Alex:
'Well if he sudden comes back to conscious again.' Grace smiled again and walked away then, her hands still folded together as her eyes slid along the path the took. 'I will,' she said hard enough for him to be heard. 'Don't worry.'
She quickly moved through the bushes and made her way toward the place where the body should still lay if it hadn't been moved yet. Her heart skipped lots of beats and her fingers slid over the bust from the trees which she passed speedily. She wetted her lips and for a moment she stood still, thinking she saw the slender figure from the ladies corpse, and so she did. Her light brown hair waved softly in the wind and her face was pale with senses of blue and yellow. Her bright blue eyes were opened, and almost her entire body was covered with snow. It was remarkable how the tough weather and nature hadn't affect the woman's body, but in their benefit of course.
With large steps Grace moved toward the body, and with the strength she had she tried to pull herself through the spiky bushes. Two cuts got created on her cheek as a branch scratched along her reddish cheeks, and after a few moments she fell on her knees. A soft moan escaped her throat when she realized there was something wrong with her wrists, but as soon as she turned around without being able to see Nigel she decided to be just quiet.
'Can't get worse,' she muttered to herself as she crawled up to the woman her body. With her bare little hands she started to dug into the snow to get the woman her body freed from the captivation she was currently in, and she clenched her teeth as she felt the coldness stinging in her skin.
'Christ, come on-'
Nigel:
After a while suddenly two cold hands closed around those of Grace, but the touch and smell was familiar as that of Nigel.
"Easy.. Come on, I'll help you."
He started to dig out the body along with her and pulled untill it broke lose from the snow. He lifted up the body then, - clearly entirely unaffected by the fact the body he was holding had been dead for a few days now.
"Let's go.." he turned and dragged the woman along to the car. Thanks to her empty, stiffened body it was only easy to carry her along. He put her in the back with the other victim, - stuffing a little untill he was able to close the cap.
"There, let's go before anyone shows up."
Alex:
Grace startled as soon as she suddenly felt two hands being wrapped around hers, and within a second she'd turned her head to look at the person behind her. Nevertheless it hadn't been necessary to do. The feeling of his skin, the shape of his hands and the smell of him had been already enough to recognize who it had been - and if she'd listened closely she could've perhaps even recognized by the way he breathed.
She'd smiled politely - just for a second - as he started to dig with her then, and together they continued so they were done after some minutes. Her hands were hurting now, but she couldn't care less. They had done it. Got themselves two bodies and they hadn't been caught - not yet at least...
It had been strange when they'd carried her toward the car. She'd been entirely stiff - since she was frozen - and the fact that her eyes were still widely opened with her facial expression standing on emotionless (or rather stoned) was scaring quite the hell out of her. But obviously she wasn't about to show that.
'We better,' Grace nodded as she got back into the car. She held her breath as Nigel tried to stuff the body into the car, and in her imagination she could see him accidentally breaking her arms and legs. She couldn't keep herself from laughing softly because of that, even though it made her lightly panic.
'What about those groceries we bought? They are useless whenever we put them in the house, right? Or did you planned to keep them in the car?'
Nigel:
After he'd managed to get in all limbs he started the car once again and drove off.
"Cooling box. There's one in the house, I checked." (noIdidn'tbutyouasktoogoodquestions) "Also, I mainly tried to take things that would stay good for a while.. I do plan to find us another house as quickly as possible but we can't expect to just stumble unto another deserted farm. It's likely we'll have to live in the car for a while."
He drove in silence for a while, lost in thoughts as he mentally took every step they had to take to be able to fool the police into think they were dead.
"Anyway.. so here's the plan. We take a moment to fresh-up. Pack the things we're going to need and then we'll put on the gass, leaving on the fire. And we get the hell out of there. Alright?"
Alex:
'A cooling box,' Grace repeated while nodding - a sign she found it a rather good idea. She hadn't even thought of that yet. She wetted her lips and dropped her face again softly against the glass from the window, smiling while thinking of stupid unnecessary things which would never happen in life.
'That's good,' she whispered than - honestly not even really listening to his words. She did heard him, though, vaguely. 'Living in the car?' she said then - getting up a bit with her lips lightly pursed. 'I hope we'll stay warm during this bare weather. I'm afraid we can't lit a fire in this car...'
