Mary-go-round (Chapter three)

"Mary-go-round"

By Carla Sierra Arzuffi

Chapter three: "Sweaty baby pig"

Tom had written the book, old Tom, my old Tom, how could I have not noticed this earlier?
It was just there, so obvious to notice. My mind was racing a thousand miles per second trying to recover every bit of information I could remember about this book. I could remember the story almost perfectly, but I wanted to remember what old Tom had said to me about this book. I couldn't remember.

I felt blocked, the silence of house, as dawn was creeping into the windows made me shiver, I didn't feel safe here. I took the book and managed to hide it inside my clothes, placing it close to my stomach. I didn't want anyone to see me getting out of old Tom´s house, so I again used the back door.

I started my way home, hiding in the bushes, if anyone saw me, they would think I was crazy, I looked suspicious, so when I was finally near my block I walked right into the street and tried to look normal (happy).
When I finally stood in front of my house I felt relived, but just a few seconds, because the moment I crossed the front door I started to panic that my family would notice something was "off" with me. And yes, something was definitely off with me.

I tried to creep silently into my room but before I could climb the stairs my mom spoke.
"Mary, is that you?"
Her head popped into the living room, she was wearing her usual "#1 mom and wife" apron, which only meant she was cooking dinner.
"Oh, it is you" she said with a smile "I was beginning to get worried that you wouldn't come for dinner" all I could do was make my biggest effort to force a crooked and false smile.
"Of course not mom" I answered.

"Good, I want you to help me with dinner, Im almost done, Im making homemade vegetables pie, it is going to be delicious. Come come" she said as she disappeared into the living room.

I quickly took out the book from my now-sweaty-from-panic clothes and I stuffed it below the nearest couch.

I helped my mom with dinner, then I had to sit trough the whole event while my dad, mom and sister chitchatted about their day. They where eating slowly, every chew seemed like a thousand years to me. I was lost in thought when my dad spoke to me.

"Honey are you okay?" he asked.
I shifted in my seat, "Yeah dad, sure, why?"
"Well, I was talking to you, did you hear me at all?"
Of course I had not heard him.
"What is wrong with you?" my sister asked "You are sweating like a baby pig"
The words baby pig made me chuckle a little, it was all just so fake and irrational, why couldn't she say: Like a pig. She had to turn everything into a cutsie performance.
They where all staring at me.

"Im sorry" I managed to say "I guess Im not feeling that well, maybe I have the flu or something"
This seem to settle them.
"Oh the flu, my poor baby" my mom said "Im going to make you my homemade flu syrup, and by tomorrow morning you will feel better", everything  my mom did was homemade.

After dinner my mom pampered me, made me take a bath (I guess I really needed one, I was soaked in sweat), she made me drink her magical syrup and I was sent to bed early.

I just sat there, in my room, waiting for everyone to go to bed so I could recover the book. Finally at around 11:00 pm I heard my dad turn off the lights in the hallway.
I waited another twenty minutes or so and then I carefully went downstairs. I was relived to find the book was where I had left it.
I tipped toed back again into my room.
I sat in bed and opened the book.
If I was going to find the answers to this awful, confusing mess I knew I had to read the book all over again.
I made myself comfortable and started reading:

They were all lost souls, they all knew each other, they where all trapped. The fair was always as it was. The games, lights, food and characters where always the same. Although they were all tired and restless they did the same thing, over and over again. Jaime was in charge of the mechanics, Kate was in charge of the food, Nestor was in charge of the tickets, and so on and so on. They couldn't change their routine, because if they did, terrible terrible things could happen.

As I was finishing the first paragraph and recalling the first time I had read it there was a loud "crack" at my window. I jumped. The book fell into the floor.
A few seconds passed as my breathing got higher and higher, and then there was another loud "crack".
I could feel my heart in my ears, methodically racing, boom-boom-boom-boom.
I slowly got out of bed and approached my window,
There, standing in my lawn, was him.
Him.
"Peter" I breathed out.

To be continued. 

If you want should  read the other chapter just scroll down, as easy as that. Badaboom.

C.LS.A