The Basement - 8
That night, alone in his bedroom, Calvin slept. It was a restful sleep; the kind that the body yearns for after a long day of work. Or school, as was Calvin's case. His window, which overlooked the front yard and hedges that his dad kept tidy on the weekends-when he was home to do so-was slightly cracked. Calvin liked his room on the cooler side at night; it helped him to sleep better. If it was too hot he tossed and turned and woke up too much to get any kind of quality rest. Tonight, though, was a perfect temperature for him. Not so hot that he'd wake up, but not so cold that he'd freeze and go searching for the covers in the middle of the night. Just right.
While his body rested, Calvin's head filled with all sorts of dreams. One was incredible, and Calvin found himself running and leaping through a large wheat field, with the sun shining down bright and warm. Small, fluffy clouds dotted the sky and provided brief pockets of shade. He could run faster than a horse, and he felt the stalks of wheat slapping softly against his body as he pushed himself to go even faster and farther. The field soon gave way to a forest, and with a powerful jump he found himself sailing through the trees, although no branches stopped him. He jumped again, and again, bounding over the trees again and again. He couldn't remember ever being happier, but the scene ran its course and finally came to an end. The mute nothing of sleep took him, until his mind began forming a new dreamscape.
This time he was at school, at his locker. He was chatting with Richie and Kate and Nathan Gerling. They talked and laughed and joked, but at what he couldn't place his finger on. Calvin glanced up at the clock opposite his locker, up on the wall. It read seven fifteen in the morning. Why was he at school so early? The hands began to spin rapidly. For some reason that was not odd or out of place to him. The bell ringing was the real shocker. He blinked and looked at the clock again. 8:15 a.m. He was late for Math, and Mrs. Williamson would kill him if he was late again! In reality, Calvin was never late for class, at least not without a good reason, but dream Calvin must have been a bit looser with the rules because he panicked and ran down the hall towards the Math classroom, not even bothering to say goodbye to his friends before he bolted off. He reached what should have been the door to Mrs. Williamson's class, but instead of the familiar brown wooden door with the class name placard on it, there was nothing. No door. Just a wall. He looked back down the hall from where he came, and where hallway should have been, there was nothing. No lockers, no walls, no classrooms. Nothing. Darkness enveloped him again.
Calvin was at home now, in the living room. The lamps around the room gave off a soft light. He was seated on the couch, in his favorite spot, facing the television. As far as Calvin could tell he was the only one home, which was odd since either one or both of his parents were always there with him. He stretched, enjoying the newfound alone time, and grabbed the television remote. Before he had time to turn it on there was a knock at the door. He looked toward the door, which could be seen just past the wall that separated the living room from the front hallway, but didn't see anyone through the windows that flanked it. Only the darkness of the evening shown through. He got up and as he started toward the door there was another knock, this one a more urgent. This better be good, Calvin through to himself. He reached the door and opened it, but saw no one. He reached over and flipped on the porch light, then stepped out and looked around, but no one was there.
"Who was that?" a voice asked from behind him. He nearly jumped out of his skin at the sound. The voice was familiar, though. Calvin collected himself and turned around. Eva was standing in the hallway, her blue dress shimmering and throwing sparkles of light all around. Her normal soft, blonde curls had been straightened into soft waves, which fell down around her shoulders. Calvin could swear she was an angel, sent from heaven to his hallway, but he hadn't the slightest clue why. An angel that was, at the moment, fixing a pair of pearl earrings to her lobes.
Calvin collected himself again, as the sight of her had set his heart racing, and answered. "It was no one."
"Probably some kids messing around," Eva said. "Are you ready to go? You look great in that tux."
Calvin looked down at himself. He hadn't noticed, but he was wearing a black tuxedo, complete with bow tie. He didn't even know how to tie a bow tie, but there it was. "Where are we going, again?" he asked.
"The dance, silly," Eva said with a smile. "The Spring Formal?"
Calvin remembered. He had asked her to go to the dance right after lunch last week. Of course! He had been looking forward to it all week, and now here they were. How did he not remember?
"Of course! I just wanted to make sure you were still ok with it," he said as he tried to recover. Eva began to walk toward him.
"Well, Calvin, I didn't get dressed up for nothing," she said, growing closer to him with each step. "I've been looking forward to this since you asked me." She was almost to him now. "Although, there's something I've been looking forward to even more than the dance." She was right in front of him now. She touched his hand, sending a jolt up his arm. She seemed to sense it, and slowly ran her fingers past his wrist, over his forearm and up to his shoulder. She was close enough now that he could smell the sweetness of her breath. Cinnamon, cloves, and lavender. Her hand lingered on his shoulder for a moment, and her eyes were locked on his. Calvin noticed his body was shaking slightly, and he was losing himself to her gaze. Eva leaned forward, and for a moment Calvin thought the impossible was about to happen. He tried to prepare for it, but how do you prepare for something you've never done? Sure, Calvin had kissed his mom and dad when he was a kid, but this was different. This was a girl. This was Eva. He did the only thing he knew to do.
