Finders Keepers: Chapter 2

Kate woke to the sound of a door opening and then slamming shut. Her best friend and roommate Erin leaned against the door. Her turquoise and pink curls were splayed around her and she giggled. Still groggy Kate sat up, "what has you so joyous?' she questioned.

Erin giggled again "oh no particular reason, Mr. Richards is out yelling at pedestrians again."

Kate let out a slight laugh "What time is it?"

"About five”

She then noticed the bag Erin had in her right hand. “What's in the bag?"

"My brains…"

Kate just stared at Erin. Her best friend walked toward the kitchen, "Just kidding, it's Chinese. And if you don't hurry you're not getting any"

It took Kate a minute to realize she was still on the couch and that she had come home and fell asleep in the middle of the day. Thinking about her mother had left her emotionally exhausted, and she had needed the sleep after passing out in Lyra's shop. She walked into the tiny kitchen. Erin was seated on the counter, already eating her chow mein. As Kate dug through the bag looking for orange chicken she noticed a clay turtle sitting on the counter grinning at her.

She sighed, "Why do we have a turtle sitting on our counter?"

Erin usually kept the little guy in their room, but apparently she moved him out here. The tiny grinning tortoise crept Kate out and Erin knew it. She probably moved him out here to see Kate freak out about him.

"He isn't just a clay turtle. He's Walnuts and he keeps me from losing my mind."

Now that Kate had her food in order she sat down next to Erin. "Well then, why is Walnuts sitting on the counter?"

"He seemed bored, and he wanted to get out of our room"

 Kate gave Erin a look, "turtles don't get bored”

“Yes, they do!” Erin exclaimed, “Turtles have feelings too!"

"Only if they are alive,"

 “Who said Walnuts isn't alive?"

 "I did. This conversation is becoming too weird to have while eating, or at any other point."

 "I don't find it weird at all."

Kate let out a laugh "That's because you're crazy."

 "Only on weekdays" Erin replied.

They both started laughing. They were both wacky in their own individual way, and it explained why the two girls got along well.

"So," Erin started "How did your trip to Lyra's emporium go?"

Kate nodded "It was weird."

"Weird? Like she turned into an elephant weird, or a guy wearing socks and sandals wacky?"

"No, like I passed out"

Erin looked incredulous, "you passed out? You haven't done that since we were what? Nine?"

 "I know, but that wasn't the weird part."

"Well, then what was? Give me details!"

"I had a dream-"

"You dream when you pass out?" Erin questioned

 "Not usually, but never mind. I had a dream-"

Her friend giggled "you sound like Dr. Martin Luther-"

Kate placed a hand over Erin's mouth, "can I talk?"

 "mph-mmm" Erin tried to say nodding and she removed her hand

"There was this room full of armor. And then there was a sword, its beauty was… I can't even describe it. When I picked it up I got all these flashes. I flew and then I saw a box-"

"It sounds like you hit your head pretty hard"

 "Yeah, it's just weird you know?"

"Definitely, I have had dreams that there were singing toothbrushes that have taken over the world."

Kate found that information both odd, and not useful "okay, but what do you think it means?"

"Well…Interpreting a dream is tricky. Flying tends to mean achievement or happiness. Like no force in the world can hold you down. Swords signify bravery, power and a desire for battle. Have you felt the need to beat the shit out of anyone lately?"

 Kate took a moment to think "does Walnuts the turtle count?"

"ENOUGH about Walnuts,” Erin said making a face “He’s a pacifist anyway, this has no connection to my delightful clay friend. It has to do with you subconsciously wanting to beat the shit out of somebody."  Erin’s face turned serious. "Do you think this could be a vision?"

 Kate looked her straight in the eye, "a vision?"

"Are you repeating every word that comes out of my mouth today?”  Erin nodded slowly, “Yes, a vision."

 Kate burst out laughing. All the horoscope and fortune telling articles Erin read online had to be getting to her head. "I’m not having visions"

 "People don't dream when they pass out, or at least, I don't think they do."

Okay, Erin was getting way too into this. "Vision or not I’m not going to make a big deal out of it. It's just weird"

 "Yeah," Erin responded hollowly, "weird"

 They spent a while just talking about everything and anything, but Erin seemed out of it. When Kate looked up at the time she saw that it was seven.

"Well, I'm going to head to the studio. Our homework was to finish a piece before next class, and I haven't even started"

Erin was staring off into space but still murmured, "Have fun, and stay safe"

As Kate walked out of the apartment she called over her shoulder "Bye"

The art studio was just a few blocks away and Kate could walk there within ten minutes. She strode inside, shrugged off her coat and turned on the lights. Speaking to herself, she whispered into the empty space "shall we begin?" Kate got out her paints and brushes and sat down in front of the blank canvas. She cleared her mind and just painted. She didn't think or worry, she just felt. Maybe that’s why she liked painting as much as she did. She could just let go of the day's worries and lose herself in colors, and brush strokes. She could just have a moment of clarity and concentration where she could let her mind wander. It made her feel… alive. Kate looked at what she had on the canvas. She didn't know the exact moment she decided to paint an angel, but that was what it had become. White feather wings spread out behind the brown haired beauty. Her long white dress blended into shades of turquoise, yellow and red that made up the background. The piece had turned out the best. She didn't know what drove her to make it, she hadn’t thought of angels in years.

She finished the girl’s face and hands, and then set her painting out to dry. All shades of colors stained her hands. She walked over to the sink still puzzling over her painting. Kate wasn't religious, but she used to be. She and her mother used to go to church every Sunday, pray at every meal and before they went to sleep. After her mother died praying and going to church reminded her too much of what she lost. So she stopped going. She stopped praying. She stopped believing. Apparently all of Erin's talk of visions and dream interpretation got to her head as well. Something probably subconsciously bothered her and she wanted protection. So she painted an angel. It made sense.

 Kate put away her painting supplies and turned off the lights. She locked the door and started off down the street. She reached a DO NOT WALK sign and stopped. She pulled out her phone to check the time it was eleven thirty. Kate usually wasn't out this late and the street looked eerie with the shadows cast by the streetlights. She got an uncomfortable feeling in her gut. It screamed danger, not safe. Kate walked faster; she knew she was acting irrationally. She was almost running, even though she doesn't see anyone on the street with her. Kate felt like the shadows were watching her, waiting to strike.

She stopped to catch her breath In front of the door to her apartment. Kate's heart thundered. Not safe, danger, not safe, danger. Kate had just unlocked the door when someone grabbed her from behind.