The Misadventures of Daria Pigwidgeon

by Amy Lunderman

  “No. But again, how did you get my number? It’s not exactly listed.”

  Chance sits up behind me and wraps his arms around my waist. I can’t tell where his tension begins and mine ends. He does move closer so that he can hear though.

  “What? Like it’s hard to find out a phone number? Please, baby girl, that’s child’s play. But don’t go worrying you little head about that. I’m just calling to check in. It’s been a while.”

  I snort. “Yeah, that’s kind of the point of ignoring you. Not having to see you.”

  “And why is that? You got what you wanted. We spilled all our dirty laundry for you. Now you repay us by disappearing and avoiding just when it’s out there that you’re in trouble. Did you think the rents were kidding when they said it was important that we left? Our lives are just as easily ended as yours you know.”

  Huh. Is she serious right now?

  “It’s the dirty laundry that I don’t care for Riana! Why would any of you think I’d stand for that? I’ll never be like the rest of you. I’d rather die than feed off of people for the monsters that Hell spawned.”

  Her silence is the only response I get. When Chance squeezes me tight, I realize I’m shaking. I grip the phone tightly and sigh. “Riana, look, I get that you are all invested. But I don’t want you to be. If what you all said is true, then let me deal with it. It’s my problem anyways. You’re off the hook.”

  “Don’t you get it Daria? We’re already invested whether you with or without us. That’s what I’m trying to get across to you. Believe me. I know this freak show is the last thing your perfectness wants to be a part of. But you’re in little sister. If I’m going to get caught in the sidelines for you, I might as well help out.”

  “I’m not going anywhere with any of you. I don’t trust you.”

  “That’s because you’re smart.” She laughs. “Yeah, I know. I can’t believe I said that either. But it’s true. Remember when I said to be careful who you trust? Stick with your guns on that.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean? Are you telling me I should go with you or stay where I am? Because I have to tell you, this conversation is making the kind of sense that’s not.”

  “I said what I said Daria. Be careful who you put your trust in. I can’t tell you what to do, but I can warn you. Nothing is over simply because you want it to be. We’re not going anywhere and neither is whoever is after you. It’s just the beginning and it’s going to get worse. So you had better get ready to face what’s coming.”

  Chills slide down my spine. “And what’s coming?”

  “Hell. Hell will come for you. They won’t be as forthcoming with their intentions as us either. They only take. And they want you like a starving man wants steak. Keep that in mind as you go on avoiding the truth.”

  Sweet. Baby. Jesus.

  “I know this already Riana. Can you tell me something I don’t know? Like who’s the one that is after me perhaps.”

  She laughs again, but this time it’s cold.

  “You’re not listening to me are you? It doesn’t matter who the lap dog is that is following you. They are a means to an end. It’s them that will lead the rest to you. There are hundreds of us scattered around this shithole and any one of them could have scented what you are. It won’t be safe even if your stalker is stopped. There will simply be another to contend with.”

  Oh.

  That’s…great.

  I know what she is saying, that I have to leave to be safe, that the hits will keep coming. But she also just said not to trust anyone. Does that mean her too? If this is only the beginning, then won’t trouble risk Chance and his family too? I’d be making them fodder. I don’t want that. But what if this is another lie and I walk into a trap? Then I’m screwed anyway.

  “I’m not leaving with any of you Riana. I can’t.”

  She sighs. “Yeah, I kind of figured you’d say that. Had to try right? The rents won’t be happy. I think they might try to force the issue. So you should probably make arrangements if you really plan on standing up for yourself. I’ll try to keep the peace.” She laughs again. “A shocker I know. Color me just as surprised. You kind of grow on me you know? I can’t say I like it, but…Be safe baby girl.”

  I’m about to ask about the forcing issue, when the line goes dead. Then there is only silence. She’s gone.

  I turn in Chance’s arms, dropping the phone in my lap. “Did you catch all of that?”

  He nods. Eyes wide and face pale.

  “What do I do?” I whisper, tears pooling in my eyes.

