The road was full of blemishes from the rough winter we had. The melting ice, water and salt treatment ate through the concrete causing it to erode. We kicked small pieces of cement all the way to school. We lived to close to qualify for the bus ride but appreciated the walk; it was never dull and kept our imaginations running wild.
Apartment five was neatly kept and cleaner than all the others but something about it, gave us the creeps. The shutters were always closed except for the last room on the left. Metal bars covered the front glass. A sheer white curtain draped across the inside occasionally blowing open, though the window appeared sealed tight.
We skipped along, laughing, trying to see who could keep the most rocks tamed until we reached our destination. I didn’t realize my shoestring was untied until it hooked onto a stick, tripping me up, causing me to fall and out of all places, right in front of number five. I pushed myself up onto my elbows and stopped. I couldn’t help but to stare at the window. Victor reached down to help me, but he too was mesmerized.
A small boy peered out, I could see his freckles and fire red hair from the street. He was instantaneously snatched away from our view by a long skinny arm, veins bulging as they distorted a skeleton key tattoo neatly centered on the forearm. I jumped up and ran as fast as I could to school. Out of breath, I put my hands on my knees and panted. I turned to speak to Victor, but he was gone. He didn’t show up for school at all that day and when the dismissal bell rang, he was nowhere to be found.
“Honey, I want you to meet Stony.” After school I ran back home and through the front door to tell my mother what happened. The strange man on my sofa put a stop to that. He stood up to greet me. She hugged him around the neck and planted a kiss on his jaw. He awkwardly smiled at me. “He’s going to be staying with us awhile. He’s having some renovations done to the inside of his townhome. It’s the pretty one, over on Gateway. You pass it every morning, number five.” My stomach turned a flip inside of me.
“So, do you like my tattoo boy?” He held his arm out, hushing me for eternity.
Leesa Writes 