She nuzzled against the car door again and tried to shut her eyes as he started to drive away. She wanted to wash the thoughts away of being accompanied by two corpses, and inhaled deeply as Nigel spoke again.
'Sounds like a good plan. Perfectly fitting.' She pursed her lips again and sighed now. 'We'll get the hell out of there,' she repeated then. Escaping. A topic in her life that kept coming back no matter what. 'We'll find ourselves a place, and in the car it can't be that bad... Nothing is more worse then Briarcliff...'
Nigel:
"We'll just have to take warm clothes and blankets. It'll be doable." he just commented, and after that he said nothing more about the matter. He drove in silence, concentrated on keeping the car on the slippery road. Eventually they made it back to the farm and Nigel hid the car again behind some bushes. After that he opened the trunk to get out his two victims.
"Grace? Can you lend me a hand? I can't carry both of them.. But if you want we can also take one first and then come back for the other. How are your wrists?"
Alex:
Grace pulled up her legs a bit and nuzzled against them. Her eyes were pointed at the road in front of them which seemed to be a limitless expanse. She sighed. Her fingertips followed the sewing lines of her pants and she smiled as he came with that offer. Lots of blankets, that should be doable. At least they had quite a big car. They could flatten the backseats so they could sleep there if necessary.
As soon as they arrived at the farm. they both stepped out of the car. Grace spread again the large pine branches along the car, and she followed Nigel to the back of it when he asked her to give him a hand. She smiled politely and nodded.
'Sure. Lets carry the both of them. You take him, I'll take this one.' She grabbed the woman at het shoulders - to keep breaking any other part since that might be possible, you never know - and started to drag her toward the house. She gazed up when he asked her about her wrists, and she pursed her lips as she shrugged. A thoughtful expression appeared on her appearance. 'All I know is that they itch, quite a lot sometimes. They don't hurt anymore. You can check them after this?'
Nigel:
He promised to take a look at them indeed and when the task was done and both the bodies were put infront of the fire he kept to that promise. He took both her hands carefully and lifted them to study her wrists. They looked better already. The itching was also a good sign.
"Good.. I should be able to remove the stitches in a few days. I'll make sure I'll take the tools for that along when we leave. You might want to clean them now, though, after digging in the snow."
He lowered her hands again and looked back into her eyes, smiling reassuring.
"I'll take care that everything is in place in the meanwhile. Then I'll freshen up and you can pack the rest of the lugagge, deal?"
Alex:
After they'd both dragged the corpses into the house - placing them both on a good place in front of the fire - Nigel had kept his promise. Slowly he'd took Grace her wrists, and she'd smiled at that act. Her eyes searched for his - though he was staring at her stitches - and she listened closely to his words. She nodded - a sign that she was listening - and wetted her lips while titling her head.
'Good,' she whispered then - nodding again as he spoke of cleaning the wounds. She inhaled deeply, allowing to show him her smile again after, and she lowered her sleeves again to cover up the stitches. 'Be careful,' she said then - acting to be strict. She chuckled. 'I don't want the house to burn down while we're in it.' She squeezed his hands and titled her head again. 'Just kidding. I see you in a bit.'
Nigel:
"Always am," he commented when she said he had to be careful. "Call me if you need me."
He turned to the corpses then to place them in the right position.. so he'd be sure all of them would be burnt. After that he walked through the house to search for all the things they would possibly need and gather them. Food, blankets, clothes, anything he could think of or came across with.
He even packed some books because he'd noticed how Grace liked them and he might enjoy some reading himself as well. Of course he couldn't just take anything. They didn't have all the space in the world. But the car was big enough to hold a few more items along the necessary things.
Alex:
Grace up up her thumb as he said he was always acting carefully, and she winked while smiling - making a noise with her tongue and cheek what supposed to be sort of checking sound. She left the room, running upstairs while being probably over-excited, and she didn't even really knew why. Probably because she expected to be free for permanent after this action - or at least when Alex would leave her body for good.