  Chance reaches out and catches my tears as they slide out, then pulls me to him. I sink into his warmth and shudder as sobs rack my entire being. It’s too much. I thought I was dealing. But this is so far from that. I don’t know what the right thing to do is anymore. What seems like a good idea is terrifying, but then the scary stuff just sounds like the end. I don’t want to be over. I’m not ready.

  “Rabbit?” Chance says in a whisper. “You’re not alone. You hear me? We can handle whatever happens with or without your family. And for the record, I don’t trust them, no matter what your sister tries to dance around in half-truths. It’ll be okay.”

  I whimper. “What if it’s not? I don’t want you or anyone else to get hurt because of me.”

  “If it’s not, then it doesn’t really matter. I’m not going anywhere, so don’t even try to convince me otherwise.”

  I want to tell him that he’s an idiot, I really do. But how can I? I need him. If not for protection, then for the balance that only he can give me. Being alone won’t help. Heck, nothing would help at this point I guess. At which case I don’t even know where the freaking point is. It’s all so confusing. Maybe I’m the idiot. The smart thing to do is to run from all of it. Leave behind those I could hurt and those that I don’t trust. Just take the hits on my own and hope for the best.

  Could I really do that though?

  No.

  I’m too weak.

  To prove that, I press myself closer to Chance and let him hold me. “So what do we do now?”

  “Now…I think we should sit back with another movie since tomorrow is Saturday and we have no obligations outside of this room.”

  I smile and nod. I can lie to myself for a little while longer. Why not?

  So that is what we do for the rest of the night and most of the early morning. It’s only a couple hours from dawn when Chance sneaks out to go home. I wish he could have stayed with me. But if he did, we’d have an entirely different problem on our hands. He’d get in trouble with his parents. That’s almost worse than my current problems. I think he wanted to risk it, but I couldn’t let him. Besides, I could use the space to think. Sleep isn’t in my immediate future I’m sure.

  And yet, I’m surprised that I’m instantly out as soon as my head rests on my pillow.

  Chapter Twenty Five

  What pulls me from a dreamless sleep the following morning is my ringing phone. My eyes snap open in alarm. Chance enters my mind first, and before I know it, I’m all but falling out of bed making a mad grab for the thing. Thankfully it’s only on my dresser and not in the other room. I manage to snag it on the final ring.

  “Hello?” I answer out of breath.

  “Um…Daria?”

  Who is this? It’s not Chance, but definitely male. “Yes?”

  “Oh. Good. I thought maybe I had the wrong number or something.” He pauses. “This is Toby in case you’re wondering…”

  I laugh in spite of my racing heart. “Oh! Toby, hi, is everything all right?”

  “Actually, no it’s not. I kind of have a favor to ask you.”

  Suspicion rears its ugly head. “Oh. Well…I don’t know what I can do, but I can help in any way that I can I guess.”

  “Great!” He sounds a little too relieved. Should I be worried here? “The thing is, I’m in a bind this morning and can’t make it to the store to open. I was kind of hoping you could swing by and take care of it for me s
ince you live so close. I know your taking time off, but it would really help me out. You’d only have to stay until I’m able to come in, which would only be an hour or so I swear.”

  Oh. What do I do here? I do need the money, but leaving the garage doesn’t exactly sound like something I should do. Not now anyways. But I can’t exactly turn him away. Can I?

  “Daria?” His voice holds a panic. “If you could help me I’d be eternally grateful, seriously, I’d even pay you for the whole shift after you leave. If I can’t make it in, I think I might be fired.”

  Well, that settles that then, doesn’t it? “Okay, I’ll do it. When do you need me to go in?”

  Clearly emergencies really do happen at the last minute because Toby wants me to go in right away. He’s just lucky it’s Saturday and the store only opens at nine and not seven or I’d be really cranky. After assuring him I could handle opening on my own and dismissing his thanks of doing it, I manage to get off the phone to get ready. That takes no time at all. I don’t plan on being there for very long anyway. Or at least that’s what Toby promised.

