Here To Stay

by Mark Edwards

This time I heard it more clearly: ‘You don’t think she’ll say anything?’ Jeff replied, ‘No. Don’t be stupid.’

cmon bro ik what they talking abt

Replaying the conversation in my head, I was increasingly sure Jeff had said, ‘I think we’ve got away with it.’ But got away with what?

Apart from trips to the bathroom, she hadn’t emerged once since coming to stay.

bye cause why does this sound like that mr ballen video i wateched the other day

‘I might need to post on there about Charlie,’ I said with a frown. ‘I haven’t seen him since Tuesday.’

he's fucking dead.

I had asked her directly if she wouldn’t mind smoking outside – it was far less embarrassing than asking them to remember to flush the loo – and she had said, ‘Yes, of course.’ But I knew she was smoking out of the window in the bedroom, like a sneaky teenager.

smh

‘What about the sister?’ George asked. ‘Is she feeling better now?’

we need a wellfare check..

That surprised me.

probably cause thats bs

‘Quite anal, eh? Gemma talk you into that, did she?’

fuck shocked, im STUNNED.

‘Careful, Elliot,’ she called. ‘Don’t want to make Gemma a widow, do you? Not this soon.’

?!?!?!

There was no sign of Lizzy or Jeff.

mm

The moment Charlie saw me, he began to wriggle, jumping out of George’s arms and shooting into the belly of the house. He looked fine, maybe a tiny bit thinner but unharmed.

thank god

Sorry, Mrs Smith, but you’re doomed.

‘True. But he swears his shed is in perfect repair.’

yeah im sure abt that

‘The other weird thing is that Mr Singh swears some things in his shed have been “interfered” with.’

Maybe our Charlie here is some sort of – wait for it – cat burglar.’ I groaned, then we both laughed.

before conjuring up a sneeze which sounded fake to me.

I glanced at George and he was giving Lizzy a curious look too, as if he might be thinking the same thing.

‘Why, where’s he going?’ Lizzy replied. Seeing my reaction, she quickly added, ‘Oh, until we move out, you mean. I suppose so. I mean, yes, yes, it’s your cat. This is your home.’

oh hell nah

‘Wait. They’re on their best behaviour?’

thats what im saying

responsibility.

responsible*

She stopped. The woman at the next table was clearly listening in.

‘Shall we get a room?’ I think I was panting slightly. A dog in need of water.

But another part of me wanted the world to notice how much pain I was in.’

so real

But sometimes, when things were particularly bad at home, I’d cut a little deeper. Those are the ones that left scars.’ I didn’t want to point out that there were a lot of scars.

The pianist was playing something I recognised. A Lana Del Rey song.

so goated for that

‘Thank God for that. If you told me I was like my mum I’d have to kill you.’

mm..

‘Are you tired?’ I whispered. ‘Why are you whispering?’ ‘I don’t know. But you are too.’

lol

‘I need you inside me.’

bye im dying inside because a male wrote this

But when I sniffed the air, I couldn’t smell cigarette smoke. Instead, I smelled another familiar scent. Eau Sauvage. My old aftershave, which I had last smelled in the bathroom next to Jeff and Lizzy’s room.

jeff.

So there it was. No great mystery.

elliot cmon now

‘That keen to get rid of us, are you?’

thats an understatement.

A square tape measure. I held it in my hand. So it was a tape measure I’d seen Lizzy holding that night.

On the way, I nipped into the bathroom on the middle floor and grabbed the bottle of Eau Sauvage, taking it upstairs to the en-suite. I hadn’t been bothered before about Jeff borrowing it but now I felt proprietorial. He could buy his own aftershave.

real.

Mr Mensah sees me as a mere servant of the government, while you’re a guru.’

period lmao

I was sure Mr Singh was only a couple of years older than George but didn’t point this out.

She seems like a good ’un to me, even if her parents are a little iffy.’ ‘Don’t worry. I intend to.’

I could see his face reflected in the glass, and was startled by the transformation that took place when he heard me come in. He had been scowling – close to anger, I thought – but by the time he turned he was smiling.

But we had to cancel the appointments.’ I didn’t bother trying to hide my dismay. ‘What? Why?’ ‘Because Lizzy’s not well.’ ‘Not well?’

tuh

You know, achy and weak with a dodgy stomach. She’s got a sore throat and ear too. And a headache.’

wow yo just naming anything

That seemed very convenient.

ya think :)

‘Come to think of it, you look a bit peaky yourself, Elliot. Although I suppose you always look like that so it’s hard to tell.

:o

There’s something highly erotic about screwing a woman when she’s too weak to resist.’

omg. wtf ??

enthusiastically but tunelessly.

The spine was cracked and she’d folded over the corners of some of the pages.

smh

as I reminded myself, this was my house.

Slowly, I dropped to my knees

bye omg dont get me lit rn

Crazy, yes, but I was convinced something was very wrong.

This time, the noise sounded like a sob.

‘Out.’ ‘You want to come out?’ I reached out a hand. ‘Come on, let me help you.’

no she wants YOU out

I pushed myself to my feet and behind me a voice said, ‘What’s going on?’