Chapter Text
Ainslie didn’t look at the sun as it stained the sky, the sound of the car only becoming apparent once it was gone. A jingle of Aunt Stenpanie’s keys and a seatbelt rushing back to it’s home. The girl squinted and flicked her head downward, grimacing, and raising her arm to block the glint of the fading light.
She grabbed the strap of her backpack and opened the door. After getting out of the car she adjusted her sleeves and silently took a breath.
She took her suitcase from the back of the car, setting it on the pathway and looking up to see her aunt climbing from the driver’s seat. Ainslie glanced down and closed the boot.
“Come on inside, it’s freezing.” Her aunt beckoned and gestured to the entrance of a large building.
Up concrete stairs, winter cold seeping through her soles, and through the glass door. Once they got to another set of stairs leading up to the second floor her caregiver offered to help with the suitcase. Ainslie just dragged it behind her, letting it lightly bump each of the steps. It really just had clothing and stuff in it. Her aunt walked directly to one of the doors lining the hall and flicked through her keys. It swung open.
“Wipe your shoes on the mat there, thank you.” Aunt Stephanie took Ainslie’s bag and suitcase and immediately rushed off into a room. The girl followed after wiping her feet, hesitating and peeking around the doorframe to make sure she wouldn’t walk into her aunt.
“This is your room, sorry about the state of it. I forgot to clean it.”
Ainslie laughed affectionately, shoulders relaxing, “You’re just like I remember you.”
Aunt Stephanie paused mid-shoving things into a closet and looked her niece in the eyes. She smiled, just like she used to.
Ainslie entered the room and absent-mindedly nudged her suitcase with the side of her heel. Her aunt returned to ‘cleaning’ and asked Ainslie to make herself at home.
The girl found her bag and pulled her laptop out, putting it on the bed. Honestly, those guys were all she needed to feel comfortable. Call it sappy, she didn’t mind.
The light turned off without any warning, causing Aunt Stephanie to let out a mouse-like noise.
Ainslie stumbled to the wall, eyes quickly adjusting, and located the light switch. She flicked it a few times before reaching into her pocket and pulling out her phone.
“Is the power out?” The girl asked and turned on the flashlight.
Aunt Steph shut the closet door and cautiously picked her way back into the entryway, flicking the lightswitch there, “I guess we’ll find out when it comes back on. Unpack for now, I’ll see if I can make dinner without electricity.”
Aunt Stephanie’s voice had risen a few octaves.
Ainslie played subconsciously with the hem of her coat, examining the surroundings.
There was a small square window above the bed which led onto a roof, and a bigger one that had a wonderful view of the building on the other side of the street, the sun had finished setting, so a couple of stars were visible if she stared long enough. She shut the curtains.
A distant scream rang out, and a second one. Sounded like a party. She didn’t bother unpacking, it would happen eventually anyway. She was already tempted to just lie on her bed and watch an old vod or something, maybe the one where they first started using the autotune. She probably should talk to her aunt though...
Ainslie reluctantly walked back into the main room of the apartment, it was the entryway, lounge, kitchen and dining all in one room.
There was a window the same size as the bigger one in Ainslie’s room.
Aunt was looking at cans, frowning and tilting her head like a seeing it from slightly lower would bring the power back on. Her keys and wallet lay abandoned on the counter next to a mug.
“There should be some candles on the coffee table, I don’t think I have anything to light them with, though.” Aunt Steph glanced over at Ainslie and winced at the torch.
“I don’t have anything either…” The girl bit the inside of her cheek. The only reason she’d have matches is arson, and as fun as that sounded, it was illegal.
“At the end of the street there’s a convenience store,” Aunt Stephanie reached for her wallet and pulled out some money, “They should have lighters. Sorry to send you on errands so soon.”
Ainslie thanked her by habit and took the money, adjusting her sleeves. She asked if her aunt wanted the torch, after all, the girl’s eyes would get adjusted.
Aunt Stephanie kept glancing around, like she was trying to remember things that were just out of reach. Her aunt opened her mouth to protest but kept silent.
After passing her aunt the phone she stepped out into the communal hallway and excitedly rushed down the steps. Her first night in America.
She stepped near blindly outside the front of the building and sat to the side of the door, staring at the sky. The sunset colours had almost completely faded, only showing on the group of clouds on the horizon. This left the sky a dark indigo and contrasting lights appeared more vividly the longer she looked, sending her messages in morse code. Although, she was in the city, and the stars that could be seen despite the light pollution were faint. It was still nice. A smile forced its way onto her face.
