The Likes of Us

skyline over paris

I decided to land outside Holly's window and knock. It was the courteous thing to do. Didn't want to startle her.

A few raps and she came over, smile fixed. It was late but she looked fairly chipper. A cartoonish catface decorated the stomach of her nightie. It was the same one she'd had on last time. Nothing about her had changed.

"You got it?" she pressed, after I'd stepped in. I handed her the camera, and she rushed to review its pictures. The promise of vicarious freedom.

"Wooooahhhh. So high up," she marveled, mouth hanging open. "These are really pretty. Are there really buildings that tall over there?"

"No. I took it from the air."

"Were you on a airplane?"

I started to answer, but something else caught my attention.

Gina.

"How long has she been there?" my stare shifted from Holly to her peculiar backdrop. The body of Gina Valens was still present, buried under a few messy blankets. Her head was propped on a pillow and her hands were folded neatly in her lap.

A strange odor laced the air, but only faintly. It was mostly lost to the heavier smells, of mildew and cigarette smoke. Holly didn't notice. She seemed used to it.

"Oh, that's Miss Gina," her smile held. A spot of Gina's decay glossed her cheek. "She's just really tired. She hasn't moved since the last time you came over. I thought that she must be lonely on the floor, so I've been sleeping with her. She feels kind of cold. That's why there's so many blankets. I even laid on top of her a few nights to warm her up. But she just won't get warm. Oh well. I guess I'll just have to wait for Momma to check on us again and tell her about it."

"Can't you go downstairs?"

"No," Holly pointed. "The door locks from the outside. Momma did come up once but she didn't see Gina. I tried to say something but she didn't hear me, and when she left she at'cidentally locked us both in. I figgered maybe next time."

I studied the door at the end of her finger. "I could unlock it."

"She'd get mad. One time I picked the lock and she hollered at me. I'm not s'posed to touch it."

"Why does she keep you up here?"

"She says it's dangerous outside. She says a war's goin on."

"Here?"

"Yeah."

"Tell you what. I'll unlock it. Go get your mother. Tell her about Ms. Valens."

"Who?"

"Gina."

"Ohhh. Okay."

While wrestling with the lock, I noticed she'd drawn a few more pictures.

"You're good at that," I said.

"Oh. I've drawed a bunch of those," she beamed. "I had lots of practice. Cats and bunnies are my favorite things to draw."

"Interesting," the door clicked open and parted with a miserable creak. "And...that one?"

She glanced over at the discrepancy. Atop piles of fluffy creatures sat the imposing silhouette of a man. His features were blurred, but his stance spoke a crisp anger. Most of him was saturated black, and in some areas the ink soaked through the page. Trapped in his menacing breadth was the shape of a girl, withered and hanging her head.