Calvin closed his eyes and puckered his lips. His heart was racing, and he wouldn't be surprised if it jumped out of his chest and smacked Eva's dress. How would he be able to explain that one to his friends? Turns out, he didn't have to explain anything. Eva reached past him and pushed the door closed. Disappointment and embarrassment started to replace the feelings he'd had just a moment before. And then her hand swung out behind his head and pulled him into her.
Eva kissed him.
Calvin was caught in a moment of surprise again. She seemed to be good at that. Her lips were soft, though, and soon he melted into them, returning the kiss with fervor. Euphoria flooded in, taking his emotions on yet another roller coaster ride. This had to have been a record of some sort; from happiness to surprise to fear to disappointment to this. And everything in between.
A loud crash behind them made them both stop. Calvin pulled away and looked over Eva's shoulder. The sound had come from the hallway, he was sure of it. "Hold that thought," he said as he begrudgingly left Eva's grasp. He started down the hallway, thinking something had fallen in the powder room. Eva had left the door slightly ajar, and as Calvin came upon it he pushed the door open and peered inside. He flicked on the light and looked again, but everything was in its place, as far as he could tell.
Another crash, this one right behind him. Calvin actually did jump this time. He turned around and looked at the door behind him, white and unassuming, across the hall from the door he was at now. He stepped toward it and heard a faint rhythmic thumping sound. He paused a moment and listened. It was definitely a thump, and very rhythmic; two thumps followed by a short pause, and then two more thumps and a pause. A heartbeat?! Calvin thought.
He took another step toward the door, but was no closer to it. It was right across the hallway; it should have been easy for him to step across to it, but for some reason he couldn't reach the handle. He stepped again, and noticed the heartbeat sound was louder now. Another step, another out of reach door and a louder heartbeat. Calvin continued to try and reach the door, but it was futile. The door was always just a step out of reach, and the sound always grew a bit louder. It was all around him now, as if the house itself had a heart that was pumping to keep it alive. Every beat now rattled the windows and threatened to shake the family pictures right off the walls next to Calvin. He had completely forgotten Eva at this point; their kiss was but a distant memory.
The heartbeat grew louder still, and was now not only all around Calvin but inside of him, as well. He could hear it beating against his ears, threatening to break free of his body. The sound was so loud he grabbed his ears and dropped to his knees. He looked up at the door, and reached out. His hand touched the brass knob.
Calvin woke up, his chest heaving as he worked to catch his breath. He pushed himself up in his bed. Sweat ran cold and clammy down his chest and back. He swiveled around so his feet could touch the cool wood on his bedroom floor, wiped his forehead and leaned back. His hand sat in a pool of sweat that had formed underneath him during the night.
"Calvin, time for breakfast!" He heard his mom call from downstairs.
While his body rested, Calvin's head filled with all sorts of dreams. One was incredible, and Calvin found himself running and leaping through a large wheat field, with the sun shining down bright and warm. Small, fluffy clouds dotted the sky and provided brief pockets of shade. He could run faster than a horse, and he felt the stalks of wheat slapping softly against his body as he pushed himself to go even faster and farther. The field soon gave way to a forest, and with a powerful jump he found himself sailing through the trees, although no branches stopped him. He jumped again, and again, bounding over the trees again and again. He couldn't remember ever being happier, but the scene ran its course and finally came to an end. The mute nothing of sleep took him, until his mind began forming a new dreamscape.
This time he was at school, at his locker. He was chatting with Richie and Kate and Nathan Gerling. They talked and laughed and joked, but at what he couldn't place his finger on. Calvin glanced up at the clock opposite his locker, up on the wall. It read seven fifteen in the morning. Why was he at school so early? The hands began to spin rapidly. For some reason that was not odd or out of place to him. The bell ringing was the real shocker. He blinked and looked at the clock again. 8:15 a.m. He was late for Math, and Mrs. Williamson would kill him if he was late again! In reality, Calvin was never late for class, at least not without a good reason, but dream Calvin must have been a bit looser with the rules because he panicked and ran down the hall towards the Math classroom, not even bothering to say goodbye to his friends before he bolted off. He reached what should have been the door to Mrs. Williamson's class, but instead of the familiar brown wooden door with the class name placard on it, there was nothing. No door. Just a wall. He looked back down the hall from where he came, and where hallway should have been, there was nothing. No lockers, no walls, no classrooms. Nothing. Darkness enveloped him again.
Calvin was at home now, in the living room. The lamps around the room gave off a soft light. He was seated on the couch, in his favorite spot, facing the television. As far as Calvin could tell he was the only one home, which was odd since either one or both of his parents were always there with him. He stretched, enjoying the newfound alone time, and grabbed the television remote. Before he had time to turn it on there was a knock at the door. He looked toward the door, which could be seen just past the wall that separated the living room from the front hallway, but didn't see anyone through the windows that flanked it. Only the darkness of the evening shown through. He got up and as he started toward the door there was another knock, this one a more urgent. This better be good, Calvin through to himself. He reached the door and opened it, but saw no one. He reached over and flipped on the porch light, then stepped out and looked around, but no one was there.