After a while she looked back at the street and she could see perfectly fine. She stood and walked in the direction her aunt had pointed in while talking about the store. She remembered the money in her hand and shoved it into her warm coat pocket.
Screams rang out not so far away, sending a shiver down Ainslie’s spine. It was night, maybe being cautious was a good idea. She couldn’t fight a smile as adrenaline filled her veins. The cold in the air only made her more aware of her senses.
Once she was almost there she heard a groan and her head whipped in the direction of the sound, a silhouette in a blue-tinted alleyway. Ainsley walked a bit faster, mind whirring with potential situations and how she would deal with them.
She approached the store. It was glowing brightly, to draw the moths in for their cigarette fix. The teen unwittingly squinted and opened the door. She would likely need to adjust to the dark again before going back when she left. A buzz sounded, making Ainsley jump. The person at the counter looked up and scowled quietly, sitting up and putting what Ainslie could only assume was a phone into their pocket.
The girl walked cautiously to them, holding up the money. “Do you have lighters?”
“‘Course we do.” They glared and grabbed one, slamming it in front of her and stating the price. Ainslie hesitated.
“What, you don’t like blue?” The employee sneered.
“No, blue’s fine, here,” Ainslie put the money on the counter and waited for the worker to grab it before picking up the lighter, “Isn’t there a power outage?” None of the lights had been on in the buildings on her way down the street.
The attendee looked up at her out of the corner of their eyes and gave her a death glare before softening and looking back down, exhaling. “Generator.”
Ainslie’s mouth tightened apologetically and she muttered a thanks.
The confused teenager walked back out of the door without waiting to adjust to the light levels. A grave mistake.
On her way out she bumped into a tall silhouette. Strangely, in that split second she noticed how their hoodie was soft and warm.
“I’m sorry, I-” Ainslie habitually apologised and stumbled back into the shop’s fluorescent lights, getting a better look at who she bumped into in that moment.
“It’s fine,” He smiled and walked in after me, “You didn’t see me.”
The girl looked at the ground, embarrassed and hummed in confirmation, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. Looking back up she gave him the best smile she could and waved in thanks before slipping out of the door again. She prayed that there wasn’t another person waiting to bump into her. With her back to the shop she watched her shadow adjust it’s sleeves while walking and heave a deep breath. Ainslie managed to get a few steps before the guy called out.
“Hey, you dropped this!”
Ainslie turned and squinted again to see the guy holding up his arm. She reached into her pockets to search for the lighter. Nothing. She rushed back and he held it out to her.
“Thank you, and- and sorry.” She laughed, trying to appear more grateful than embarrassed. The man laughed along warmly and assured her that, “Once again, it’s fine.”
She waved goodbye a second time, seeing the person at the counter move and taking it as a warning to get lost.
The same groan as earlier sounded out in an alleyway.
She put the lighter in her coat pocket and started running back in the direction of Aunt Stephanie’s apartment. She slowed as she reached the entryway and slipped through the glass door. Heart pounding.
She worked her way back up to the second floor. The teenager caught her breath and calmed herself before knocking on her aunt’s door. She brought the lighter out of her pocket and wiped her feet.
Aunt Stephanie opened the door and laughed loudly, startling Ainslie, and probably some of the other residents too.
“You don’t have to knock, just walk in next time.” Aunt moved back from the door to let Ainslie in.
“What if it’s locked?”
“We can get some keys for you, how long are you staying again?”
“It’s only for a couple of weeks, I can deal.” Ainslie entered the apartment and strode over to the coffee table, where the candles were. Her brain was still reeling from that mess she made at the convenience store.
“Well, if you’re sure.” The door clicked shut.
Ainslie flicked the lighter on after a few attempts and stared at the tiny flame for a few seconds before lighting the candles. The candles’ light had a wide, but dim circumference. She picked one up and carefully brought it to her Aunt. It really didn’t help. Aunt Stephanie pulled out a few sketchy looking vegetables and held them up, her eyes were surrounded by red and she sniffed,
“How about some salad?”
Ainslie almost referenced one of George’s tiktoks but stopped herself, “Yeah, it’s better than nothing.”
Rain began to patter on the window, building quickly in noise. She had only just missed the downpour. For a brief second she remembered bumping into the tall guy. Her eyebrows lowered and her mouth stretched into a taut line.