In the bathroom she took care of her wrists, cleaning them carefully without having any pain. She sighed relieved during that, and for at least five minutes she'd stared at herself in the mirror - watching her cheeks which finally seemed to have color again. It was still quite a bit unbelievable for her - the fact she'd escaped from Briarcliff. She expected herself to die there, miserable and broken. And now? She was here, in a random house with two death bodies, a good friend and-
She placed her hands on her belly and gazed at the door suspiciously. Slowly she moved forward to it, locking it so Nigel couldn't enter if he would want to, and slowly she got the pregnancy test out of her bra which had seemed to be the best hiding place in the world. Though it would've been quite funny, she hadn't been able to laugh... She had to test it sooner or later, and now it was the only opportunity she had. It would be destroyed after, so she didn't had to be afraid about that, and Nigel wouldn't realize a thing of it. It was now or never...
Motionless she sat on the toilet - her facial expression standing on practically emotionless and her hands laying on her lap. She inhaled deeply, sighing afterwards, and in a simple move she threw away the paper package - throwing it straight into the basket. How could she've fooled herself? It had been pretty obvious already.
Slowly she got up - staring at herself again in the mirror and dropping her forehead against it afterwards. She closed her eyes, switching open the knobs for water so she could wash her face. After that, she opened the door again - smiling again like nothing had happened - and she'd speedily got herself some stuff from around to make it look like she'd actually searched for stuff to bring with her (like a hairbrush and these sort of things).
'Nigel?' she called as she walked down the stairs. 'Nigel? Are you there?'
Nigel:
(here’s a payback for not spoiling what you’re up to!)
There was no answer.. He was there though. He was sitting huddled in the darkest corner of the livingroom. Around him were various playingcards scattered over the floor. He'd found a cardgame in his search for things. He'd taken out the cards to see their state but, - when turning the set around and finding the Jack of Spades on top he'd startled and dropped it.
He looked pale, - even more so than usually - and stared ahead of him with a lifeless gaze, mumbling things to himself without actually producing any sound over his moving lips.
Though in the past days it seemed he'd gotten better and better from his deluded state in the assylum, it turned out to be just that easy to get him back to that psychose.
Alex:
(Gehehehe I don’t mind. I love your payback)
Grace frowned as she got no response, and slowly she walked further downwards. As she reached the floor she pursed her lips. Where was he? She shrugged, though, realizing she shouldn't freak out already, and with some stuff and clothes resting in her hand she walked up to the living room. The pile she dropped on the cough, not minding at all it became a mess, and she clenched her teeth as she realized she could barely move in the dress she'd just put on - thinking it would make her feel more free in the way of moving.
'Curse this dress,' she muttered while moving her shoulders. She heard something ripping and lifted up her eyebrows as she lifted her arms - realizing the fabric got ripped apart cause of that move. She sighed, and in a few second she'd changed the uncomfortable dress into a nice large - and of all warm - sweater.
Softly she pulled down the collar so her eyes and messy hair got revealed again, and she blew away some stings of hair as she started to walk around.
'Nigel?' she called again - realizing he was still gone. After a time of searching she'd finally found him in a room she hadn't been in before - standing in the corner with several cards laying on the floor.
'Nigel? Why don't you answer? I've been calling you several times. Are you ready to go?'
Nigel:
(You're not supposed to like it! xD <3 and he's sitting dear. In the livingroom. But that's alright, doesn't really matter.)
He reacted to her voice when she called him by looking up in her direction, with slow robotic moves. But it was like his weary eyes were looking right through her instead of at her. This impression was strengthened even more when Nigel simply turned his head back to look forwards, as if he hadn't heard Grace after all.
His gaze dropped then on the card in front of him, the spade Jack. He stared at it in silence. It wasn't that he seemed panick-struck or scared anymore, - it was the way he was so incredibly still and calm that made it almost scary, as if he wasn't really there.. It was just his body still moving, without a mind or soul controlling it.
Alex:
(epic fail)
Grace searched for Nigel his eyes, but realized he wasn't about to turn. Not yet at least. She swallowed and frowned now. Slowly she walked up to him. Just before she reached him he turned - robotic, slowly, his fascial expression standing on emotionless, almost deathly.
She startled - though it was hardly visible, and she shook her head while knocking on her chest.
'Christ, you're scaring. What are you doing?'
Slowly he turned again, turning his back toward her as if he hadn't heard her, and an awful feeling crept through her body. Suddenly she felt nervous, sick, terrible, and speedily she shook her head.
