The Witching Hour Ch. 03

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Trouble in paradise.
7k words
4.51
15.3k
5

Part 3 of the 5 part series

Updated 09/22/2022
Created 10/03/2008
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angeljack
angeljack
42 Followers

- Alright, I tried without an editor and you guys quickly let me know that wasn't a good idea. So thanks to Jedi_Khan for the excellent and fast editing to help me get this back up.

-Okay guys, I have to tell you up front there's no actual sex in this one. SORRY, but I couldn't figure out how to add it without making it sound forced and I needed this for characters and plot. Don't worry, Chapter 4 is done and hot on this one's heels, it should be much better.

*****

CH-3

Jack finished loading the last of his dishes into the cabinet that hung on the wall above the stove in his kitchen and looked around. It had taken all day yesterday, and a good bit of the morning, but finally he nodded with satisfaction at the job he had done setting up his apartment.

He wasn't overly obsessive about keeping everything orderly, but he knew if he didn't get it done now, he would keep putting the job off, and never get it done. That and the mindless activity had been just what he needed to straighten out his mind, which had seemed scattered ever since he had shown up here a few days ago.

Looking around, he realized that he was happy with the way everything had come together. When he had first moved in, the place had seemed so bare and uninviting, but the addition of even the fairly inexpensive furniture that he had purchased appeared to make all the difference. The soft wood tables and chairs, along with the softer suede couch that focused around the fireplace in the corner -- rather than the usual TV set, since he hadn't bought one yet -- made the place seem more like a home.

He could feel a pleasant breeze circulating around the room from his air conditioner, having finally broken down and turned it on while he was setting up and moving around his new stuff. Letting his head roll back on his shoulder, he felt his neck pop a little and he let out a contented breath.

Outside of his living-room window he could see through the opened slats in the blinds that it was rapidly turning into another beautiful day. The bright sunlight cast dappled shadows on the glass window pane as it passed through the leaves on the large poplar tree that was planted just beyond it. Jack felt the sudden urge to be out there, having been cooped up for quite a while. He definitely had earned a little bit of a break.

Walking into his bedroom, Jack stripped off the ratty t-shirt and comfortable lounge pants he had chosen when he got up this morning and exchanged them for nice pair of shorts and a light button up shirt. He wasn't trying to impress anyone, but hey, he never knew.

Slipping on a pair of flip-flops, he grabbed his keys but left his cell phone sitting on his dresser; he wouldn't need it. Heck, he didn't think he had even used it once since he had moved in, a definite sign of how his life had drastically changed. Before he had left the army, he wouldn't have been caught without it; never knowing when he would get a frantic phone call to deal with the latest crisis at work.

He let out a brief sigh and headed for the front door. It would be nice to have someone not work related to talk to occasionally though. He was very aware on how much his social life had been limited by the choices he had made, and his sex life had been relegated to spying on the neighbors from the shadows of his balcony. If he didn't get himself out of this rut soon, he feared he was in danger of joining a monastery.

Opening the door and stepping out, he turned and used the key to slide the dead-bolt into position. The incident on his first day aside, Jack really hadn't seen anything that suggested this was a bad area, but he figured it was better safe than sorry.

As Jack went down the stairs and headed out of the front of the building he noticed a definite sense of peace that seemed to blanket the area. A quiet breeze was blowing through trees of all different types that appeared to be planted everywhere around the community.

He had always been shocked by the sheer amount of color in the landscapes of Georgia. Having grown up in southern Colorado he was used to the deep, dark greens and browns of the mountain pines and the sandy grays, tans, and yellows of the high desert. After he had enlisted, the army had moved him around a lot, from one barren area of the US and the world to another. The army was more interested in secluded and unpopular areas, in order to give them plenty of elbow room for training, than it was in the scenery. Jack always found himself pleasantly assaulted by the bright greens, the rainbow assortment of flowering plants, and the luscious red-clay soil when he came here. It always gave him something he felt was missing from his life.

