Romance Fiction posted September 1, 2021 | Chapters: | ...19 20 -21- 22... |
part of a love story
A chapter in the book Kelleys Island
Kelleys Island - Rain
by Aiona
"And why doesn't anyone ever knock on this island?" Cici shouted in a voice a lot braver than she felt, as she edged sideways from behind the counter to keep the massive hole in the back of her jeans out of sight of the strange man wielding a big gun, who'd just sauntered right into her cabin unannounced, and began criticizing her clothes! "Who are you? The wardrobe police?"
"Who are YOU?" the old man grumbled. "Because unless she's had one hell of an expensive face-lift, you're not Sherry."
"Sherry?" Cici noted with relief that the man was coming further into the house, so the doorway would be clear for her to make a getaway! She kept edging sideways, keeping her distance between the man and herself.
"Sherry Kincaid. She used to own this place." The old man was casting glances around, but mostly he was staring at the open hole in the roof. "I hope you didn't pay a lot for it. But it's about time someone spent some money on fixing it. What an eye sore it's been, ever since Curtis died."
A shiver ran through Cici. "Madison died here too. And now there's a dead Curtis? What is this place? American Horror Story? Who is Curtis, and why do people keep dying here? Is there something I need to know about Kelleys Island that no one is telling me? Did I just sign up to join a cult or something?" While she talked, the old man circled around the kitchen island, allowing her to edge further towards the front door. It was so close now. Almost there. Keep moving, freaky man.
The stranger's face molded into what Cici guessed was a smile, which seemed difficult for him. "You want to know who I am? I'm your next door neighbor, Tom Bailey." The old man shifted his gun to the crook of his left arm, and extended his other hand in greeting. When Cici didn't respond in kind, he retracted it. "Curtis's grandad built this place. Then Curtis got it when his granddad died. He'd be rolling over in his grave though to know that his grandson married that no-good---" The strange man had started walking backwards and was again blocking the doorway!
"Stop right there! Or else..." Cici cast about her looking for a weapon, and grabbed the cast iron pan on the counter by the stove. She brandished her pan at the old man and he stepped back from the kitchen island. Was she crazy? Did she really think threatening him would make him move? It might make him shoot her instead? Well, she had to take the chance! "I've got excellent aim!" No, she didn't.
Tom just stared at her slack-jawed which Cici interpreted as fear. "Good! Stay where you are, Mr. Bailey, if that's even your real name! Now move away from the door!"
"You want me to stop moving, and now you want me to move. Make up your mind, little Missy."
Cici shook her head. He was right. She'd just told him to do two opposite things! "Nevermind that! And my name's not Missy, it's--" She stopped herself. Why was she giving her name to a psychotic stranger? "Never mind that either! Back away from the door! Now!" Cici jerked her frying pan for emphasis.
The old man broke out in laughter that sounded like plaster breaking apart. "Okay, Missy." And he side stepped into the small kitchen, and stood next to the fallen branch, while Cici dashed outside.
She grabbed her bike from the porch, and heard footsteps following her. In panic, she flung the heavy iron pan into the darkened doorway, where she heard it land HARD, as she jumped onto her bike and pedaled like crazy for town.
She was relieved to hear the old man wasn't following her, but also felt a twinge of guilt. "Did I hit him? What if I killed him?" She debated if there had been anything else she could have done. Her phone had no service at the cabin. She couldn't even call 911, if there'd even been time to do so. No, she did the right thing. And now, she could call the police from town. Call?
Cici realized she had left her phone, her wallet, and all her other belongings there! No matter, she could tell the police in person. Where was the police station on this island anyway? She didn't even have her phone to look up the address! No, it would be okay. She could stop by the Town Pump, and ask for help.
Halfway to the south side of the island, she felt fat raindrops pelting her. Terrific! Why was it raining? Hadn't she just been admiring the clear blue sky through her kitchen ceiling just a few moments before that crazy old man broke into her cabin?
Drenched by the time she reached the Town Pump, she left her bike outside on the sidewalk. Through the windows, she was relieved to see Em was tending the bar already. She ran inside, and almost leaped over the bar counter to hug Dillan's twin sister in her relief to see a friendly helpful face. "Em! There's a man in my cabin! And he's got a gun!"
She heard a gasp from a woman sitting at a table near by. Em also looked shocked. But instead of looking at her face with concern, they were staring and pointing at her backside.