'Nigel...' she muttered then. Did he caught her in the bathroom? Had he found the test while she'd been in the living room changing clothes? Her heart skipped several beats and she pressed her hand flattened against her lips. 'Nigel I'm so sorry... I couldn't tell you.' Her voice trembled and she walked backwards. Within some seconds she'd bumped against a drawer what made her startle more then ever. A sort squeek escaped her mouth, and she swallowed the upcoming tears away. 'Don't be angry, please. You have to understand me.'
Almost never Grace was scared, not in these panicky ways at least, but if she were it was because she feared of rejection. Like now. There was no fear that he would hurt her or anything. Not at all in fact. It was just that she was afraid of being pushed away and left alone.
Immediately she walked up to him, and in a flash she knelt down next to him.
'Please, don't put on the ignoring attitude. You know we won't get through this when you act like that.'
Nigel:
He still didn't answer. Somewhere he could hear Grace speaking but all the words moved through him. As if his head was underwater where he wouldn't be able to make sense of anything said to him. He didn't try to listen either. He just kept his gaze fixed on the card in front of him and his lips kept moving as if he were possesed.
However when Grace started to panick and knelt next to him suddenly panick started appearing on his own face as well, along with despair, as if her feelings were disturbing his calm, numb state. His silent muthering changed to a rapid whisper that went even faster and he closed his eyes, rocking his body back and forth like he'd done before when being in a catatonic state.
Alex:
What is wrong with you?' she went on then, shaking her head as she tried to find eye contact. Suddenly Grace seemed to realize that there was something wrong with him - or at least, what else could it be? She wetted her lips and rushed her hand through her hair. Her eyes dropped on the cards in front of him. Since these things where the objects that keep catching his eyes, she decided to wipe them away, and straight in front of him - her knees colliding with his - she sat down.
'Christ Nigel, come on, say something! What's happening.' She clenched her teeth and slowly she started to shake her head again. 'You're scaring the shit out of me, do you know that? What on earth are you trying to make me clear?'
Out of nowhere he began to mumble things rapidly, and that was pretty much for her to panic again - especially when he suddenly started to rock back and forth. Things of being possessed rushed through her head, and she searched for his hands to squeeze them while begging things breathlessly. It was then that she realized what kind of card was resting in his hand. She pressed her lips and held her breath. Doing her best to understand what on earth he was saying was no option. The way he spoke was comparable with Scottish Gaelic and so it was incomprehensible.
'Please, Nigel, we have to get out of here, come on...'
Nigel:
When Grace hands grasped those of Nigel's and their skin met he started slowing down his speaking again and after a few seconds he fell silent again entirely. His hand closed around that of Grace but he still seemed to be in some kind of trance. For a moment as Grace moved up it seemed he was going to remain there, just sitting, but after another few seconds he suddenly dropped the card and moved up as well, allowing her to drag him along and out of the room, just like he'd always allowed the nurses to take him back to his room.
They were walking through the hall, away from whatever had put Nigel into that state, when suddenly he spoke again.
"Grace? Where are we going?"
He stopped when Grace did and looked back at her slightly confused. He was back to normal by the looks of it.. At least he acted as if nothing had happened in the first place. "There's something more I need to pack before we go, okay?"
Alex:
Grace sighed deeply as she finally succeeded to get Nigel up. She was happy she managed to do that, because otherwise she would've definitely have done something. She didn't knew much about being possessed - honestly, nothing - but at least it looked like something like that. It didn't looked good.
'Finally, come on,' she muttered - pulling at his arm while walking further trough the hall. She didn't wanted to look him in the eyes now. Somehow she thought he'd been fooling her or something, and she couldn't appreciate that. Not now. As he suddenly spoke, her eyes widened - or at least, when she realized what he was saying. She stopped walking and frowned, keeping her lips partened but not speaking yet.
'What?' she muttered. 'And now suddenly you do speak?' She loosened his arm and shook her head. 'Sure, whatever...' She stepped backwards and pursed her lips. 'I- I'm gonna be in the living room...'
Nigel:
He frowned when she implied that 'now suddenly he did speak', and he didn't understand the sudden comment. Clearly, he didn't even remember what just happened.
"What are you talking about? Of course I'm speaking."
