The Ghost of Home

Hiding in Plain Sight

Well, that just happened.

You wonder what's going on in that damned man's head. After the whole breathing thing, he left you alone in his dining area, under the reluctant care of Home, and went back to painting.

Home clunks and clangs as you attempted to understand it but to no avail. It's like forcing two children of different interests to befriend one another at a mall playground.

You glanced back to his living room and you watched him silently paint.

Aren't you going to eat breakfast? You once asked

And he responded, Already did!

You know, this isn't what a host should do. Did you suddenly lose all your hospitality?

Aren't we supposed to be avoiding each other? Home was the one who invited you in, after all. Not me! Did you miss me already?

You see how it is.

That was three days ago and you're quite enjoying a Wally-less life, thank you very much!

"Why, if it isn't my favorite lamb!"

"Do you know any other lambs, Barnaby?"

Though that doesn't mean you're in a Barnaby-less life. And of course, with Barnaby comes with Wally. Like birds cannot fly with only one wing and how two halves make a whole. They're a package, a fact known to man. A fact you loathe.

You somehow always manage to run into him no matter how much you hide.

When Barnaby spotted you while you were basking in the sun, you almost did not notice Wally's presence. He looks at you in silence and when your eyes finally met, he simply strolled up the slope and quietly sets up an easel. Barnaby, either understanding or ignorant, lets the smaller man work in silence.

You sit on a grassy slope as you watch the dog balance himself on a ball, fall off of it, stand up on it again, and fall again. Out of practice, he says. You can feel Wally somewhere behind you. Probably painting.

"Say, buddy, did you get anything in the mail?" Barnaby looks down at the back of his wrist, looking at his nonexistent watch.

You give Barnaby a side-eye. "Sally's letter, why?"

"Oh?" Barnaby finally lays down after an hour of fooling around with the circus balls. "What does it say?"

"Don't pretend you weren't behind that!"

Barnaby grins and casts a quick glance behind you. You don't like where this is going.

"Girls talk!" He suddenly yells and sits up to whisper to you, "Are you doing it?"

"I mailed her back."

"Aaaaaand?'

"And,'' you look away, "I agreed."

"Aaaaaand?" Barnaby urges, "What else?"

"What else?" You mumble.

"Aren't you, you know, forgetting something?"

You look at him straight in the eye, deadpan. "Enlighten me."

Barnaby, to your confusion, whistles at you. You watch him face the back of his wrist to you and tap on his invisible watch. Your eyes follow his finger and you raise a brow.

"What, am I running out of time?"

"More like running for time!" Barnaby snickers, "We're gonna be late for the rehearsal!"