Torma...
It had been a while since I got a good look at the calendar.
Shit! Danielle's birthday. My birthday!
The year was coming to an end and our birthday was in a few days. Four days.
Dad's was almost at the beginning of the year. He bragged about it all the time. I wanted to hear those brags.
'Hey Mom?' I yelled from upstairs. I didn't hear an answer so I made my way downstairs.
'Mom?' I called walking into the kitchen. The house was oddly quiet and I could hear the whistling wind coming in through the back door.
I walked to it silently hoping mom was at the back.
I stood at the door relishing the wind but still had no sign of mom. Something caught my attention though. Something moving through the grass. I watched silently waiting for the rodent to come out. Or maybe a little bird..
The grass kept moving until...
I saw vines!
I screamed quickly shutting the door. I ran to the other side of the window closely watching the tree. I still stood there. I ran back to see the vines when I saw them all over the window.
I screamed and Danielle eventually showed up. She pulled me to her side.
I pointed at the window eyes closed but she creased her brows. She asked me to look at her.
I did at the same time catching the window. Nothing!
I ran to it and checked. Nothing!
'Where did they go?' I searched every corner.
'Who? Hunny?' Danielle asked. I gulped before replying.
'The vines!' I ran my hand through my hair knowing I didn't hallucinate that. 'I saw them!'
She rushed to the window and looked at the vicinity carefully before opening the door. I watched silently before something moved under her leg.
She lifted it and screamed closing the door immediately. We watched the vine retract to the bushes. She moved to the other side window and glares at the tree.
'I am calling Levi!' She left the sitting room for her bedroom. I groaned we did need help but not the guy who seemed interested in my mother.
How I wished she was calling my dad instead. I fell into the couch waiting for her to return so that I can bring up our birthdays.
'Mom!' I called when I heard her come down the last step.
'Hmm!' She hummed in response as she moved to the window.
'Our birthday is in_' She interrupted me.
'You must be crazy thinking about that when..that.. that creep_' she pointed at the tree through the window. '_is watching us and waiting to get you for its next meal!' She sat down next to me.
I shrugged. 'Life is short!'
She rolled her eyes and moved to the kitchen.
'Where were you by the way?' I stood up and followed her. She paused at the sink, she rubbed the back of her neck.
'The bathroom!'
I looked at her carefully. She laughed mussing my hair. 'Can't I take a little potty break?' She laughed.
Danielle never mussed my hair. Neither did she make a toilet joke.
I took a step from her and she seemed to have noticed. I looked at the side of her face and saw some movements inside her skin. Something like worms..no vines!
I tried to ran but she tripped and pinned me to the floor. Her hands turned to vines and quickly penetrated my skin. The front door opened immediately I screamed and mom dashed to me pushing herself off me.
She screamed when she hissed at her. Her mouth spat a dark liquid at her and mom fell flat onto the ground.
I rushed to mom and when I turned the back door was opened and the imposter was gone. The moment I touched mom I felt a sting on my arm as the dark liquid slithered up my arm and disappeared under my sleeve.
The pain stopped and mom shot up gasping.
'Call_'
'Levi?' I finished and she looked at me suspiciously. I snickered and walked to my bedroom.
***
'You said the vines came here.. and replicated themselves to look like you?' Levi asked again carefully looking at Danielle.
'How many times does she have to tell you?' I groaned falling back onto the couch.
They both glared at me. That was my cue.
I got off the couch with a huff. They both watched as I got my coat and moved to the door.
'Where are you going?' Levi asked making obvious that my mum was thinking the same.
'If you two want to talk about the tree..then I might as well prepare for our birthday!' I grabbed the car keys and run out the door before they'd grab me.
'Come home early!' Danielle yelled through the window. I nodded in the car before backing up and off the compound.
I had to be anywhere far from that tree. I looked at it and shuddered. 'What do you want?'
The drive was silent and surprisingly calm. I hummed to songs on the radio. They were old but I had to admit most were catchy.
I stopped the car just in time to see the old lady from the day I almost crashed. She stood on the road looking right at the car.
I got out and made my way to her. 'Hello? Are you okay?'
She didn't say anything. I got closer and touched her shoulder. She looked me dead in the eye.
'Œtre œ Œtre!' She mumbled over and over again. Her hands painfully grabbed my arms and I noticed they weren't hands but vines.
I screamed looking back at her. She didn't barge, she was too old to have such strength. The vines stabbed my arms.
Her eyes turned black and dark fumes oozed from them.
She opened her mouth and black moths flew out rushing for my face. They collided with my face just when she released me.
I fell backwards to the ground slapping the air. My eyes opened and she was gone.
Gone like she never existed.
I yelled to the sky. 'What do you want from me?'
'Œtre œ Œtre' The wind whistled through my hair like someone ran their fingers through it.