Natural looking paths crisscrossed between the five apartment buildings. At first, Jack had been fairly annoyed by the lack of parking near the front of his apartment, which had made moving in that much more difficult, the only driveway and parking being a small loop on the outside of the buildings just this side of the stone wall. But as he looked around, he could definitely see the appeal.

The soft green grass ran all the way to the edge of the small lake, broken only by the widely spaced trees and the almost unnoticed pathways that seemed to blend into, rather than divide, the area. Each apartment building had a small path leading to a bridge that spanned over the water to a small island in the center.

Jack knew that his apartment was the furthest south, being all the way on the back end of the complex. To get out he would have to drive back up to the office building and pass through the large wrought iron gates that shut the community off from the hustle and bustle of the rest of the city. He set out in that general direction, not really wanting to get anywhere, just enjoying the feeling of stretching his legs.

Looking around as he walked, he was startled to see that he was not alone. Everywhere he looked people were strolling lazily along the paths, some in groups of two and three, while others walked by themselves. It was an odd sight, especially for a time of morning when most people usually had to be at work. As he passed them whatever conversation they had been having would stop and they would all turn to look at him. Every one of them smiled politely, some even looking a little amused, but Jack couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched like a hawk.

As Jack neared the lake he noticed the tiny island in the center of it. Around its edge there were five small benches, only two of which were occupied so he set out across the bridge to claim one. He was feeling the sudden need to get away; the stares of the people he had passed starting to disturb the calm sense of peace that he had felt when he started out.

Stepping onto the island, Jack moved to the nearest empty bench and sat down, and took a moment to calm himself. When he felt better, he glanced around at his surroundings. Across the way he saw two young, teenage girls talking to each other in excited whispers on the far bench. Every once and a while they would glance quickly in his direction, but then immediately they would go back to their hushed, giggling conversation. Jack just rolled his eyes and glanced over at the other occupants of the benches.

Sitting just to his left were two small children, a boy and a girl, probably no older than five or six. They were probably the only two people who he had met today that where totally ignoring him. They were both way too busy with the ever important task of skipping the smooth, flat stones that littered the edge of the island across the mirror-like surface of the lake. Jack had to smile. He was glad at least someone had a normal life.

He leaned back and closed his eyes. The breeze on the little island was refreshing, having cooled slightly as it traveled over the water before circling around his body. Riding on that breeze came a myriad of scents to fill his head. He could smell the cool clean water next to him; with it he could smell the enticing aroma of lilacs and cherry trees, as well as the heady scent of the grass and dirt beneath his feet. As he concentrated on the breeze, he felt the sense of calm and peace flood back into him.

He almost fell asleep sitting on the bench, but then something in his unconscious tingled and he realized that there was someone next to him, staring. Cracking his eyes open to slits, Jack looked over and right into a pair of intense, silvery eyes, staring at him from the other end of his bench.

"Whatcha doin'?" The boy asked in a sing-song voice.

Jack felt the corners of his mouth twitch. "Trying not to fly away." he said, sounding as serious as he could.

"Really?"

"Oh, yeah," Jack said gravely. "If I don't hang on to this bench, Poof!" He shot his hands up to simulate taking off, then quickly grabbed back on to the stone bench, as if he was afraid to let go.

"Nu-uh," the boy looked at him suspiciously, his eyes as big around as saucers.

"It's true," said Jack, forcing down a chuckle and putting his most serious face on, "gone."

"Cool!" the boy suddenly beamed. "My mommy says I can't fly till I'm older," then his voice lowered down into a conspiratorial whisper, "but I can already."

Jack leaned in and nodded, fighting desperately to keep the grin he felt from showing on his face. He had no idea why kids flocked to him, but they always did. It was alright with him, he loved it. Something about their innocent outlook on everything. Adults could be so cynical about the world; but to a child, everything was all so simple. It was refreshing.

He had thought about having his own kids before, but it had just never seemed to be the right time. So when Kelly had proved to be less than enthusiastic about the idea, he hadn't pushed her. A little precognition on his part, he guessed.

"Wanna see?" asked the boy, his eyes looking back and forth secretively.