He watched as she dropped his hand, as if he hadn't realised she'd been holding it untill now. He turned back to look at her somewhat frightened face then and carefully took her arm.
"Is something wrong?"
Alex:
Just as Grace wanted to walk away Nigel took her arm - asking her this question that made her hold her breath for a little while. She didn't looked at him and just pressed her hand down against her abdomen. Her lips were parted and in her head she was counting the passed months. One, two, three, perhaps four? She swallowed and blinked a few times. "The threes, bleak and beautiful- I'm not repulsed- I didn't do it- Who's Alex- I saw how they threatened you there- I'm Grace- Serpent and the Apple- Sterilization- Come on Grace- Are you ready for me- He's mine!" These sentences suddenly rushed like radiowaves through her head, as if her whole life from the previous months suddenly got revised.
Grace startled and gasped for air, turning around now to search for his eyes. Her lower lip trembled, and slowly she walked back - pulling her arm with her to free herself from his grip. Her glance was blurry, and she did her best to smile - though it was truly visible she was struggling with something.
'I'm fine...' she whispered breathlessly. She pressed her hand against her forehead and blinked a couple of times. 'I- I'm fine... I- could you excuse me for a second? I have to-' She turned her back to him and hushed toward the toilet again. This time she puked again, but it wasn't what she expected it to be this time. There was blood with it. She gasped, and immediately she flushed it all away so she didn't had to stare at it for much longer. Slowly she stroked the back of her hand along her lips - remaining in sobbing afterwards, though it wasn't audible.
Nigel:
"Grace?" he asked again when she didn't respond. "Grace what's going on?"
He shook her arm lightly but by then she suddenly seemed to startle and she pulled away from him. He looked at her confused.
"Did I do something wrong?" Because that wouldn't be the first time, after all.
He called something after her when she ran - her name probably - but when she didn't respond he didn't bother anymore. Whatever it was, it seemed she needed some privacy .. yeah right, like Nigel knew such thing. So he followed her anyway, knocking on the door.
"Are you sure you're alright? Grace, I'm..- Worried." He hesitated with that last word, frowning, speaking it out as if he just realised what he said. It was an extraordinary thing for him to say, that's why.
Alex:
Slowly her fingertips rushed through her hair, and she buried her face in her hands - keeping silence until she heard the following words that made her open her eyes again. She held her breath and rubbed the red substance from her lower lip so a smear of salvia mixed with blood remained on the back of her hand. She wiped away her tears, and got up immediately to rush herself toward the sink so she could wash her hands and clean up her face.
Slowly she stepped backwards, continuing pressing the back of her hand against her lips - staying silent as if she had no words to say. Like they were swallowed away forever as her lips were sealed. She was very scared now, because of several reasons, and she definitely wasn't okay. Nevertheless she went toward the door, opening it so she could allow him to come in if he wanted so, but didn't gave him the change since she immediately wrapped her arms around his neck - pushing herself closely against him.
'I'm sorry,' she whispered breathlessly in his ear. 'It's this place... All the tension from today that suddenly found its way to crush through my build up walls of vigor.' She pressed her lips against the warm skin in his neck and closed her eyes to calm herself down a bit more. She had to lie. 'I'm fine... I just want to get out of this place, otherwise this might be all for naught. We can't let ourselves lose so much time.' She shook her head now and pulled a bit back so she could meet his eyes again. 'Don't worry...'
Nigel:
There was no sound and he stepped closer to the door, holding his ear practicly against it. He opened his mouth to call her name again but then the door opened and he got to look at her. She didn't look good. He didn't have long to progress that, though, because she already wrapped her arms around him and pressed her lips against his neck.
Though confused he held her against him, for as long as she wanted, trying to figure out what to say to this. In the end he just nodded, but when she pulled back he still eyed her slightly suspicious and worried - he wasn't stupid after all.
"If you're sure.. And yes, you're right. Come on."
He took her hand and tried to smile assuringly at her.
"It's time."
Alex:
'I'm sure,' she whispered softly - looking down at the tiny bit of space that kept their upper body from being pressed against each other. Her glance slid down to their entwined hands, and she smiled as she searched for his eyes. Shortly she served him a nod, and she followed him downstairs - keeping her eyes fixed upon the door of the bathroom which was about to get destroyed by lethal fire any moment. Softly she squeezed his hand, and without saying a thing they walked downstairs as her mind kept being haunted by several thoughts, visions and fragments.
