{"id":902,"date":"2018-05-19T11:19:56","date_gmt":"2018-05-19T19:19:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/roastrabbit.com\/wp\/?p=902"},"modified":"2018-11-29T18:21:55","modified_gmt":"2018-11-30T02:21:55","slug":"something-about-a-house-iii-dinner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/roastrabbit.com\/wp\/2018\/05\/something-about-a-house-iii-dinner\/","title":{"rendered":"Something About a House – III: Dinner"},"content":{"rendered":"
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First<\/a>
\nPrevious<\/a><\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n

 <\/p>\n

They found a restaurant just inside of town. A family diner with an unfamiliar name and a full parking lot. Zebra went inside to wait for a table, leaving Katters standing by the car and smoking her fourth cigarette since they\u2019d left the house.<\/p>\n

She\u2019d finally calmed down. Settled into a moody silence. But there was no telling how she\u2019d react when they went back.
\n<\/p>\n

The host \u2014 tall, dark, exhausted \u2014 led Zebra to a table in the back of the restaurant, squeezed between the men\u2019s and women\u2019s restrooms. Katters had turned away from the windows, but she\u2019d figure things out soon enough. Whenever she decided to stop smoking and come inside.<\/p>\n

Whatever had happened in the basement, it had re-ignited Katters\u2019 mistrust for the house, and she wouldn\u2019t take that betrayal lightly. Her trust was hard to come by. One does not find it twice.<\/p>\n

So there would be no convincing her she was wrong. There would be no pulling her back to the side of light and reason. There would be no compromise on her part. Any compromise would have to come from him.<\/p>\n

And he could. He could cater to Katters\u2019 delusions, treat the house as though it were dangerous (even though it clearly was not). Possibly leave entirely, and hire someone to take care of the whole business for him. But, more likely: stay and divide his attention between sorting and assessing his late-great-uncle\u2019s former belongings, and soothing over Katters\u2019 anxiety and panic. And, most importantly, ignoring the basement.<\/p>\n

Or: he could behave sensibly and ignore her. Find out what was in the basement, if anything at all, and decide what he wanted to do about it. Write his partner off as a loss and get back to work.<\/p>\n

He ordered, and he ate, and Katters never came inside. He found her precisely where he had left her: leaning against the car\u2019s hood, staring at nothing, smoking cigarettes that had to have come from a second pack.<\/p>\n

The lot was emptier than it had been, but he still had to weave through cars to get to her.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ve been out here for an hour,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cSounds about right.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy didn\u2019t you come inside?\u201d<\/p>\n

She muttered something he didn\u2019t catch.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJust don\u2019t feel like eating,\u201d she said, which was too long to be what she\u2019d muttered. She turned, but didn\u2019t look at him. Past him. At the restaurant.<\/p>\n

Zebra glanced back. A family came through the doors, laughing, happy, full of food. When he turned forward again, Katters had already looked away.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s absurd,\u201d he said. \u201cYou\u2019ve never turned down a meal in your life. And you were the one that wanted to eat in the first place.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah?\u201d she snapped. \u201cWell, I changed my mind.\u201d<\/p>\n

He joined her near the hood, frowning. She was holding herself, her arms crossed and her shoulders hunched. Cutting herself off from the world. Her cigarette-hand hovered near her face even when she wasn\u2019t smoking it. Ready at a moment\u2019s notice.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow many of those have you had?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNone of your fucking business.\u201d<\/p>\n

There were a dozen butts scattered around her feet. That was unusual. He\u2019d never seen her litter before.<\/p>\n

It was time to decide if she was worth saving.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I brought you some food, anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n

He held a styrofoam box out to her. She didn\u2019t move to take it. Stared down her nose at it. The lamp they\u2019d parked under highlighted the suspicion perched on her face.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re welcome,\u201d he said, bobbing the box.<\/p>\n

She shrugged and turned back to the horizon. It was dark, now, and the world blended seamlessly into the starry sky.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo,\u201d he said, lowering the box. \u201cWhat\u2019s in the basement?\u201d<\/p>\n

Katters snorted and pulled at her cigarette.<\/p>\n

\u201cSeriously, what happened down there?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d she said, blowing smoke at him.<\/p>\n

He stepped back, but pretended she hadn\u2019t just committed an affront to human decency. It was bait \u2014 and he was better than that. He tried to catch her eye instead, smiling. \u201cCome on, I want to know. What happened?\u201d<\/p>\n

She rolled her eyes and stood up. \u201cNothing happened,\u201d she said with her teeth bared. \u201cIt was dark, I got confused.\u201d Her ears flicked as she turned toward the car. \u201cIt was probably my imagination, anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt can\u2019t be both. Either it was nothing, or it was your imagination. What happened?\u201d<\/p>\n

She shrugged and walked away from him.<\/p>\n

She was a stubborn animal. So was he. \u201cWell! If you won\u2019t tell me, I\u2019ll just have to go down and see for myself. There must be a light somewhere.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI couldn\u2019t find it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCould bring a flashlight, just in case. Hell, we could stop by a store on the way back and pick up all sorts of supplies. Make a real night of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

She looked at him, over her shoulder, then at the car. Her ears tilted down, betraying worry.<\/p>\n

