Page 63 of Straight to Me

“And what on earth would happen in a loft?”

Not sure whether I should share my irrational fear, he looks at me waiting for me to go on. “Ghosts,” I finally say, sounding every bit like a child.

“Ghosts?”

“A ghost might get me.”

He looks at me like I’m a headcase. “O-kay.” He smiles walking back through the kitchen. “I won’t make you go up there, don’t worry.”

Inside, I follow him up the stairs to where he places the ladder at a small loft hatch. VP climbs up to open it and pulls himself up with his strong arms. “You sure you don’t want to come up?” He grins, looking down at me.

“Absolutely not. Just be careful. And if you see a ghost, just come back down. Forget the camping stuff, just get yourself out,” I say on a serious laugh.

I can hear him chuckling as his feet clatter above where he moves across the beams. “Ready to grab this as I pass it down?” he calls.

“Yep,” I shout back up from the bottom of the ladder.

He lowers down a tent, perhaps a little too big for me to carry. I shuffle back awkwardly and manage to place it down to one side. “You alright?” He looks down to me as I nod back. “Got another box, you ready?”

I hold my hands up, ready and waiting.

As he lowers it, again I take it and put it down next to the tent. A thunderous bang sounds all of a sudden, making me duck. The ceiling shakes as if the whole thing will come down. Perhaps crashing boxes, or a large object fell and hit the floor. VP must have fallen or knocked something over. My blood turns icy, knowing I’ll have to go check if I don’t hear him move.

“VP?” There’s an eerie silence. “VP?!” Taking one step closer to the ladder, I can’t hear anything. Assuming he’s been knocked out, my hands and feet hesitatingly grip the ladder before they start slowly ascending. “If you’re messing with me, I’ll kill you.”

As my head rises above the entrance, I have to squint in the dark, but I can’t see anything untoward. A small glow of light illuminates a pile of boxes. Scanning round, I pull myself up looking for him.

He’s nowhere to be seen.

Hating every second, my heart rate increases tenfold. I sit on the edge of the opening as one of the floorboards creaks. “If you jump out, don’t hurt me after I punch you.”

The floorboard creaks again and I smell him before I see him move from the corner of my eye.

He shouts out, grabbing me from behind, pulling me back on top of him. “Bastard!” I scream. He’s laughing at my expense, but he can’t see the real tears that have filled my eyes in sheer fright. “Why would you do that?!”

“Couldn’t resist,” he says catching his breath. He tries to console me by taking my hand.

“Oh no, you can piss right off.” I jump up and yank my hand from his, heading to the hatch. “Watch yourself, VP. I’ll get you back.”

I climb down the ladder, stomping to the kitchen. If only he had wine here, I’d down a whole glass. Instead, I fill the kettle and look for the mugs.

When he comes down, he doesn’t look at me. Not because he feels bad that he upset me, rather, he can’t stop laughing at how I reacted.

He walks past, taking the ladder to the shed with his lips pursed together, desperate to not let a sound out. “I’m glad you found it funny. I mean it, one day when you least expect it, I’ll get you,” I snap.

“Unfortunately for you, I don’t scare that easy,” he half laughs back.

“Well, I’ll get you another way.”

I turn my back to him as the kettle boils. He’ll see. “Sounds like you need to relieve some tension,” he assesses.

Scowling, I fill the mugs up. “Perhaps, but I need you for that and right now, I’m ignoring you.”

“Oh no babe, I told you, the next time you come, it won’t be because I’m touching you. It will be because you’re fucking your tight, wet pussy with your own hands.” I cough at his forthrightness. “You know what to do Mads… if you need some relief.”

Banging the teaspoon down, I make my way to my bag to grab my phone. As I do, I notice my jacket’s been hung up and my shoes moved neatly to one side. He’s very clean and tidy for an outlaw.

I slump on the sofa and see I have an email from Vivian.

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