Forest City Chapter 4 -Old Stairs-
The next two weeks went by too quickly. I decided to try and stay inside with Aunt Hazel, I would start school soon and I was not ready for what would happen next. It had been two whole weeks since Cobalt and Monty intruded into my life. I wonder what grade they were in, were they the same age as me, the same grade, same classes. These were the only two people I made an actual effort to befriend and it's been two weeks since I've seen them.
Now, here I am laying in bed, at four in the morning, I checked my digital clock, maybe it was still Sunday, nope. Dang it! It's only 4:27 in the morning. I sat up in my bed and pulled the covers off of me and the bed, maybe I can pretend to sleepwalk, or better yet, get a midnight, er, early morning snack, or maybe, I can pretend to use the bathroom. I just sat in the dark instead staring out the window, Cobalt's room was lit up, I guess he never sleeps, or maybe he's watching another movie, him and Monty like movies, I think, well Monty likes reading better than movies.
I finally got off my bed and headed downstairs, I'll just grab a small snack and hurry upstairs, I thought this would be easy and my stomach sounded like grizzly bear snores. I stumbled around on the floor trying to find where the latch hook was hidden in the wood flooring of my room. I felt around some more and felt the cold metal of the latch hook. I lifted the hook slowly and began to creep down the stairs, creeeeak, one of the stairs beneath me let out a sound when I placed my foot down. I tried to hurry down the rickety old stairs, but that's when I noticed Aunt Hazel's light turn on in her room, I was at the last step and I continued to move forward. That's when I saw Aunt Hazel's doorknob start to rustle. I quickly made my way to the other flight of stairs and tried to flatten myself against the wall.
Aunt Hazel made a slight hmph sound and returned back to her room. When I could no longer see light from under her doorway, I continued down the stairs. I finally made my way down the staircase and into the small hallway entrance of the apartment. I tiptoed my way into the yellow kitchen and poked my head in, I felt around for a cabinet or chair to grab onto, nothing, oh wait, here's something, I felt around and found a small string or chain to something I tried to grab onto it, but all I saw was the blinding white light for the kitchen, found the switch for the light, but now I can't see straight. I grabbed the chain again this time the light turned off, I knew where the fridge was in the darkness now, I'd seen it when I turned on the light.
I stumbled my way to the fridge, unlike the rest of the kitchen, the fridge (and stove) were actually a blinding white color, but over the years the fridge started to fade into a dull gray color, which was something that Clove had mentioned in her diary, "The fridge (and stove) were white, I cleaned them almost every week, but I assume when I move out they aren't going to be as white as they were when I lived here." I repeated what Clove had said about the stove to myself, multiple times, maybe Aunt Hazel would have me clean the fridge and stove just like she made Clove. I rummaged through the fridge trying to find some food that wasn't gluten free, Aunt Hazel was a health nut, for sure. It was almost impossible to find what I did, a bagel, one measly little misshapen blueberry bagel. I stuffed the bagel in my mouth and headed upstairs being as quick as possible, but also trying to be as quiet as a mouse.
First day and I already missed the bus, that's when I realized my curtains were closed and my digital alarm clock was turned around. Sneaky, Aunt Hazel had tricked Clove to think she missed the bus almost every morning, oh I'm not having this, I then, promptly, turned the clock around 7:15, yeah right, Aunt Hazel, I headed down the creaky stairs.
"It's 7:15 Aunt Hazel," I said as I approached her.
"Oh I'm only getting back at you for waking up so early in the morning, listen here, this is MY house and you will follow MY rules, I've made a list of rules for you to follow, along with a list of chores that you must complete before I get home from work," Aunt Hazel commanded.
"And where would that be," I whispered.
"I think you have an idea where those lists would be," Hazel replied, "now have a good day at school, I'll see you around 3:30 to pick you up."
Aunt Hazel had a way with being both intimidating and loving at the same time, she was as harsh as a winter storm, but as delicate and loving as the Spring flowers that sprung up after winter thawed. Aunt Hazel also had a way with being organized, she used to have a collection of tea cups, but, I may have ruined her favourite set, which led her to locking them away in the china cabinet in the basement. Aunt Hazel's apartment was nicely decorated and had good organization, but she never liked to clean that much, which is why she partially enjoyed my company, she would sit at the kitchen table and sip her Chai tea while I begrudgingly did the dishes from dinner.
After getting ready for school, in my way Aunt Hazel had posted another list, on the fridge, her list looked a little like this...
1. Take a 10 minute shower
2. Get dressed
3. Eat breakfast
4. Brush your teeth :)
5. Make sure you have all of your school things ready
6. Don't miss the bus, it leaves at 8
I left the note on kitchen table, Aunt Hazel always had a new tablecloth each and every week, this week appeared to be a blue tablecloth with little yellow daffodils scattered on the printing. I made my way towards the front door, today was going to be my first day at Forest City High School.
Both intimidating and loving at the same time? Definitely hope that she becomes more loving then intimidating.
ReplyDeleteI think Hazel and Mac have a pretty good dynamic between each other. I wanted Hazel to be an older woman who knows quite a lot about teenage antics because she has taken in her brother's children and helped raise them.
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