'I think I'm going to miss this place....' She bit down on the inside of her lower lip and pulled him slowly to the living room where she'd put down the stuff she wanted to bring with her. 'Just the fact this had been like a home to us for several weeks.' She stopped walking and shoved her hand into Nigel his left pocket, getting out the car keys, and placing her free hand on his chest afterwards. Quickly - better said automatically - she placed a kiss upon his lips and she searched for his eyes as she smiled just very briefly.
'I'm going to get these to the car. Should I wait in there for you?' She got her bags and turned then, staring at him with this playful, crooked and comforting smile. 'Can this true gentleman assure me he'll come back unharmed?'
Nigel:
Nigel felt slightly puzzled when Grace said she was going to miss this place. After all she just said that this place was part of the reason of her somewhat off behavior. But she explained that it had been a home for her he didn't ask. He thought he understood. Nigel never did have the wish for a normal and cozy home but that might be because he grew up in one anyway. People who didn't grow up in a home environment, people like Grace and Alex, would of course crave for that which they had always lacked.
He let her guide him along to the livingroom and stopped when she did as well. When she took the keys from his pocket his eyes nevr parted ways with hers, as if he was trying to see what was going on in her head for real. He didn't ask again, though. He remained silent on that part. A trait he was familiar with. It was only after she kissed him - he didn't have much time to respond to it but nevertheless kept looking at her as she moved back - that he answered her.
"Sure.. Yes. Take the things we need with you. I'll take care of the house in the meanwhile. I'll see you in a few minutes. You won't have to worry about anything."
Alex:
She couldn't deny the fact she'd put quite a blur in this conversation, but she couldn't care much about it. Her thoughts where still fixed on that red substance that had left her throat, and she had no idea if she had to be relieved or scared to death. Her eyes had met his again, and she'd nodded as he spoke but hadn't left after he'd finished. She kept just standing there, staring him in the eyes as if she was recognizing something, or catching him on a secret he'd hold with him for a long time.
It would be way better if she would get rid of this child, perhaps, but after all she got what she wanted. She almost knew for sure she would never have intercourse with him again, and then by the fact he was somebody she truly loved - in the way of a real friend and more. He'd been the only one ever to understand her, and after all- how much of a change was there to get pregnant? She could be stubborn, keeping it for herself until the very moment Nigel would notice it himself, but what if this child was a danger to her? What if it was already dead? How could she even get pregnant of somebody who seemed to be already dead for more then ten years.
Her stomach turned again, and she turned her back to him as she tried to keep balanced on her feet. She decided not to show any weakness, and just walked away after getting her stuff so she could take place already in the car.
Was there even a change she could get rid of the baby after all? It had been two or three months, that was impossible, wasn't it?
As soon as she sat in the car, she didn't moved anymore. Her eyes were fixed upon the house as if she waited for it to blow up any moment, and her head seemed to be empty and calm. Nevertheless it wasn't. She was thinking about her health, and the fact everything would change after Alex would come back. Speaking about the devil... She was in fact carrying that guy in herself too.
Nigel:
He watched her leave after a while and pursed his lips, still certain she was hiding something from him. But he was aware that pressing on about the matter wasn't going to help, so he wouldn't.. Silence would perhaps be a much heavier pressure for her.
He turned and headed for the livingroom, where he prepared the bodies and the fire. When everything was in place he walked to the kitchen, - leaving the door open, - and opened the stove to release it's gass. After that he ran out of the house as quickly as he could manage.. it could explode any moment now.
And within minutes it did.. with an eardeafening bang and fire coming out throught he doors and windows. Nigel appeared at the car a few minutes later. He was unharmed, - apart from two scratches at his face and hands caused by sharp twigs that he was thrown at by the blow of the explosion.
He got into the drivers seat as quickly as he could manage and drove off before any police or other authority showed up.
Alex:
A weird atmosphere was hanging around Grace. She leaned against the car door, and gazed outside the window with this blurry gaze as if she was more busy with daydreaming than truly watching the place around. Softly she began to hum a song, a popular song that she used to sing whenever she was scared during her being youth. Though it was nothing special, it always comforted her. Softly she began to sing - more of a soft whisper - and she started to rock a bit left to right while keeping her eyes fixed upon the house, as if she tried to set it on fire with her eyes.