  But when I cross the threshold from the garage to the outside, I know I’m in store for more than I can handle today. Apparently, in the wee hours of the little sleep I got, the rest of the world got dumped on by the most massive snow storm Northern New York has ever seen. Or that I’ve ever seen. There are literally snow drifts, huge freaking snow drifts, and they are everywhere. And oddly enough, the sun is shining. The glare is atrocious. Toby didn’t mention that this was his emergency.

  How nice of him.

  Even as I grab something warmer to wrap myself and sink my toes into, I still can’t decide if going is such a good idea. It’s probably not. I should call Toby and tell him that I’ve changed my mind. And yet, I can’t exactly explain how I find myself walking outside. The fact that it’s day and so incredibly shiny out is what keeps me from running back inside. I’ve only ever been attacked at night when shadows are everywhere. So in theory, I should be fine.

  As soon as I step out into the heavy shiny white snow, I find that I’m not the only one toughing it out. Craig and Mellissa are shovel’s deep in the stuff. I smile and wave back when they do. It’s when I’m leaving the driveway that Mellissa catches up to me. Who knew for such a tiny person she could move so fast?

  “Hi hun. Where you off to so early this fine morning?” She asks a little breathlessly.

  I point in the direction of the road. “Work. I told Toby I’d cover for him.”

  “Oh. Are you sure the store should even be opening? A lot of places will be shutting down until the plows can get a run through. I’d hate to see you treck through all this only to have to turn around.”

  I smile. “Toby neglected to mention the snow, but from the way he sounded, I think the store is opening. He’ll probably know more by the time he comes in. Um…does it always snow this much over night?”

  She laughs, causing the blue eyes she and Chance share to sparkle in the sunlight. “Oh sweetie, this isn’t anything. Just you wait until it starts snowing again and it piles up even more.” She flashes her shovel at me. “It’s why Craig and I get an early start - better safe than sorry.”

  Great.

  “Well…I should probably get going. Could you tell Chance I’ll see him later for me?”

  “Oh. Of course. I don’t mean to keep you.” She smiles. “I’ll be sure to inform sleeping beauty of your presence when he finally rises.”

  I laugh. “Thanks.”

  I’m turning away when a hand on my arm stills me. “I should have asked already, but would you like a ride? It’s pretty slippery out there.”

  I shake my head. “No thank you, it’s all right, I don’t mind the walk. It’s actually kind of nice out today, despite the drifts.”

  “If you’re sure then?” I nod. “All right, just be careful. And be sure to call if you change your mind. I’m sure my son will be planning on picking you up regardless.”

  Yeah, I’m sure he will. Right before he kicks my butt for leaving without telling him in the first place.

  As it turns out, the walk wasn’t all that bad. I didn’t even slip once. Of course, that could be because I mostly sank in piles up to my ankles. I did make sure to stick to the sidewalks though, so that could be why too. With the sun shining, the snow is actually pretty beautiful. It made a light feeling stir in my chest. I was even almost able to forget about all the bad things on the hour long walk. My head is feeling pretty relieved at the break and so am I.

  When I reach the store, I see that the snow drifts were able to practically the entire building. Mellissa just might be right about the store staying closed today. There was traffic on the way here, but not busy in any way. Plow trucks will sure have their hands full today. As for me, I have my hands full by trying to locate the freaking hide-a-key that Toby relinquished its super-secret spot. It seriously takes me longer to find the key than it did to walk here. I mean really, who hides a key out back near the trash, under the bins?

  Needless to say, my fingers are a little worse for wear by the time I shuffle inside. The place reeks of stale bread and vinegar, it makes my stomach roll. I still make my way to the back to flip the lights and get started though. Only I don’t get very far. The lights in the front don’t turn on. Well, that definitely puts a damper on opening. Can’t bake bread with no power, also sucks a big one as far as the coolers go. I start for the back again to assess the damage when my cellphone rings in my pocket.

