Secrets of Night

Chapter 7

Soon, the familiar two story apartment appears, illuminated by Caleb's deadly cancerous sun beams. A fresh coat of gray paint covers what used to be faded red brick, never once touched by a maintenance crew since its construction in 1964. The house falls into darkness as Connor kills the engine and we both exit the car; I make sure to scoop up my backpack from the floor and sling it over my shoulder before following Connor inside the old brick building.

Connor got this place at one heck of a bargain since no one wanted to be responsible for what seemed to be a wreck in the making, but let me tell you, this boy works miracles! When he bought it, the three cement steps leading up to the front door that clung to the frame by a single hinge were crumbling, large portions of concrete were missing and the wooden railing had collapsed long ago. Now, as I walk up to the building, the steps have been replaced, still with cement, but not a single crack shows. The windows were a mess; half of them had missing panes of glass, shattered by stones thrown at the abandoned building by local idiots to mess with someone's property. Connor replaced all six of the windows and repainted the wrought iron guards that had fallen from the ground windows before replacing them onto the frame of the home.

Waiting for me at the top step, Connor opens the screen door, propping it open with his knee while he fiddles with the keys and unlocks the mahogany colored pine door. He steps inside while I hold the screen door open and follow him inside the house, dropping it closed behind me. Connor steps aside, making room for me on the thick carpeted mat and closes the door behind us. He removes his shoes and stalks off into the kitchen while I turn and lock the door as I slide my sneakers off my feet before following Connor into the house.

The staircase is directly across from the entry level, disappearing into the cream colored spackled ceiling where I know his bedroom lies. To the left there is a small enclosed space painted a dark blue and whose walls are lined with book shelf after book shelf with a desk nestled up against the wall; I helped Connor paint those walls when we first started working together. He offered to teach me some of the handy things he knew so I could become more useful around the barn in respect to maintenance and repairs. I helped him refinish over sixty percent of the house and let me tell you, we had a blast. This man has taught me so much about life tools and though he doesn't know the full story, he has been working to help me through the loss of my parents.

Clearing my head of the sentiment, I glance over to the right, catching just a quick glimpse of the dining room before the cream colored walls that encase the entirety of the entry hall and dining room before following Connor into the kitchen. We had painted that one a rich forest green and replaced all of the appliances with new stainless steel ones that weren't covered in rust and animal feces. It had taken us about three months to complete everything including plumbing and electrical. Connor simply said he didn't trust others to do what he knew he could easily do, yet he took the time to teach me. Honestly, I don't know what I would've done without his kindness. Connor pads across the polished dark oak floorboard to the double door refrigerator and pulls one of the doors open, reaching into the fridge and pulling out a ceramic dish covered with saran wrap. He closes the door and turns to me, lifting the dish suggestively.

"Did you want anything?"

Not wanting to impose on him anymore than I already am, I shake my head even though I haven't eaten anything since lunch. He narrows his eyes slightly at me and takes two steps to the right where the stove stands beneath the overhanging microwave. Carefully, he unwraps the dish and sticks it into the microwave, closing the door with a dull thud. Setting the timer for a minute and a half, he presses start and turns back to me, raising his eyebrow in disappointment as he lips crease into a slight frown.

"Troy, eat something, Ok? I know you don't eat anything until you get back home from the barn and if you think I'm going to let you get away with it, think again; I never have with any of your previous attempts despite your lousy attempts to reject my offer. Here."