The Forest

Chapter Six

Her eyelids were heavy. Back of her head was pulsing and hurting as if someone kept hitting her there with a sledge hammer. Her entire body fought her - every limb was unable to move or react. She was being carried. Something round was stuck in her stomach, making her want to puke. Her head was upside down, all of her blood rushing to her forehead, making her eyes even harder to open. Strands of her hair occasionally stroked her face as they swayed from one side to the other. She couldn`t fight back. She had to let go.

She was floating. Up, up, up.

Who was this? What was happening? Was it all a dream?

But someone did hit her. That pain was too real to be a dream. She managed to open her eyes just enough to see familiar stairs. She was going home.

Maybe someone was helping her. Maybe Mr. Grimm`s killer tried to kill her and now her savior is taking her home so she could rest and recover.

But what about a hospital? Why home? Whoever was carrying her had extremely clean shoes. Shiny even. She could hear more steps. Tiny steps. Heels. Was it Maria?

They found her and now they`re helping her. All was well. Air was rushing between her fingers every time the person made a step forward. She enjoyed it. Her head slammed the front door on the same spot someone hit her before. She felt like it was going to fall off. Her eyes shut again.

` Easy, we don`t want to kill her… yet. ` said a squeaky voice.

That was the last thing she heard.

***

Her body fell off his shoulder and on the floor. Her hair covered her eyes. She was slowly waking up and realizing what happened. She recognized the smell of cigarettes and her perfume still floating in the air since she left the apartment. She recognized her floor and the dust she was supposed to clean ages ago but never got the time to do it. She could see the bead through the curtains of her eyelids and she yearned to lie in it and cover herself in her comfy blankets. More than anything, she wanted to curl up and sleep. It has been a long day. Even longer since someone decided to smash her not once but twice.

These were not Maria and Philip. And she was scared.

`What a nasty little place this is. ` said the squeaky female voice again. It sounded like an old woman. ` Who lives here, rats? `

Well maybe it was not the best looking place ever but she was happy. So she didn`t clean it in a while - who cares? That lady had no right to say that. What does her place look like?

She remembered all the stacked books and a dishwasher full of dirty dishes from days ago. She remembered a bra hung on her chair and a bathroom full of laundry. Okay, so she wasn`t the cleanest person ever. But what was that lady doing there anyways?

Her cheek was pressed against the floor. Cold felt good on her throbbing head. Then she heard steps. Slow and steady, walking around her like she was nothing. She saw the shiny shoes again. Whose shoes are that shiny?

And damn, she should have cleaned that floor. The dust bunnies were dancing around her nose, making her want to sneeze. She made a vow to clean it, just in case something like this happened again.

` Come on, Patty, we`re not here to criticize her flat. ` said a deep, husky voice. She heard that voice before. ` Your music is too loud. Keep it down. ` that voice said to her once.

` I know. It`s just… I don`t see why this person would kill him. ` said the old lady. Tilia got offended. She was not just `this person`.

` He was a bit of an asshole. `said the deep voice. He talked like he walked. Slowly and monotonously. But Mr. Grimm, an asshole? Maybe. Who knows what he did that got him killed.

` That he was.` she said. ` But there are many assholes in this town and I don`t remember anyone got killed over something like that.`

The old lady was right.

` Yes, but she is Magda`s granddaughter and you know that he always…`he said.

They were both walking around her like she didn`t exist and went through her stuff. The old lady even said that she likes good books. She could hear the drawers opening as she thought about the things she had in there. Nothing too embarrassing, she thought. The old lady lit her cigarette and the smell wandered off to her nose. If she wasn`t faking being asleep and she wasn`t possibly in a life threatening danger from that same lady, she would have asked her for a smoke. ` Yeah, yeah… so you think he was with her just because she remotely looks like Magda?` lady took a smoke and let it out again.

` Who knows?` he said.

So he was in love with her grandmother. That explains the long looks and all those visits. But he never asked about her. He never even tried to start something with her. And why would these people think that she would even be with him. He was an old man and she was young and quite frankly, not that desperate. She was not even the type of girl who goes for older men or money or power.

` Well if you ask me, I think he sent her. ` she said.

He? Who is he? No one sent her. She didn`t do anything. Seriously. Is he the mayor? And if he is why would he send her to kill him? None of that made any sense. These people didn`t make any sense.

` Really? You think he could have gotten to her?` he said.

` Maybe. But I watched her carefully, and I didn`t see anything curious.`

She watched her? Who is she to watch her? Why would she need to watch her anyway. She was boring and her life was too.