It was at that moment, she realized her underwear was exposed to all of the Town Pump's patrons.
"And why doesn't anyone ever knock on this island?" Cici shouted in a voice a lot braver than she felt, as she edged sideways from behind the counter to keep the massive hole in the back of her jeans out of sight of the strange man wielding a big gun, who'd just sauntered right into her cabin unannounced, and began criticizing her clothes! "Who are you? The wardrobe police?"
"Who are YOU?" the old man grumbled. "Because unless she's had one hell of an expensive face-lift, you're not Sherry."
"Sherry?" Cici noted with relief that the man was coming further into the house, so the doorway would be clear for her to make a getaway! She kept edging sideways, keeping her distance between the man and herself.
"Sherry Kincaid. She used to own this place." The old man was casting glances around, but mostly he was staring at the open hole in the roof. "I hope you didn't pay a lot for it. But it's about time someone spent some money on fixing it. What an eye sore it's been, ever since Curtis died."
A shiver ran through Cici. "Madison died here too. And now there's a dead Curtis? What is this place? American Horror Story? Who is Curtis, and why do people keep dying here? Is there something I need to know about Kelleys Island that no one is telling me? Did I just sign up to join a cult or something?" While she talked, the old man circled around the kitchen island, allowing her to edge further towards the front door. It was so close now. Almost there. Keep moving, freaky man.
The stranger's face molded into what Cici guessed was a smile, which seemed difficult for him. "You want to know who I am? I'm your next door neighbor, Tom Bailey." The old man shifted his gun to the crook of his left arm, and extended his other hand in greeting. When Cici didn't respond in kind, he retracted it. "Curtis's grandad built this place. Then Curtis got it when his granddad died. He'd be rolling over in his grave though to know that his grandson married that no-good---" The strange man had started walking backwards and was again blocking the doorway!
"Stop right there! Or else..." Cici cast about her looking for a weapon, and grabbed the cast iron pan on the counter by the stove. She brandished her pan at the old man and he stepped back from the kitchen island. Was she crazy? Did she really think threatening him would make him move? It might make him shoot her instead? Well, she had to take the chance! "I've got excellent aim!" No, she didn't.
Tom just stared at her slack-jawed which Cici interpreted as fear. "Good! Stay where you are, Mr. Bailey, if that's even your real name! Now move away from the door!"
"You want me to stop moving, and now you want me to move. Make up your mind, little Missy."
Cici shook her head. He was right. She'd just told him to do two opposite things! "Nevermind that! And my name's not Missy, it's--" She stopped herself. Why was she giving her name to a psychotic stranger? "Never mind that either! Back away from the door! Now!" Cici jerked her frying pan for emphasis.
The old man broke out in laughter that sounded like plaster breaking apart. "Okay, Missy." And he side stepped into the small kitchen, and stood next to the fallen branch, while Cici dashed outside.
She grabbed her bike from the porch, and heard footsteps following her. In panic, she flung the heavy iron pan into the darkened doorway, where she heard it land HARD, as she jumped onto her bike and pedaled like crazy for town.
She was relieved to hear the old man wasn't following her, but also felt a twinge of guilt. "Did I hit him? What if I killed him?" She debated if there had been anything else she could have done. Her phone had no service at the cabin. She couldn't even call 911, if there'd even been time to do so. No, she did the right thing. And now, she could call the police from town. Call?
Cici realized she had left her phone, her wallet, and all her other belongings there! No matter, she could tell the police in person. Where was the police station on this island anyway? She didn't even have her phone to look up the address! No, it would be okay. She could stop by the Town Pump, and ask for help.
Halfway to the south side of the island, she felt fat raindrops pelting her. Terrific! Why was it raining? Hadn't she just been admiring the clear blue sky through her kitchen ceiling just a few moments before that crazy old man broke into her cabin?
Drenched by the time she reached the Town Pump, she left her bike outside on the sidewalk. Through the windows, she was relieved to see Em was tending the bar already. She ran inside, and almost leaped over the bar counter to hug Dillan's twin sister in her relief to see a friendly helpful face. "Em! There's a man in my cabin! And he's got a gun!"
She heard a gasp from a woman sitting at a table near by. Em also looked shocked. But instead of looking at her face with concern, they were staring and pointing at her backside.
It was at that moment, she realized her underwear was exposed to all of the Town Pump's patrons.
"Who are YOU?" the old man grumbled. "Because unless she's had one hell of an expensive face-lift, you're not Sherry."