Uh-oh, Jack thought. He didn't want the kids' imagination to get the better of him. He could just imagine the boy launching himself off of the bench, falling and hurting himself. Maybe little girls never did that sort of thing, but boys; well, Jack had one or two not so fond memories from his childhood that might have started something like this. Better not...

"Where's your mom?" Jack asked, looking around nervously for the boy's benefit.

"Oh, yeah," said the boy, just remembering that he his mom was watching. He waved in the general direction of a group of adults standing on the other side of the bridge. "She's over there."

"Mmm," Jack said to him, "better not then. I don't want you to get in trouble."

"Yeah," the boy said, sounding unconvinced. In typical kid fashion though, he was crestfallen for about three seconds flat and then he looked up at Jack, eyes beaming again. "Wanna throw rocks?"

Jack laughed out loud. "Sure." he said, and watched the boy run to the edge of the water to look for a few good rocks.

Smiling to himself, Jack leaned back and looked around again. Across the lake, back towards his apartment building, a group of adults milled around. As he watched, the crowd parted and a woman passed thought the center. Her eyes were fixed on the path ahead of her as she stormed in his direction.

Jack couldn't help but stare. She was wearing a light sundress that flowed down her body and clung to every curve as she moved, her perfectly formed hips swaying from side to side, unconsciously seductive as she walked. The sheer dress dipped low enough in front for him, even at a distance, to catch tantalizing glimpses of her deep cleavage, and it ended a few inches above her knees giving him a peek at her flawless alabaster skin. It was obvious from the way her not too large breasts jiggled with every step that the single strap style of the dress did not allow for a bra.

Her long auburn hair was pulled tightly back behind her head in a pony tail that swung freely down her back, allowing him a good view of her face as she drew closer. Holy... Wow, was all he could think when he caught sight of her face clearly as she started over the bridge.

When Jack had met the Britt girl a few days prior, he had thought that she had possessed the single most beautiful face he had ever seen. But this woman had her beat hands down, only in a different way. Where Britt's exotically dark skin and almond eyes had virtually oozed sexuality and the promise of forbidden pleasure, this girl had a sweetly innocent beauty to her that Jack could not resist. Even with her brows knit together under the obvious cloud she had hanging over her head, his heart wanted to jump out of his chest at the sight of her. Not even knowing what had her upset, he had the strongest urge to jump up, run to her side and comfort her.

As she came to within a few steps of him her head suddenly came up and she caught sight of him. Instantly she stopped in her tracks, her intensely bright, steel-blue eyes widening in apparent shock.

"What are you doing here?"

Jack was taken aback by the cold metal in her voice. For a moment all he could do was stare into the deep pools of her eyes, at a loss for what to say.

"What are you doing here?" she repeated, louder this time, glaring down at him.

That brought Jack back to himself. Something in the tone of her voice put the steel back in his spine and he glared right back up at her.

"Well," he said, lacing his voice with sarcasm, "I'm pretty sure I was sitting down." He watched as her eyes flashed with angry lightning.

"And," he continued "the boy and I were planning on skipping rocks on the lake here in a minute, if it's any of your business."

The woman shifted her intense gaze to the others on the little island. The two teenage girls were still sitting on the far bench, but there chatting had stopped and now they were staring with wide, astonished eyes at Jack. As she looked at them they immediately jumped to their feet and, dropping a small curtsy towards the woman, they hurriedly left using the far bridge.

Who the hell does this woman think she is? thought Jack.

"Ryan," she said, softening her voice a little with obvious effort, "Why don't you run and help you sister."

The boy was frozen in place, mouth hanging open and a small collection of stones still clutched in the little pocket he had made by folding up the corner of his shirt. He glanced fearfully back and forth between the two of them and then turned and ran across the bridge, stones making a trail behind him as he went.

When he was gone the woman whipped back around and, putting her finger right in his face, she hissed. "What are you thinking? You are not supposed to be here!"

Oh, that's quite enough of that, thought Jack furiously as he drew himself off of the bench and towered over her. He had reached the end of his patience with this woman.

"I think," he growled, his voice rising with his anger, "that I pay rent here just like everyone else. So I think, that I'll go wherever I damn well please. Thank you very much."