He grinned. She wouldn\u2019t give him what he wanted, but he could still have some fun with her. \u201cSuppose it is haunted,\u201d he said, walking to the driver\u2019s door. \u201cWhat do I need in a haunted basement?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re an asshole,\u201d Katters said. The family passing them stopped laughing and hurried their daughter along.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, really.\u201d Zebra tilted his head at her over the car. \u201cI\u2019ve never done this before and I want to do it right.\u201d He looked back down and pulled the door open. \u201cSalt, I suppose. Chalk. A Ouija Board. Do you think they sell holy water?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAt the store?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re right,\u201d he said, a little disappointed. \u201cI\u2019ll have to make do.\u201d<\/p>\n

He got into the car. She didn\u2019t.<\/p>\n

\u201cWho cares what\u2019s down there?\u201d she asked him through the window. \u201cWhy don\u2019t you just leave the basement for a realtor to deal with?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI care. What if there\u2019s something I want?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLike what?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLike buried treasure. Get in.\u201d<\/p>\n

She shuffled her feet, pacing between the car and the restaurant. Finally, she pulled the door open and ducked inside.<\/p>\n

\u201cI should get a shovel,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s no treasure down there. I\u2019m pretty sure. There\u2019s not gonna be anything you want down there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought you couldn\u2019t see anything?\u201d<\/p>\n

She sighed and buckled herself in.<\/p>\n

\u201cIncense.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not going down there,\u201d she said to her window as she rolled it down.<\/p>\n

\u201cOkay.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t care if you trip over the stairs on your way down and break both your legs. You\u2019re on your own.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDuly noted. Ah, candles!\u201d
\n <\/p>\n

\n
Next<\/a><\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

First Previous   They found a restaurant just inside of town. A family diner with an unfamiliar name and a full parking lot. Zebra went inside to wait for a table, leaving Katters standing by the car and smoking her fourth cigarette since they\u2019d left the house. She\u2019d finally calmed \u2026 Continue reading → <\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mi_skip_tracking":false,"spay_email":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true},"categories":[20],"tags":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p3N0as-ey","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1114,"url":"https:\/\/roastrabbit.com\/wp\/2018\/11\/something-about-a-house-iv-static\/","url_meta":{"origin":902,"position":0},"title":"Something About a House – IV: Static","date":"20181129","format":false,"excerpt":"First Previous \u00a0 Katters expected the house to be different, somehow, by the time they got back. Sucked into a hell dimension, maybe. Inexplicably replaced with several acres of untended cemetery. De-glamoured and revealed as the burnt husk it truly was. There would be a groundskeeper nearby, or a gas-station\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Prose"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":969,"url":"https:\/\/roastrabbit.com\/wp\/2018\/07\/where-shell-never-be-found-i\/","url_meta":{"origin":902,"position":1},"title":"Where She’ll Never Be Found – I","date":"20180714","format":false,"excerpt":"It took Zebra a week to notice Katters was missing. Well, no. He noticed immediately, or near enough. It was odd, that she didn\u2019t come home that first night, that her bed remained empty clear through to the following morning. Odd that she skipped work the next day, and the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Prose"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":980,"url":"https:\/\/roastrabbit.com\/wp\/2018\/07\/where-shell-never-be-found-ii\/","url_meta":{"origin":902,"position":2},"title":"Where She’ll Never Be Found – II","date":"20180722","format":false,"excerpt":"First \u00a0 Sor\u2019s shop was closed, and locked, and there wasn\u2019t a bell. Zebra did knock, but that only made the glass door rattle in a way that he knew would not carry well through the rest of the building \u2014 though, even a wooden door would have trouble announcing\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Prose"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":556,"url":"https:\/\/roastrabbit.com\/wp\/2016\/07\/swap-pt-1\/","url_meta":{"origin":902,"position":3},"title":"Swap, pt 1","date":"20160709","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0 Sor broke into the pie-shop in the middle of the night. She had to use up a vial to do it \u2014 one of the cork-stoppered containers, filled with someone else\u2019s magic, that she kept on her person at all times \u2014 but there was no avoiding it. The\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Prose"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":567,"url":"https:\/\/roastrabbit.com\/wp\/2016\/12\/how-the-zebra-stole-christmas\/","url_meta":{"origin":902,"position":4},"title":"How the Zebra Stole Christmas","date":"20161224","format":false,"excerpt":"Director's CommentaryThe rain came down hard that Christmas Eve, rattling against the roof of The Katters\u2019 and Zebra\u2019s Inconspicuous Meat Pie Shop and Tonsorial Parlour. Inside, Katters and Zebra were curled up at opposite ends of the couch in the living room, sharing an obscenely large, blue comforter. Both had\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Prose"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":950,"url":"https:\/\/roastrabbit.com\/wp\/2018\/07\/russian-roulette\/","url_meta":{"origin":902,"position":5},"title":"Russian Roulette","date":"20180707","format":false,"excerpt":"Director's Commentary Content Warnings: Torture (emotional, physical), blood, graphic violence. \u00a0\u00a0Can't read it? This story is set in 2011. \u00a0 \u201cKaa-atters!\u201d Zebra\u2019s voice carried, sing-song, through the house, and Katters considered jumping out a window. Zebra had been bored, lately, and he acted that frustration out in ways that usually\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Prose"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/roastrabbit.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/902"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/roastrabbit.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/roastrabbit.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/roastrabbit.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/roastrabbit.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=902"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/roastrabbit.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/902\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1118,"href":"https:\/\/roastrabbit.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/902\/revisions\/1118"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/roastrabbit.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=902"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/roastrabbit.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=902"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/roastrabbit.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=902"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}