'Twinkle twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are... Up above the world so high, like a diamond in the sky. When the blazing sun is gone, when he nothing shines upon. Though I don't know what you are... twinkle twinkle little star...'
She didn't startled as the house suddenly exploded straight in front of her eyes, right after she finished the sentence, and in the reflection of her eyes you could see the high flames playing around. She smiled, weakly, and she sighed as she continued singing the song. What Nigel didn't know, was that this supposed to be her dad's house. She'd killed her family in here. Since practically everyone died in there, expect Betsy which succeeded to escape, no one visited the house anymore - but since the money of the family was still at the bank, yet to be split for the two of them (if Grace would even get some of the money too), they were able to pay the bills anyway and since Betsy couldn't visit the house anymore - not yet at least - but she didn't wanted to lose it either, she never sold it and kept it to it's original state until Grace would once get released. The house had been exact the same before Grace had left it. The christmas tree was still in there, and everything was in it's place like it used to be. Only the pictures were gone, all taken by Betsy (probably) and so the bodies and the remains were cleaned up.
Grace didn't wanted to tell Nigel. She never would - though she had perhaps betrayed herself a bit by telling him she would miss this place. Nevertheless she was relieved the house was gone now. It would be more believable that those two burned bodies where the two of them since Grace used to live there, and they should never have to worry anymore. Grace her bad past should be gone too, token by flames, and she couldn't care less.
Twinkle twinkle little star was the song she'd sang as she'd sat down in the attic, somewhere in the corner on the floor until the police had found them not late after, and it would be a moment she would probably never forget. That's why she decided to burry the lyrics with it, with the house, throwing it into the flames, and shortly after Nigel jumped into the car... and they drove away.
Grace slowly turned back to be able to glance out of the front window, and she weakly smiled toward Nigel while softly rubbing her thumb over the scratches on his cheek.
'We made it,' she whispered then.
Nigel:
"We made it," Nigel confirmed with a nod. Yet his expression remained hardened, serious.. Either because he knew they weren't done yet, - or because he lost the ability to entirely. Well he had the ability, - he'd smiled at Grace more often, - but probably that was more for her benefit than for his own. He felt the cuts on his cheek burn slightly when she touched them but he didn't show. It wasn't anything compared to the pain he'd had before.
Also, he didn't say anything else about the matter anymore after that and drew back in his own silence as usual.. His head filled with thoughts both intelligent and incredibly illogical. It depended on the subject he was thinking of. He only spoke again after they reached the border of town. And with that he finally made clear, vocally, that he wasn't as ignorant after all.
"If you're hungry you can grab something out of the bags, alright? So you can eat.. But if you first want to talk about what's going on through your head that's also fine."
Alex:
Grace slowly placed her hands back upon her lap, and she seemed to be more happy than ever before. She smiled like a little particular schoolgirl with good marks and ponytails, and gazed out of the window like nothing weird had happened. Yes, something weird was going on with her now the house was on fire - or at she was trying to act too much like she was doing well.
She wetted her lips. For a moment she kept in silence, and she nibbled on her lower lip file staring in the mirror back at the house which was fading away in no-time. Only the smoke had remained, though it was barely visible during this weather.
'Thanks, but I'm not hungry. Don't worry.'
Her voice faded away when he suddenly began about the thoughts that where on her mind, and she caught herself on having her hands laying upon her belly now. It was bigger, she finally realized now. Nevertheless- since she was luckily wearing over-sized clothes - you weren't able to see something of it that much - but if she would be undressed and you would focus yourself upon it, you could might see something.
She held her breath and placed her hands upon her lap again.
'What are you talking about?' she continued then after a long silence. 'My thoughts? I'm relieved that this all is over, or at least the "adventure" with the look-a-likes of us.'
Nigel:
He was detecting her body for strange behavior.. Anything that would betray her. But because he had no idea the matter was in fact that earnest, he didn't notice her place her hands on her belly. Or he noticed, but he didn't seek anything behind it.
He sighed when she asked him what he was talking about and looked out towards the road again.
