Death's Deal

Murium

Chapter 3

Adien waited until the final bell of the day rang before he came out of his hiding spot and went to stand in front of the school to wait. He watched the students pile out of the school with eager anticipation of the upcoming television and internet they would most likely be enjoying, until he finally spotted Beth walking out of the doors. Adien watched with eyes narrowed into tiny slits at Oscar un-looped his arm from Beth’s and leaned over to whisper in her ear. The only satisfaction Adien got out of watching the two was noticing how pale and shaky Oscar looked at he waddled away to his mother’s awaiting car.

Adien waited until Beth began walking down the sidewalk towards the nursing home before he ran up to catch up with her, calling her name as he went. She turned around with an expecting smile until she saw who was actually calling her name.

For a moment she pondered turning around and pretending she hadn’t heard Adien calling her name but her hesitation was all it took for the boy to finally reach her and loop his arm with hers. He ignored the involuntary convulsion she gave at their contact before walking in the direction she had already intended.

“We’re headed to the nursing home right now right?” Adien asked with a pleasant smile.

Beth nodded, thoughtfully biting her bottom lip.

“Are you hungry? Maybe we should stop and grab something to eat?”

Beth was actually famished after only a measly lunch of pb&j, but she was broke as a dog. “No thank you, it’s okay.”

Adien laughed as he steered her across the street to Wendy’s. “No, I insist. I can feel your tummy growling against my arm.”

Beth couldn’t contain the nervous laugh that bubbled out of her otherwise empty stomach. “I’m sorry Adien, but I don’t have any money.”

“I always take care of a lady”, he said in mock hurt as he held the door to the establishment open for her entry. She walked into the door, a thanks already on her lips before he brushed past her to stand in line. Beth was completely confused; one second he seemed to like her, the next he was basically pushing her out of the way. With a sigh, she walked to stand beside him.

“Do you know what you want?” He asked, his eyes trained on the menu.

“I’ll just get whatever you get.” She mumbled sadly.

Adien looked at her crestfallen face and frowned. What was wrong with his girl? “Well what if I ordered a bag of blood and toenail clippings?”

Beth’s face slightly brightened as she turned to stare at him. “Well then I suppose I’d be drinking blood and eating toe nail clippings.”

At a girl, he thought as he walked to the register and ordered them two plain burgers and blood-less fries.

I didn’t stick around to see their entire meal at Wendy’s because of some business I needed to attend to. In fact, that business involved a very heavy load that had decided he had enough of the teasing and went home to try unsuccessfully to hang himself. While gravity never seemed to fail the boy before, as he jumped from the trunk he stood on gravity didn’t do it’s job well enough and he was stranded hanging alive and quiet furious until his mother discovered him two hours later when she came home from work.

I hate wasting my time on false attempts.

Adien walked with Beth to the home and after filling out the necessary paper work he was ordained a certified volunteer. Beth gleamed at him proudly as the nursing home instructor went over the basics with him; don’t feed the oldies outside food, no television unless it was penciled into their schedule, no electronics, yada yada yada.