  I stop in the middle of the dining room and dig it out. Chance’s number flashes across the screen. It makes me smile. It’s when I press the button to answer that I feel it. The suffocating fear that I can’t seem to avoid lately. Its weight knocks the breath out of my lungs. I can hear Chance calling out to me from the phone, but I can’t get my hands to move to bring it closer. I can’t even form the words to even try to answer. This fear is stronger than last time. It’s taken over everything that I am.

  Only numbness remains.

  The dimly lit dining room is suddenly surrounded in moving shadows. They make my eyes water and my throat burn. My body goes hot and cold in indecision, only a quiver of movement lets me know I’m even still alive. But then something changes. The numbness shifts and churns in my stomach. A blinding pain causes me to jerk in place. It only last for a second, but it’s long enough that I grasp something is terribly wrong.

  The paralysis that had taken over fades the slightest bit then, and I’m able to move.

  I wish I wasn’t.

  Standing stock still, I bring my gaze down to my stomach. What I see enlists a gasp from my lips. It’s so strange and compelling what I see. My mind refuses to let me process what it is exactly. All I see is something sticking out of me that hadn’t been there earlier. It’s long and oddly sharp looking. What’s so compelling and urges me to touch it, is the red liquid that coats it. It’s heavy in texture and yet it has no problem sliding off the object in steady waves.

  The hand holding the phone drops it to reach for the pretty object before me. My fingers just graze the red liquid when the phone crashing to the floor snaps me out of my revere. That’s when I know what I see. The object is a knife and it’s my blood that coats it. A scream builds, but is cut off as the paralysis suffocates me again. The fear rushes through me in endless cycles. It churns a pain so strong that I’d buckle to the floor if not for being frozen in place.

  I’m completely taken over. There is no ozone scented Taser or memory block in sight.

  I’m alone.

  With a knife sticking out of me and blood oozing out too fast to be anything other than bad. I try to force my hands to move and reach for the knife. It has to be taken out. Now. I know this. A panic overrides the fear pressing on me. Whoever stabbed me is here and I can’t stop them for doing more. But all I can think of is the knife. I have to get it out. I have to. My hands inch upward. A whimpering cry escapes me as I close another inch to it. My arms shake the closer I get. I’m merely a breat
h away from grasping the blade when it’s suddenly gone.

  My mind blanks as pain consumes me.

  In a delayed reaction my body jerks back and I quiver from side to side. Something wet fills my mouth and slides past my parted lips. I feel myself falling. In seconds I crash to my knees and I think I hear a cracking sound. But it’s drowned out by someone laughing. For a moment it sounds familiar, but I can’t quite place it. My vision swims in and out on flickers as my mind goes numb. I continue the downward motion to the floor when I hear footsteps approaching me.

  When I land, there is only a second in which I turn my face away. Surprisingly all the pain evaporates for an instant as I lay still. Wetness pools outward from me though. It practically seeps. If I concentrate enough I can almost feel it pouring out of me. There is a vibration to it – magical and tiring – as it leaves me. A fog takes hold of my mind then, and any poetic thoughts I might be dreaming of disappear. I wait for the weight I know is about to press into me, but it doesn’t come. Instead, the footsteps finally reach me and come into view.

  They are attached to two very tall legs. Those lead up to a boy that I know. A boy that holds a knife that is covered in my blood. I’m finally faced with my shadow stalker and he’s no longer hiding in the shadows. His imposing height is more threating now. His once pleasing dark hair and innocent like glasses spike a fresh bout of fear that’s not coming from him.

  It’s Toby.

  When he smiles, I muster enough breath to scream.

  ***

  I can’t stop screaming. It pours out of me faster than the blood beneath me. My throat burns, my eyes blur, pain racks my entire body, and yet I can’t stop. This makes him laugh. I want to get away from him, my body quivers with the need, but I’m frozen to the screams that won’t stop. Finally he stops laughing and shakes his head at me. He kneels before then. He brings his face inches from mine so that I can taste the bitter fear that rolls off of him. It crashes into me in relentless waves. It steals my breath and stops the screams.