-*| The Cursed World |*-

Chapter Five: Maybe I Don't Want to Grow Up

(Timeskip to the next day..)

'This room is really warm,' was the first thing I thought as I woke up.

I forgot that we were in a guest room. I roll onto my back, and stretch with a loud yawn. While waving my arms around to get that good stretch in, I accidentally whack Clover in the face.

She covers her face with her arms. "Mmpfh,"

"Sorry!" I whispered loudly.

The patter of feet below comes to me. There is a strong scent of some unknown rancid thing. I tiptoe out of the bed; careful to not wake up Clover.

'I wonder why she didn't want me to look outside yesterday,' I think.

I open the door; reopening our world of the flower-people, dolls, and the artwork of braiding hair to the real world.

The first thing, or person, I notice is a dirty-coat. Usually dirty-coats only work outside. I also notice that neither of my parents are around. That's strange.

Then I see other stuff. There is shattered glass on the ground where one dirty-coat quickly works to clean up. Some painting also fell down — It's a portrait of my family, only Clover and I are really young. I was a baby, a bald baby, in Mom's arms. Clover stood in between our parents on two stubby legs. Dad's hand rests on her head.

Farther down I see either red paint, or uh, something else. 'Where are Mom and Dad?' I think hurriedly.

The dirty-coat that is cleaning up the glass gives me a smile. Awkwardly, I smile back. I'm not too sure what to do, so I kinda half-close the door.

Clover is starting to get up. She props herself up on her elbows, and looks around with sleepy eyes. I run to her.

"Clover! Clover!" I murmur quickly.

She looks at me before blinking her eyes. Then she blinks them again, and then again. I laugh. Finally she rubs her eyes, and can see me.

"What is it?" She asks.

I point to the door. "I looked outside to find Mom and Dad, but I didn't see them anywhere."

Her eyes widen, and she pulls me in for a hug. "I— I'm so sorry that you had to see that,"

I hug her back, but I am confused. "I'm confused. Where's Mom and Dad?"

Clover shrugs, and starts to make the bed. I help her, but I'm still confused. After it is done, she goes to check outside again. I trot up with her, but she puts her arm in front of me. I duck a little lower, and still see that dirty-coat cleaning up the glass.

"We should help her," I say to Clover, and she shrugs again. What is with all of the shrugging?

She stays quiet for a bit, and I swear I could see thought-gears moving inside her head. Then she replies with, "Yeah,"

So we go over and help her. She has long grayish hair streaming over her eyes, and chocolate brown eyes and skin. I can tell she is a bit older by the way her skin is wavy like a wrinkly blanket.

I don't think she can hear us. I am seated right next to her, but she doesn't notice until we start scooping the shards into her little pan. Then she gives me another toothy smile, with several of them missing.

"She is so sweet," I whisper to Clover, but she doesn't hear me either. She is scanning the room more of the time, rather than helping to clean.

I nudge her. "What's wrong?"

Clover looks at me; startled. Then she replies, slowly, with, "Nothing. Don't worry about it."

"Alrighty, well then why don't you help to clean until Mom and Dad come back?" I say.