"Look, it's fine if you've got your secrets, we all do. But don't take me for someone too stupid to notice, alright?" he told her rather harshly. That did offend him, after all, for people to assume he was too stupid to understand or notice something.
Alex:
Grace slowly turned away her head, and hit down her eyes to her hands as she tried to keep her breathing study. It would be weak to bust into tears already, or getting upset or panicked since nothing really happened, but the way he spoke definitely effected her.
She pressed her lips and shook her head, stroking away the first tear in no-time, and she gazed outside so Nigel wouldn't notice her crying - if she could even call it like that. She just felt really bad about lying, and perhaps it was also again the tension trying to leave her body.
'You won't believe me, neither do I.' She clenched her teeth and curled up her legs to wrap her arms around them afterwards. 'Just-' She searched for his eyes and pressed her lips pensively, trying to push away the grief. '-don't hate me or anything for keeping it behind, okay? I'll probably tell you...' She glanced away and kept in silence for a moment, waiting till all the air had left her lungs, and she spoke again, breathlessly this time. '-but only when I'm ready.'
She'd probably said too much already, and she already regret responding his words. She could've kept her mouth shut too, after all.
'But it's nothing important so don't worry.' She sighed again and dropped het gaze out of the window like she'd done before. 'Just don't worry...'
Nigel:
"You don't know that," Nigel commented, focussing his eyes on the dark road in front of him. The insult on his face had gone as quickly as it had come, though.
"I just told you.. I'm fine with you keeping secrets. I don't expect you to tell me everything. I wouldn't either. All I'm saying is that I don't want you to think I'm too stupid to notice, alright? So don't lie to me."
He threw a quick glance at Grace when she told him not to worry and smirked, somewhat bitterly.
"It looks like you're already worrying enough for the both of us, anyway."
He drove on in silence again after that.. And he just kept on going on and on untill he noticed his eyelids were dropping from fatigue. They were far away from the house now.. By now the bodies would've been found. He didn't want to risk going out in public yet, though, so when he wasn't sure about the safety to drive anymore, he pulled over in a random parking spot before he fell asleep behind the wheel.
"I need a break.. Is it alright if we spent the night here? Blankets are in the back.."
Alex:
Grace pressed her lips against her curled up knees, and blew her warm breath against the cloth of her legging without saying any words. She kept keeping her glossy eyes on the road in front of them, pretending like she couldn't hear a thing though she'd definitely heard every word. After a few seconds, almost half a minute, she finally took a deep breath - placing her chin upon her knees now so she could use her mouth to speak again - and she nodded.
'I know,' she muttered. 'I know you're not stupid. Only a fool would doubt that.' Softly she started to nibble on her lower lip, and her eyes scanned the threes which passed speedily. They looked huge, bleak and dangerous on a sad way. 'I just don't know what's going on with me. I'll try to tell you, but it'll take time.' She searched for his eyes - though they wouldn't have full eye contact since Nigel had to keep them on the road for their own safety - and she pursed her lips. 'I promise, okay?'
After a while of both being in silence, Grace had almost fell asleep. It was that Nigel suddenly stopped the car on some parking lot and started to speak to her, otherwise she would've been gone in less then a minute. She gazed up, nodding slowly while trying to keep herself from yawning.
'Yeah, sure. We drove a lot already.' She clenched her teeth and turned, hanging over her seat to gaze in the back of the car. 'You need anything?' she followed then, gazing over her shoulder back to Nigel.
Nigel:
When Grace agreed they could have a break Nigel thankfully put his head against the window to have it rest there and closed his eyes.
"Yeah, I..- I need.." whatever he needed was to remain a mystery for now, because after those two words he fell asleep already. Clearly he'd been exhausted, though he hadn't shown it up untill now.
He fell into a deep sleep, and yet he was haunted bythe strangest dream. He dreamt he was still driving, - only it wasn't Grace sitting next to him but Alex. And not just Alex, - the child version of Alex. He was in a hurry, - fleeing from something though he wasn't sure from what. But then a fox appeared on the road and stood still in the middle of it, staring at him judgingly as Nigel was about to crash into him.
When he hit the fox he woke up with a gasp and was blinded by light as he opened his eyes. It seemed to be day. He sat up quickly to look at his surrounding, - trying to remember where he was and why again.