A Different Virus - Laura's Story

Chapter 144

I quietly put the step stool down and climbed on it as I hung up another decoration. It was a pity that I was still so short. It made reaching high spots quite difficult, but my determination meant that I didn't give up and managed some spots that I didn't think I would be able to.

I put up another decoration. There. That was the last one. I had better leave while I had the chance. For some reason, Trish was able to move extremely fast if she woke up and was startled. I had seen that more than once back at Wainwright Fort when Diane had pranked Trish.

I snuck out of the house. Nathan was sitting on a chair outside. He raised an eyebrow at me as he saw the step stool in my hands. He hadn't been there when I had gone inside... I blushed at getting caught, although Nathan would have no clue as to what exactly I did. I paused as I tilted my head as I heard Trish yawn inside.

I quickly scampered towards Nathan, "Can you please hold this for me?"

He gave me a confused look as he took the stepstool and rolls of orange streamers from me, "Why?"

A blood-curdling scream from inside echoed through the open doorway. I took that as my cue to start running. Nathan jumped and looked at the door in concern. Footsteps sounded and I glanced over my shoulder as a wild-eyed Trish appeared in the doorway.

Her eyes honed in on Nathan holding the stool, "What the hell gives?! Since when do you do such things to me?"

Nathan glanced towards me in complete confusion. Trish followed his gaze and saw me as I made my getaway. She glanced at Nathan, "Watch Cathy for a moment." She started running after me, "Get back here you little rat!"

I wasted no time in sliding down the ladder that led to the first ridge and launching myself down a second slide before bolting into the jungle gym. My nap had supercharged me, but two hours was obviously not enough to give Trish as much energy as me.

She sure put effort into her attempts to catch me though. We climbed all over that jungle gym several times as Trish tried to get ahold of me, and I made certain to stay a few steps ahead of her. She really wasn't in the best of shape though, even for someone who wasn't fired.

Twenty minutes later her revenge fueled attempts to catch me finally wore out as she panted. Nathan was sitting on a nearby bench holding Cathy as he watched his wife get an intense workout.

I skipped over to Nathan as Trish sat on the sand and panted. Nathan put Cathy down and she started crawling towards her mother. Nathan looked at me with a grin, "Did Diane put you up to that?"

I shook my head with my own grin, "Nope."

Nathan started chuckling. Trish made a face, "Quit laughing. It isn't funny. I am not even sure what that one mask was supposed to be."

Nathan crossed his arms as he humored his wife and silently grinned at her. He looked back at me, "I had to look inside. I must say I am impressed. Where did you find all of those Halloween decorations anyways?"

I giggled, "They were in a box labelled 'Haunted House'."

"The werewolf and the zombie were good touches. What was that green faced mask?"

I tilted my head thoughtfully, "I am not exactly sure, but I thought it might have been a Frankenstein mask that got washed a few too many times."

He chuckled and shook his head, "It was definitely different. Are you planning on taking all of that down?"

I nodded, "Unless Trish wants me to leave it up-" Trish snorted, proving that the sooner it was removed from her home, the better in her mind. I grinned at her, "As long as she doesn't try to trap me for revenge, I will put it all away."