around getting crumbs, and he was green with big eyes, but then he just disappeared. I saw him, Ash. He was there!” I rambled almost incoherently as my heart rate finally began to slow down, but my hands continued to shake uncontrollably. Ash set down the dryer and stepped closer to me with her head to the side and an expression on her face as if she was talking to a lost child. “Hey, honey, it’s okay. Between the jet lag and drinking wine while talking about all the weird men, I’m sure your mind was just worn out. It was probably a mouse. Nothing to worry about. I’ll call the landlord in the morning and have him get an exterminator out immediately.” “Ash—” “Hush. You go up and take a hot shower and then get some rest. I was done anyway. I’ll throw on my pajamas and finish up in the kitchen.” She gently guided me to the stairs with her hand at my back. With a resigned sigh, I took one more glance around the empty room and headed upstairs to shower. Was this why the men here were crazy? Was there something in the water that made people off-balance? Never in my life had I had a breakdown. Panic attacks? Yes, but that had never involved hallucinations. All the doubt and wariness I’d cast out earlier in the day filled my belly with a sickening dread. A firm yet nurturing voice filled my mind from years of practice easing myself down off emotional ledges. Ashley was probably right. The brain does wild things under strain, and you just traveled across the world. You’re tired and stressed. Get some rest, and you’ll be fine tomorrow. Yes. That was it. Just try to calm down and get some sleep. I did my best to block all thoughts as I cleaned up then snuggled deep under the covers of my bed. I was comfortable but unable to fully relax. There was one thing that was sure to calm my spirit. My mother’s voice. I hadn’t had a chance to see them before I left the country, and we were incredibly close. My parents and I were a team. We did everything together while I was growing up, and I loved them dearly. Despite the late hour in Ireland, it was still early evening in Texas. I grabbed my phone off the nightstand and placed the call. The instant her soft voice crossed the line, my chest filled with warmth. She asked about my first day, and though I knew she wished I was closer, she offered a swell of encouragement. Our call was brief but exactly what I needed. With my heart a little lighter and homesickness not weighing quite so heavily on my chest, I slipped into a restless sleep.