Fancy

Com Button

I was startled awake by a tapping on my window. I jolted, rubbing my eyes, and sat up. There was a flash of green before I realized what it was. Just a bush outside my window, it's branches scraping the glass. I shook my head and got up, stretching.

I shook the little anklet out of it's sock and pushed it back into my pocket.

Pappy Joe was still in his arm chair when I came into the living room. He hadn't drank too much, because the only beer bottle in sight was the empty one that I had gotten for him last night.

"Pappy Joe," I said loudly, in an attempt to wake him up.

"Hm?" he asked groggily, opening his eyes, "What is it, boy?"

"I'm going to-" I started to tell him about the Hart Estate, but then he would have questions, and I didn't feel like answering questions "-hang out with Zay. I'll be back later." Even though I probably wouldn't be hanging out with Zay for quite a while.

"Have a good time, boy, don't go smoking or doing drugs. They mess up your pretty face, you know," he said, chortling.

"See you in a few hours, old man," I said.

"Seeya, boy," he said, closing his eyes again and pulling the brim of his hat over them.

I slammed the front door behind me and clomped down the stairs, my shoes smudging the mud prints I had left yesterday. As I got to the street, Zay ran up to me from behind a house.

"Lucas," he said, out of breath from the sprinting.

"Zay," I said stiffly.

"You're not pissed at me, are you?" he asked, raising his eyebrows exasperatedly.

"Yeah, man, you were being an ass yesterday," I said.

"I was the ass?" he said, "You were the one that was going to return an anklet to the Evil Princess in her Evil Castle. Glad to came to your senses."

I raised my eyebrows at him.

"No, man, don't tell me you're still going!" he cried.

"Yes, I'm still going," I huffed, "I didn't lose all of my morals overnight."

I distinctly heard Zay mutter something like Morals, my ass under his breath, but I ignored it.

"If you're still going to be a jerk, then you can leave me alone," I said, "I don't want you here."

"Fine," he grumbled, and walked in the opposite direction.

I stuffed my hands back into my pockets and kept walking. I traced the line of diamonds and pearls with my fingers as I walked, my muscle memory backtracking me down the route I usually took home. Cross the street, around the hydrant, try not to get in the way of Mrs. Petunia's yappy little dog. The same things I did every day, just in reverse.

It didn't take long for the Hart Estate to loom in the distance. I could see it's marble glory spiraling above the rest of the average-sized houses. I slowed down a little bit, but then changed my mind and started walking quickly again. I just wanted to get this over with.

I saw the exact spot on the sidewalk where it went from average sidewalk to the smooth, polished driveway of the Estate. I hesitated as my foot hovered over it, then shook my head and walked up to the iron gates. There was a com button on the side of the gate, presumably where you would press to speak to someone in the house.

Without thinking, or letting myself to get scared, I mashed my finger down on the smooth black button.