The knock on the door was weak—a bare tap, tap, tap—barely echoing past the foyer.
Ari descended the stairs, skull-patterned palazzo pants rippling over bare feet and black Gore Gore Girls tshirt sticking to their back, with Willow close behind, her yellow sun dress swaying.
The knock came again when they both reached the landing. It was weaker—tap, tap—like it was losing strength.
Ari opened the door. When they saw the figure on the other side, their breath caught in their chest.
Tall and hunched, with lanky arms curled around a bony chest and hazel eyes lurking in sunken sockets—one reddened and bruised—Ari saw, for a moment, their reflection standing on the other side of the door. Only their hair was different--long, bright, red hair.
Passing a confused glance at Ari's transfixed face, Willow leaned around them. "Hello."
"Hi." The teenager's voice was a low croak. "I was... Somebody said... I don't know where else to go."
Shaking out of their trance, Ari opened the door wider. "Come in. Come on."
"Thanks."
The visitor stumbled at the entrance and Willow caught their arm. "You all right, hon? Take it easy."
"I'll get the ice. Willow," Locking eyes with Willow, Ari nodded towards the living room. Willow nodded back.
"Come on, honey, let's have a sit."
Retrieving a bag of ice from the big-bellied refrigerator in the back, Ari took a deep breath. A hundred years since... and now this. "Omens," they muttered, looking down at the cold back in their hands. They shook their head. "No. It's not that much of a resemblance."
Returning to the living room, another breath froze in Ari's lungs. The kid was sitting next to Willow on the sofa under the dark window, and Ari saw themself again.
"Ari, come on." Catching Ari staring again, Willow gestured with an open hand.
"Sorry." Crossing the living room, Ari studied the young visitor. Their sharp eyes and deep-set gaze gripped Ari's. "Put this on your eye."
Pressing the bag of ice to their eye, they looked down at the floor. "Thanks."
Ari pulled the nearest armchair closer. They met Willow's gaze once—a worried gaze—and looked back at the kid. "So." They nodded to the bruise under the ice. "What happened there?"
"Um. I, uh..." They didn't look up.
Ari nodded slowly. "We'll come back to that. How about, what's your name?"
"Storm."
"I'm Ari. This is Willow."
"Yeah, I know. You're the man-lady."
Ari frowned. "I'm gonna chalk that one up to having a rough night. I'm to understand you go by 'him,' then, correct?"
"Yeah I go by 'him.'" Storm's deep-set gaze turned sharp. "The fuck else would I go by?"
"Take it easy." Ari raised a pacifying hand. "How do you know about us?"
"I saw you on Facebook. A friend told me about your house."
Glancing at Willow, Ari frowned. "I'm not on Facebook."
Storm shrugged. "Word gets around. There's not that many places to go."
Willow leaned closer. "Where are you from, dear?"
Storm paused. "I can't tell you."
"Why?"
"'Cause you'll send me back."
"What do you mean?" Ari asked.
"I know how it works. You send kids back."
Willow laid a hand on Storm's arm, but he pulled away. As he did, Ari glimpsed the red scars criss-crossing his arms.
"I don't know what you heard," Ari said evenly, "but we don't send anyone anywhere they don't want to go. Ever."
"Oh yeah? Like David?"
"David reconciled with his parents."
Storm scoffed, looking away. "Yeah. Right. More like his dick parents tried to sue you and you caved."
Ari's took a breath through their nose. "If something happened with David, I didn't know about it." Their voice dropped to a dark tone. "But I will make it right. And I don't know who did that to you," Ari nodded to Storm's bruised eye, "but I will make that right too."
Moving the ice, Storm met Ari's eyes. "Oh yeah? How?"
"I'll protect you."
Storm looked at the floor, shaking his head. Ari knew the hollow look in his eyes only too well. Distrust. Lost faith.
"Stay here tonight. Everything will be okay. I promise."
...
Author's note: Skurdulka's house is now on Mondays! (obviously :) I thought that this would continue in first-person from Chris's POV, but actually I think this will be more from Ari's POV. Which makes sense I suppose since it's "Skurdulka's House." Btw the character David hasn't been mentioned before, but this will be explained. Hope this one turns out as well as Skurdulka the Cryptid! Pop in again next Monday for the next episode!