"Sherry?" Cici noted with relief that the man was coming further into the house, so the doorway would be clear for her to make a getaway! She kept edging sideways, keeping her distance between the man and herself.
"Sherry Kincaid. She used to own this place." The old man was casting glances around, but mostly he was staring at the open hole in the roof. "I hope you didn't pay a lot for it. But it's about time someone spent some money on fixing it. What an eye sore it's been, ever since Curtis died."
A shiver ran through Cici. "Madison died here too. And now there's a dead Curtis? What is this place? American Horror Story? Who is Curtis, and why do people keep dying here? Is there something I need to know about Kelleys Island that no one is telling me? Did I just sign up to join a cult or something?" While she talked, the old man circled around the kitchen island, allowing her to edge further towards the front door. It was so close now. Almost there. Keep moving, freaky man.
The stranger's face molded into what Cici guessed was a smile, which seemed difficult for him. "You want to know who I am? I'm your next door neighbor, Tom Bailey." The old man shifted his gun to the crook of his left arm, and extended his other hand in greeting. When Cici didn't respond in kind, he retracted it. "Curtis's grandad built this place. Then Curtis got it when his granddad died. He'd be rolling over in his grave though to know that his grandson married that no-good---" The strange man had started walking backwards and was again blocking the doorway!
"Stop right there! Or else..." Cici cast about her looking for a weapon, and grabbed the cast iron pan on the counter by the stove. She brandished her pan at the old man and he stepped back from the kitchen island. Was she crazy? Did she really think threatening him would make him move? It might make him shoot her instead? Well, she had to take the chance! "I've got excellent aim!" No, she didn't.
Tom just stared at her slack-jawed which Cici interpreted as fear. "Good! Stay where you are, Mr. Bailey, if that's even your real name! Now move away from the door!"
"You want me to stop moving, and now you want me to move. Make up your mind, little Missy."
Cici shook her head. He was right. She'd just told him to do two opposite things! "Nevermind that! And my name's not Missy, it's--" She stopped herself. Why was she giving her name to a psychotic stranger? "Never mind that either! Back away from the door! Now!" Cici jerked her frying pan for emphasis.
The old man broke out in laughter that sounded like plaster breaking apart. "Okay, Missy." And he side stepped into the small kitchen, and stood next to the fallen branch, while Cici dashed outside.
She grabbed her bike from the porch, and heard footsteps following her. In panic, she flung the heavy iron pan into the darkened doorway, where she heard it land HARD, as she jumped onto her bike and pedaled like crazy for town.
She was relieved to hear the old man wasn't following her, but also felt a twinge of guilt. "Did I hit him? What if I killed him?" She debated if there had been anything else she could have done. Her phone had no service at the cabin. She couldn't even call 911, if there'd even been time to do so. No, she did the right thing. And now, she could call the police from town. Call?
Cici realized she had left her phone, her wallet, and all her other belongings there! No matter, she could tell the police in person. Where was the police station on this island anyway? She didn't even have her phone to look up the address! No, it would be okay. She could stop by the Town Pump, and ask for help.
Halfway to the south side of the island, she felt fat raindrops pelting her. Terrific! Why was it raining? Hadn't she just been admiring the clear blue sky through her kitchen ceiling just a few moments before that crazy old man broke into her cabin?
Drenched by the time she reached the Town Pump, she left her bike outside on the sidewalk. Through the windows, she was relieved to see Em was tending the bar already. She ran inside, and almost leaped over the bar counter to hug Dillan's twin sister in her relief to see a friendly helpful face. "Em! There's a man in my cabin! And he's got a gun!"
She heard a gasp from a woman sitting at a table near by. Em also looked shocked. But instead of looking at her face with concern, they were staring and pointing at her backside.
It was at that moment, she realized her underwear was exposed to all of the Town Pump's patrons.
This is part of a novel.
Last revised 02/15/2022 11:45 AM based on SWR's 02/12/2022's notes.
Thanks to sgoolsby for letting FanStory authors use this gorgeous painting "Beauty in Abstract" with their writing.
Pays
one point
and 2 member cents. Last revised 02/15/2022 11:45 AM based on SWR's 02/12/2022's notes.
Thanks to sgoolsby for letting FanStory authors use this gorgeous painting "Beauty in Abstract" with their writing.
Artwork by Sgoolsby at FanArtReview.com
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