For a long moment they faced each other. Impossibly she had somehow managed to draw herself up and gave the impression that she was glaring down her nose at him. It was definitely an impressive feat, given that he had at least eight inches on her. He could have sworn she wanted to stamp her foot at him, but instead she simply turned away from him abruptly and stormed off, leaving electric bolts of anger in her wake.

Jack closed his eyes for a moment and tried to calm himself. It wasn't often that he lost his temper, but she had hit a raw nerve he hadn't known he had inside of him. What the hell was her problem? He let out a long, slow breath. God, he hated it when he lost his control. He definitely should have handled that differently.

So much for a nice break, he thought glancing at her retreating form which, he noticed despite himself, still looked incredibly appealing. Shaking his head, he headed the opposite direction back to his apartment. All the people that had been out enjoying the day seemed to have disappeared.

When he was most of the way back to his apartment, a thought suddenly struck him and he whipped around and gazed back the way he had come. Idiot! That voice, the one he remembered coming from behind the big guy on his first day. That was Jennifer, he thought, suddenly putting the two voices together in his head.

Great, Jack, just great. Like you don't have enough problems already.

Jack started back towards his apartment again, fuming. He did already have enough problems with his neighbor, now this. And to top it all off, when Jennifer had stormed away from him it looked like she was heading for the office. If she hadn't reported his part in the fight here the other day yet, she was probably on her way to do it now.

It didn't matter that he wasn't the one at fault for the fight. He was the new guy here, and he knew that the management was more likely to side with her, unless she had a history of problems. Landlords always liked it quiet, so they preferred to get rid of any possible trouble-makers as soon as they could.

Thinking furiously as he started up the stairs, Jack totally missed seeing the man in black barreling down the stairs until he had was already crashing into him. The man let out a small scream as he fell backwards, landing flat on his back against the concrete steps.

Cursing himself for not paying more attention, Jack looked down to apologize and was suddenly looking into the same steel-blue eyes that he had seen a few minutes earlier on the island. This time however, they were attached to an admittedly handsome man in his mid twenties. At least, Jack figured the guy would have been handsome, if his face had not been contorted with a look of rage and pain. He was dressed smartly in an expensive looking black silk three piece suit that seemed extremely out of place, considering the weather.

Worried that he might have really hurt the guy, Jack reached out to give him a hand up but the man just shrugged him off and jumped back to his feet, clutching one hand to his chest in pain. Mumbling to himself darkly he bolted away from Jack, quickly dashing down the stairs and was gone in a flash, disappearing around the corner. Jack was left standing on the stairs, staring after him with a dumbfounded look on his face.

What's with these people? Jack thought, shaking his head. Maybe it wouldn't be such a bad thing if he did have to find a new place to live after all. With the exception of the kid on the island, Jack didn't think he had met one normal person since he had signed the lease. He knew he really couldn't afford to move out; even if he could even find another vacancy in town, the cost of moving all his stuff and setting up again would drain him. Of course, at this point, he might not have a choice in the matter.

Turning, he headed back up the stairs to his apartment. When he reached the landing he pulled out his keys to unlock the door. He stopped, arm extended, when he noticed that it was standing slightly ajar. Confused, Jack looked around him. He could swear he remembered locking the door when he went out; in fact he was sure of it.

Every nerve in his body suddenly went on alert. At the same time though, he felt a strange calm descend over him that while familiar, seemed totally out of place here, so far removed from combat. He could feel the blood pumping faster through his body and his mind becoming unnaturally alert to everything going on around him as years of training and experience took over. Something was wrong here, he could feel it.

Wishing he had a weapon; something more than a set of keys anyway, Jack nudged open the door to his apartment, his body bracing for an attack. There was a calm, detached part of his brain that was picking up every small detail of his surroundings. Everything was examined and logged away for later use. He noticed quickly that there was no sign of forced entry on the door, and also there seemed to be a strange smell that tickled at the back of his mind, he wasn't sure why. When the attack didn't come, he moved slowly into the room looking around, still alert for any danger that might show itself.

angeljack
angeljack
42 Followers
12