Multiple shouts sounded as soon as the rain started, and after a while a couple of loud bangs. Ainslie’s head flicked in the direction of the window.
“That’s not normal is it?” Ainslie subconsciously played with the hem of her shirt, looking back to her aunt. Aunt Stephanie shook her head with a frown.
“Probably just some rowdy teens screaming at each other.”
“With guns?”
“No, with… fireworks. Or hitting things with loud pieces of wood.”
Ainslie raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms.
Aunt Stephanie turned on Ainslie’s phone, “Yeah we should probably call the police.”
Ainslie sat on the couch and considered just going into her room and pulling out her laptop or her sketchpad.
“Hello, uh- oh. Wait, I-.”
Aunt Stephanie took the phone from her ear and stared at the screen, astounded.
“They just said to stop calling because they’ve already gotten so many… Calls, that is.”
With the rain tapping on the window and the candles the situation could have been scary, but having Aunt Steph there calmed Ainslie down somewhat. Although she was tempted to sit on the floor behind the counter, stray bullets and all. The girl knew it was dumb, but she had to admit that she felt a bit lightheaded.
“Aunt Stephanie…”
“That’s Aunty Steph to you.”
Ainslie hesitated before saying the familiar name, “Aunty Steph, why did you move to America?”
“I have my own life, and I was afraid that you were getting too dependent on me. Eventually I just decided to rip the band-aid off.”
Ainslie stared at her shoes, eyebrows furrowing. Her eyes blurred and she squeezed them shut, silently reprimanding herself.
“Think about it this way; if I disappear again now, would you handle it better than when I left the first time?”
Ainslie knew that her aunt was right, but it still stung knowing that the reason she left was so… easily avoidable.
“You left right before we were about to go camping for the first time, I was looking forward to setting fire to some marshmallows.” Ainslie chuckled, trying to casually wipe her eyes and glancing at the window. Her voice shook.
“Maybe we can do that while you’re staying.” Aunty Steph offered and returned to making the salad.
Ainslie jumped as another gunshot rang out. Her aunt was silent for a few seconds before saying, “You can go to your room now, if you want. Or have a shower if it’ll calm you down.”
Ainslie immediately turned and walked into her bedroom.
She got into her red pajamas and flopped onto her bed, curling up in a blanket. She closed her eyes and slowed her breathing for a few seconds. After a while she sat up and located her laptop, turning it on and repressing any excited noises, completely forgetting about the gunshots and the catastrophe at the convenience store.
With a hand over her mouth to keep it from speaking to itself she opened Twitch and saw that George had just finished streaming on his alt. She played the vod.
He had Minecraft open and was talking with Sapnap. Once the notification went out he went full screen and started speaking, Sapnap muted.
Without warning a door could be heard clicking shut and Sapnap sat next to George. Ainslie paused the vod and bit her blanket to keep from screaming. No way was this real. It looked real. She unpaused it. It was real.
A few minutes passed and Aunty Steph called for the girl.
Ainslie paused the vod and dragged herself out of the tangled blanket, all at once remembering the screams and gunshots. She almost tripped over her shoes and entered the main room to see Aunty Steph holding a plate with salad on it. Ainslie smiled and thanked her aunt. Her arms felt cold without the blanket.
She slept surprisingly peacefully.
Ainslie woke up, gasping. She got out of bed and heard movement in the kitchen and lounge. It was probably Aunty Steph. The girl sat on the edge of her bed and stared at the carpet beneath her feet.
She grabbed a white sweater with cold hands and put it over top of her red pajama shirt before walking to the window and reluctantly opening the curtains. After grimacing at the light the first thing she noticed was that the rain had stopped, but the concrete was still wet and reflecting the morning sunlight. She put socks on before walking to the bedroom door. The girl adjusted her sleeves and opened it.
A figure in a polkadot raincoat and matching gumboots stood awkwardly, crookedly, in the middle of the room. Morning light was shining through the window, but it cast strange shadows about the room. An unopened bag of freshly-bought marshmallows lay abandoned on the floor.
Ainslie cautiously spoke.
“Aunty-”
Her Aunty Steph turned scarily fast and screeched. Her face looked like it was melting, like the consistency of wet sand or dough.
Ainslie half expected her Aunt to pull it off like a mask and laugh at her.
Instead what was left of Aunty Steph lunged at her niece with murderous intent.