Jimmy and I were the only ones in the house today. Bianca and JPJ were out at a mechanic's because John Paul's car was acting up after Bianca had taken it for a spin, and Robert and Bonzo were on an unnecessary road trip to a visit Robert's mother up north in West Bromwich, Straffordshire.
Something loud from upstairs-- a bang, I believe-- woke me from my nap on the couch in the living room. After a silent minute or so, I brushed it off as a bird hitting the window and stretched. The living room was a beautiful and elegant room. The walls were a tan color with white molding and there weren't any curtains on the floor-to-ceiling lattice windows. The whole room was a dull blue haze not unlike the one in my apartment the morning of the dinner. Storm clouds outside were forming and the clock on the wall said that is was only 4 in the evening.
There came a great clanking of pots in the kitchen and I jumped, holding my heart. I knew it was only Leenin beginning tonight's meal, but after the bang from upstairs, I wasn't sure whether I had imagined it or not. Leenin entered the living room through the door separating this room and the kitchen.
Leenin was a young man with brown hair who was famous in the house for being gangly slender, and polite. He looked appalled at the moment and let out a hefty breath, audible even from where I lay in the flowery couch near the fireplace.
"You heard that bang from the second level, aw well, correct?" he asked timidly. I stared at him, my eyes wide and my heart racing a bit. I nodded. "Who is up there?"
"I believe Jimmy is," I replied. "In his room. Do you want me to check if he's alright?"
"Would you?" Leenin began kneading his hands together and I felt sorry for him. "Mister Cheever is out getting groceries, otherwise I'd have him see to it."
I put out a hand in a call for silence. "I can check. What's for supper?"
"A roast." Leenin sighed and left for the kitchen once again. As soon as he was back in the kitchen, another bang erupted from upstairs and I jumped again. I wanted to cower in the corner of the couch; these bangs were the type of bangs that a person falling would make. They sounded like an engine backfiring-- a more of a pop!-- more than anything else.
Summoning up all the courage I had, I exited the living room into the foyer and began climbing the marble staircase. As I reached the second floor, I could hear talking from Jimmy's room and I automatically felt relieved. I was grateful it wasn't something paranormal or demonic living in our house, that it was just Jimmy possibly throwing things in his room.
Cheerfully, I walked down the left wing of the passage and knocked on Jimmy's door at the same time another bang shuddered through the door. I recoiled, then knocked again, to no reply. I knocked a third time. Still no reply. "Jimmy?"
There was a chanting from within and I began to worry again. I cracked one of the two white doors open slowly to see what Jimmy was up to. Jimmy was kneeling on the floor with his back to the door, a giant shape made of flour laying before him on the carpet. Candles lined the shape and the room seemed darker than normal. A shutter ran through me and Jimmy chanted something in Latin.
"Jimmy, what are you doing?" I called in a slight whisper, pushing my head through the door crack. He ignored me, so I walked in and shut the door behind me. "Jim-Jam?"
Jimmy chanted something again and I walked up to him hesitantly. I touched his shoulder and whatever trance he was in was broken, scaring me even more. Jimmy stood and turned to me; as soon as he recognized who it was, he became angry. He grabbed my four arms and pushed me against the door, his eyes smoldering behind his wispy curly black hair. The smell of sweat on him was overwhelming and beads of liquid sweat dotted his forehead.
"What are you doing in here!" he growled. Tears welled in my eyes because of the discomfort and fear. He shook me for a second. "Answer me!"
"I- I- I... There was... What's going on?" I managed to whisper. Jimmy's eyes flickered. "Jimmy?"
"Leave," he ordered, pressing me against the door harder. I gasped. He dropped my arms and backed up.
Terrified, I opened the door, my eyes never leaving his brown ones. Something came over me as I saw the shape in my peripheral view. It resembled an anchor somewhat and I automatically knew it was something that tied in with witchcraft.
"No!" I shouted.
"Hey!" I sprinted past Jimmy and dragged my foot across the shape, flour flying up in a billow of smoke. Lighting struck outside and a body rammed into me, holding me as we rolled into the wood frame of the bed. I flipped to see Jimmy sitting on top of me, pinning my arms down again. His eyes were burning with hatred and I screamed.
"What did you see?" Jimmy asked. He was much stronger than I had ever given him credit for and he weighed enough to make my breathing difficult.
"What has gotten into you?" I spat back, my breathing becoming labored. Suddenly he became himself again, shaking his head and lightening up on my arms. "Jimmy, what in the Hell?"
Another lighting strike. Jimmy crawled off of me and sat, Indian-style, beside me. I got up quickly and made a wide circle around him, trying to get to the door slowly. "Wait," Jimmy stopped me, his body looking weak. "I- I apologize for all of that--"
Jimmy's door opened and Bianca stood there with keys in her hand, horrified and out of breath. "What was all the banging? Jenni? Are you okay? You look pale. What in God's name happened in here?"
I looked at Jimmy and he stood. "It's fine, Bianca. I'll meet you downstairs."
"But Jim--"
"Downstairs," he repeated. Bianca nodded and closed the door. I turned to leave. "Stop." I faced Jimmy worriedly. "You saw none of that."
"What is 'that', exactly?" I asked, pointing to the demolished anchor.
Jimmy sighed. "Black Magic. Occult. That sign means Good, if it's made correctly. I didn't make it correctly."
I nodded and glanced down at it, my heart still racing. "What happens if it's not made correctly?"
"The maker or the house could become possessed."
I was furious. "You risked the sanctity of yourself and our home!?" I shouted and scoffed. "You're ridiculous! And by the way, Ow!" I rubbed my forearms. "You're strong."
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