` He could have tricked you.` he said.

` You know very well that`s impossible.`

Oh and why would that be? Are you some kind of super impossible to trick woman. Seriously, lady, get over yourself. She could see her pick up her bra and throw it away like it was some kind of dead animal. So she was now guilty of having boobs. The look on that woman`s face almost made her laugh. She made a sound and the lady came closer to her and leaned in (not that she needed much leaning in, she was already short). Tilia shut her eyes and pretended to sleep. She steadied her breathing but that whole situation, no matter how possibly dangerous, was funny and those two looked like cartoon characters.

` Look, Patty, we don`t know what he can do. `

Patty? So her name was Patty. Great. Her legs and shoes looked like she was a Patty. That tiny but pointy red heel tapped around her dusty floor and scanned her apartment as if she was a kid who did something wrong. She picked up her stuff, opened her drawers and closet. They were searching for something.

The key?

What if they were there for the key? Maria had it and that was good. Now they can`t find it and they probably need it. But why would they need the key? They obviously didn`t kill him, otherwise they wouldn`t think that she did it. Who else is searching for it?

` Don`t you think he`ll be a bit pissed when he finds out we did this?` he said.

` He will.`she said. ` But Vinnie is a softy, he just doesn`t have it in him. He can`t do what needs to be done. `

Who is Vinnie? Is that honestly a man`s name? And why would Vinnie be pissed? Is that their boss? But then why would he not approve of them being there. That was just getting weirder and weirder.

` Vinnie is scary, though. ` he said.

Oh, so now Vinnie with a girly name is scary. So scary that even the deep voice thinks he`s scary. Good thing Vinnie wasn`t there then.

` Hah. A fly could be scarier.` she said.

This lady could be a mob boss. She wasn`t scared of anyone. Maybe it was because of the pointy red heels. Tilia wanted those heels.

` What if she didn`t kill him? Who do we go after next? `he asked.

They are on a head hunt. Why did mayor mean so much to them that they were willing to go and torture people in order to find the murderer. Or did they want the key more?

` We`ll see. We need to find the key.`she said.

There, they mentioned the key. So they came for it after all. What did she get herself into? What did that key open that was so important that they absolutely had to have it?

` What if he left it to his grandson?`he asked.

Ethan?

Oh right, Ethan. Ethan who asked me out. Ethan who likes me.

She remembered his touch that day and shivered.

` That bozo? No, he never liked him. But if he suddenly decided that family matters to him we`ll get the pretty boy.` she said.

Ethan is not a bozo. That`s it, I don`t like her. He is smart and funny and he would definitely know what to do with the key. Why was she so mean to him? She is right about one thing though, he is pretty. And the mayor didn`t like him.

That was impossible. Everyone knew that he was his favorite grandson. He was the one who came to Linden every year for holidays and spent time with him. Is it possible that the mayor didn`t like his family?

` What if Sandman has the key? `

Who is Sandman now? One of their friends? I heard a story once about Sandman. But it was not nice. The Sandman from the story threw sand in the eyes of the children and then he would take their eyes and bring them to his children as food. I hope this is just a nickname.

` He doesn`t. Yet. `

` Where could it be? I searched the entire library and all of her things. There is no key in sight.`

Well that is just plain rude. You are a mean old lady and I don`t like you at all. You went through my stuff and my library, you said that Ethan is a bozo and you clearly don`t like me either judging by the way you have been treating me. f**k off lady.

` We`ll find it Gabe, don`t worry. `

Oh, the big guy`s name is Gabe. Why is his voice so familiar?

She couldn`t think straight from how much her head was hurting. She needed something to numb it. But the voice… she heard it before. She could almost picture the person but she couldn`t figure out who he was.

` Do you think she has her gifts? `he asked.

Gifts? My grandma never gave me anything.

` Hardly. Her mother doesn`t have them. `she said.

She probably did give something to my mom. But they are talking about something specific. What could it be? Are they searching for that too?

` Maybe it skipped a generation. Those things happen. `he said.

What? Oh God, I need to sneeze. I can`t hold it.

` She`s too old for that. If she had them, she`d now. We would know. `she said.

I`m not too old. They`ll know I`m awake.

` I just think this is taking it too far. `he said.

You think?

`Oh, come on Gabe. We`re not going to hurt her.` she said.

Oh damn.

Her sneeze echoed through her apartment. They came closer and leaned so she could see them better.

Mr. Cross? And… Mrs. Caddie?

` Oh good. You`re back.`