fewer dice #2

eyeball/fuzzy monster/angular house/spider

So I went home at a brisk walk, surprised that Janelle wasn't waiting in the front yard to yell at me for running off.  She was in the kitchen with a big glass of water and a pack of ibuprofen, grumbling to herself.

"Hey."

She looked up but didn't answer.  Her eyes were red and watery.

"Headache?"

She nodded, still not speaking.  I went to her room and got her little wild thing.  That's what she called him anyway, it was a monster doll from I don't know where.  I put him on the table next to the tablets and said, "I had the weirdest experience with a Young Republican a little while ago."

Janelle sat back, rolled her bloodshot eyes, picked up the monster, and went to the living room.  "So what, is he going to be the sacrifice for weirding you out?"

"It was a she, actually..."

"Well then she deserves it, doesn't she, self-hating woman for sure."

"I also ran into Gertie-"

"Aw Christshit!"

"No, I got rid of her pretty fast.  Turns out she's afraid of spiders.  There's a fuck ton of 'em out there today."

"Maybe all the ones from the basement, posted all over town to watch us," shuddered Janelle.  Could be, I thought to myself.  That might explain it.  "Did you lock the garage when you put your bike back?"

"Um..."

"Oh fucknuts, you want us to get robbed?  They've been breaking into garages all over the place for weeks!"

"Maybe we should stake it out and sacrifice them," I offered lamely.  Janelle huffed and squeezed the monster in her arms.  We stayed where we were in the living room for several minutes, trying to think of something to say.  At least there weren't any whispery voices right now.  No visions from the corner of my eye either.

Then I had a thought.  It was almost like a vision, the memory was so clear, I saw Gertie and her witch's boots hippety hopping beside me down the street.  Witch's boots.  Spells and incantations.  Power.

"I have an idea," I called as I sprinted out the door.

"Well don't tell me anything right away, jerkass!" Janelle shouted after me.  She'd get over it.  She had those ibuprofens.

I ran to the spot where I rammed the tree and collected my bike.  I wasn't really surprised that it was still there, but I expected to see a nasty note or two taped to it.  People don't like to see anything left on the street in this town, not at all.  I dragged the bike with me, holding the front part up and letting the back wheel along, looking for the way to Gertie's house.  I hadn't been for a long time, but I thought I could probably find it.  Turns out I couldn't.  A couple of frustrating hours later I was back home, sweaty hands and messy hair.

"Did you lock the garage this time?" asked Janelle from the computer.

"Yeah," not at all sure that I did, "Listen, look for new age or neopagan groups in town."

Janelle turned and gave me a look that said, "Use your own laptop for that shit," but then she shrugged and typed in the search anyway.  Most of the results were connected only the most distant way to magic or community, but towards the end of the page one looked promising.  I reached over Janelle's shoulder to another smoldering glance and clicked.  I couldn't tell if it was the same group that Gertie was involved in, I rather hoped it wasn't, but it looked like it might be what we needed.  And there was a meeting scheduled for tonight!

"You're not serious," groaned Janelle, "These idiots are just playing around, they don't know anything about supernatural shit.  I mean, look at the house in the picture they have."

It was the most Scooby Doo/Addams Family house I had ever seen in a photograph, that was true.  But it probably wasn't their actual house or meeting place, it was just to give some of the right feel to their page.  I was already looking forward to going.