"Who was that?" a voice asked from behind him. He nearly jumped out of his skin at the sound. The voice was familiar, though. Calvin collected himself and turned around. Eva was standing in the hallway, her blue dress shimmering and throwing sparkles of light all around. Her normal soft, blonde curls had been straightened into soft waves, which fell down around her shoulders. Calvin could swear she was an angel, sent from heaven to his hallway, but he hadn't the slightest clue why. An angel that was, at the moment, fixing a pair of pearl earrings to her lobes.
Calvin collected himself again, as the sight of her had set his heart racing, and answered. "It was no one."
"Probably some kids messing around," Eva said. "Are you ready to go? You look great in that tux."
Calvin looked down at himself. He hadn't noticed, but he was wearing a black tuxedo, complete with bow tie. He didn't even know how to tie a bow tie, but there it was. "Where are we going, again?" he asked.
"The dance, silly," Eva said with a smile. "The Spring Formal?"
Calvin remembered. He had asked her to go to the dance right after lunch last week. Of course! He had been looking forward to it all week, and now here they were. How did he not remember?
"Of course! I just wanted to make sure you were still ok with it," he said as he tried to recover. Eva began to walk toward him.
"Well, Calvin, I didn't get dressed up for nothing," she said, growing closer to him with each step. "I've been looking forward to this since you asked me." She was almost to him now. "Although, there's something I've been looking forward to even more than the dance." She was right in front of him now. She touched his hand, sending a jolt up his arm. She seemed to sense it, and slowly ran her fingers past his wrist, over his forearm and up to his shoulder. She was close enough now that he could smell the sweetness of her breath. Cinnamon, cloves, and lavender. Her hand lingered on his shoulder for a moment, and her eyes were locked on his. Calvin noticed his body was shaking slightly, and he was losing himself to her gaze. Eva leaned forward, and for a moment Calvin thought the impossible was about to happen. He tried to prepare for it, but how do you prepare for something you've never done? Sure, Calvin had kissed his mom and dad when he was a kid, but this was different. This was a girl. This was Eva. He did the only thing he knew to do.
Calvin closed his eyes and puckered his lips. His heart was racing, and he wouldn't be surprised if it jumped out of his chest and smacked Eva's dress. How would he be able to explain that one to his friends? Turns out, he didn't have to explain anything. Eva reached past him and pushed the door closed. Disappointment and embarrassment started to replace the feelings he'd had just a moment before. And then her hand swung out behind his head and pulled him into her.
Eva kissed him.
Calvin was caught in a moment of surprise again. She seemed to be good at that. Her lips were soft, though, and soon he melted into them, returning the kiss with fervor. Euphoria flooded in, taking his emotions on yet another roller coaster ride. This had to have been a record of some sort; from happiness to surprise to fear to disappointment to this. And everything in between.
A loud crash behind them made them both stop. Calvin pulled away and looked over Eva's shoulder. The sound had come from the hallway, he was sure of it. "Hold that thought," he said as he begrudgingly left Eva's grasp. He started down the hallway, thinking something had fallen in the powder room. Eva had left the door slightly ajar, and as Calvin came upon it he pushed the door open and peered inside. He flicked on the light and looked again, but everything was in its place, as far as he could tell.
Another crash, this one right behind him. Calvin actually did jump this time. He turned around and looked at the door behind him, white and unassuming, across the hall from the door he was at now. He stepped toward it and heard a faint rhythmic thumping sound. He paused a moment and listened. It was definitely a thump, and very rhythmic; two thumps followed by a short pause, and then two more thumps and a pause. A heartbeat?! Calvin thought.
He took another step toward the door, but was no closer to it. It was right across the hallway; it should have been easy for him to step across to it, but for some reason he couldn't reach the handle. He stepped again, and noticed the heartbeat sound was louder now. Another step, another out of reach door and a louder heartbeat. Calvin continued to try and reach the door, but it was futile. The door was always just a step out of reach, and the sound always grew a bit louder. It was all around him now, as if the house itself had a heart that was pumping to keep it alive. Every beat now rattled the windows and threatened to shake the family pictures right off the walls next to Calvin. He had completely forgotten Eva at this point; their kiss was but a distant memory.
The heartbeat grew louder still, and was now not only all around Calvin but inside of him, as well. He could hear it beating against his ears, threatening to break free of his body. The sound was so loud he grabbed his ears and dropped to his knees. He looked up at the door, and reached out. His hand touched the brass knob.
Calvin woke up, his chest heaving as he worked to catch his breath. He pushed himself up in his bed. Sweat ran cold and clammy down his chest and back. He swiveled around so his feet could touch the cool wood on his bedroom floor, wiped his forehead and leaned back. His hand sat in a pool of sweat that had formed underneath him during the night.
"Calvin, time for breakfast!" He heard his mom call from downstairs.
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