The Gray Place

Chapter Three: Conversations That Feel Like Hugs

“So, can you tell us a bit about yourself? I mean, I know Grace and Aubrey, a lot,” Lila said.

Courtney bit into her sandwich thoughtfully. “Uh… my parents are… they work with logistics, yeah. So they are movers”. She said with a small smile.

“Okay, Bashful,” Aubrey said laughing.

Aubrey seems to have a sharp tongue, it comes with the hair I guess.

“So, you guys moved around a lot too, yeah?” Lila asked

Courtney quickly turned to the other girls, “How about you girls?”

“I’m a trust fund baby,” said Aubrey

I’m just a baby” said Grace

We all bust out laughing. This is good even though I’m not trusting it—who knows if I’ll move again next week?

Courtney couldn’t reply to Lila, not today but she did hope they had a lot of time together. Lila noticed too but didn’t push.

Well, if you stick around for a bit— there are a lot of fun places we could explore. Like the coffee shop downtown,” Lila said with a wink.

Courtney tilted her head, “I think I have an idea of where you’re talking about”

Lila grinned, “So, we’ll all meet there then.”

After school, Courtney decided to walk instead of calling for a ride since the distance wasn’t far from her house. Everything was slick and quiet as she passed the cracked sidewalks and mossy fences of Hollow Street, she saw their house up ahead — dull and plain against the trees. The house looked better now that the day was a bit brighter.

She still felt warm inside. Whether it was her new friends or her hoodie, she didn’t want it to end and she wasn’t ready to pick sides.

She got to the turn that would take her to the house when she saw Mason. He was far off and talking to someone. She couldn’t get a better look at the other person, but she knew Mason.

Mason… the boy who made my heart stop and that has been since forever. But what is he doing? What’s going on?

She squinted her eyes so she could get a better view of what was going on, but she got nothing.

“Well, I better stop being nosy and get going,” she thought.

She got home and everywhere was eerily quiet, thank goodness for the movement of tree leaves. Walking in, there was a tension around, she didn’t feel safe, and nothing felt right about this move. Where are my parents?

“Mom…”

“Dad…”

“I’m home!” Courtney said with a raised voice.

Nothing. No reply. No word. But she felt like someone was looking, watching… suddenly

“Boo!”

Courtney screamed with all her strength and both Luke and Carmen couldn’t hold in the laughter.

“Mom!”

“Dad!”

“It’s not even Halloween yet and it’s not even funny, not fair.”

“Oh Honey, we’re sorry,” said Carmen mimicking tears.

“This is great though, Dad is laughing and it’s been ages”

“Well, I’m glad I made you feel great. There’s been a lot of tension lately, this is me trying to relieve it,” Dad said with a sorry look.

“I’m sorry for making you scared Honey,” Dad said opening his arms for a hug.

Mom and I closed in. This feels good, I prayed quietly for it to last.

Evening

7:00 pm

I had rested for a bit in my room before Mom called me out for dinner. Today felt like warm hugs and freshly baked soft bread but we were having fried chicken with Mac and cheese and coleslaw. Fit for a second dinner in our new home, no, house because we might move soon.

“It seems we might not move anymore, this place looks fit for work,” Dad said

“Luke…”

“How was your first day at school, Cee?” Dad asked

“You seem really chatty today, Dad”

“I’m excited about this place, it’s the start of something steady,”

“My day was great, I think I made new friends

So fast? Anyway, you’ve always been the one to settle quickly

“I’ve not had a boyfriend if that’s what you mean and I don’t think I want to, just in case we move again besides it’s been just one day.”

“I don’t think we will, this might be the start of something fresh” Mom replied

“Yeah yeah,” Courtney rolls her eyes

“So, Dad… what’s work going to be like?”

“Perfect, just perfect”

“Uh… what do you do?

“We already told you, darling. We work with logistics.”

“I know but like, how does this logistics thing work?”

“When you’re 18, we’ll tell you all about it but for now, finish up your food, “ Mom said with a forced smile and a rub on my back.

“Your mom is right, stop bothering your little heart.”

The rain started again around midnight — not a downpour, but steady, like it was welcoming and supporting this move. Courtney lay asleep in the small, dim room she’d chosen. She hadn’t slept for days and today was surprisingly easy and light except for the last sentence her mom made but that didn’t keep her from resting that night. Even the eeriness and tension that whispered in every corner, every wall that was closing in, every creak, and every memory the house held, couldn’t stop her from sleeping. She was tired of being on alert, her mind needed rest and it did rest.

Courtney jolts up from bed, checking the time, it was 5:59 am. She had slept really well last night and wasn’t expecting to wake up so suddenly. She dragged herself up from bed and tried getting ready for school when she heard voices. That’s Dad, what is he talking about so early in the morning?

Her door was slightly ajar the way she left it, across the hall was the room her dad had claimed — the one with the weird wardrobe. She tiptoed barefoot till she stopped outside the door.

Her father’s voice: low, steady.

“—safe for now. We weren’t tracked, but I’m not sure for how long even though I feel we’re off the radar. Our only problem is our daughter, she’s suspicious.”

Courtney froze.

A voice responded, too muffled to make out.

Who’s he talking to?

“We’ll monitor. If she digs further, we’ll redirect. She’s just a kid. She doesn’t know what she’s looking for.”

The call ended with a sharp click. Then silence.

Courtney tiptoed back to her room, heart pounding so hard she thought it would pop out any time now. A moment later, she heard a door close and then footsteps, before a knock on the door…