Bloodline - Chapter 4: What's up, Wolff?

17th November 2016

I started fourth week with my broken ribs. It was getting fucking annoying but they didn't hurt so much as they did in the beginning. I was learning a fair amount about herbs, tried to memorize some quick and useful spells. Slowly it started to get in my mind. Erika was happy about it but I needed to try harder. She always left me some books to read but soon there was nothing left. Erika didn't want me to read our ancestors's things so I made my own 'book' of things I knew and find useful. I called it my own personal 'portable grimoire'.

When she handed me some journals and grimoires about symbols, how to use them and combine them, I got an idea. Since our talk passed a week or so and I wanted to know if dad was possessed by something. Erika told me it was possible - that's why she wore those charms and rings everyday.

I told her I thought that someday I could find myself in situation when none of it I will be able to wear or I'll simply forget one thing and then what? I'll end up dead in some fucking alley? Firstly she wasn't so happy about it, but thought about my idea and then allowed it.

We drove to another town where no one knew us and I got myself my first tattoo. More like one big across my whole back with UV ink. And we had to go back three times because he couldn't do it in one session. So yeah, I got tattoo no one could see but I felt safer and Erika told me it was a pretty good idea. I was protected and no one could tell I'm a witch or suspected me of it. Right there I was that weird chick with a cool aunt.

"How're your ribs?" Her voice brought me back from my thoughts.

"Much better."

"So you're ready for a few quick rounds?" It wasn't much of a question but I nodded. When I got frustrated one day that learning names of stupid herbs won't help me and I'm just fed up, Erika made a game out of it. And every day we walked through her garden and I was supposed to answer her questions. Sometimes she would tell me name and I would tell her what the herb is for and how can you use it. Sometimes she just pointed at some and I had to tell her the name. In the basement she practised spells with me. And they were a pain in the ass. The oldest ones weren't translated (they had description of what they do though) and maybe it wasn't even language from our world. Spells translated from latin? Easy peasy lemon squeezy.

My mind was quick to adjust to situation in which we were but what if somebody attacked me and my mind went blank? What if I couldn't remember a single spell? Erika told me to run because one day my life could depend on how fast will I run.

Since I still couldn't go to school and let's be honest Erika made herself perfectly clear telling me why and when I will go, I was glad that Peter or his mother came by. I wasn't so self-confident to walk the streets of Hemlock Grove on my own yet. And honestly? I was scared. I was so fucking scared. Aunt told me it's a healthy reaction, that I'm healing and later I won't be feeling invincible like she did.

When I was in my room later that afternoon looking out of the small window near my bed, I could made out the shape of Rumancek's trailer on the other side of the river. I saw there two figures. One of them was definitely Peter but the second one didn't ring a bell. I knew they couldn't see me from so far away in such a small window but Peter said he would stopped by today and didn't say anything about another visitor.

He was my only friend I had here. And that was completely my fault since I was still buried in books or practising with Erika. I did became curious about Hemlock Grove so she told me stories and how it is today. She spoke about the Godfrey family, how a few years back they closed the Steel Mill and built Godfrey Institute. How a lot of people lost their jobs and were forced to look somewhere else or go to the Institute.

"Why do you live here? Why not somewhere else?" I asked Erika in the evening, when we were eating dinner.

"Because wether I like it or not, some Wolff has to live here. Not to mention the supernatural creatures who live in this town. One day we may need their help or the other way around. Some of them are very powerful and old. Or they come from old blood."

"Such as?"

"Such as you will know in the right time. I can't tell you everything. Some things you need to find out for yourself."

I was going to give her a piece of my mind, I really was, but there was a soft knock on our door. I got up and opened them. "Ah, Peter Rumancek. My only friend in this Hellhole. Where's your friend?"

He grinned at me. "It's not my problem you don't have friends and what friend are you talking about?" He carefully walked past me, avoiding my ribs and I closed the door. "Hi, Erika!"

"Hi, Peter."

"Go upstairs. You know where my room is." I told him and picked up my plate with dinner. "I'll eat it in my room." She only nodded because it became during the last few weeks a habit for Peter to show up this late. Sometimes he came with his mum but not today.

"So, what about your friend?" I asked him again, watching how he spread himself on my bed.

"What friend?"

"The one I saw through that window," I pointed behind him with my fork and grimaced, "earlier this day. He was taller than you." Fucking ribs. I seated myself on my comfy chair and put in my mouth another bite of risotto, watching Peter closely.
 

"And that taller than you friend, is Roman."

My eyebrows furrowed. "You didn't mention that name. I know that Lynda is your mother," he gave me affirmative nod, "Destiny is your cousin," another nod, "and that's basically everyone you've ever talked about. You, my friend, are very secretive," I talked with full mouth and pointed my fork at him again.

"Firstly - you, my second friend who isn't from family, are disgusting. Shut your mouth and eat. And secondly it isn't my problem. If you would be so kind and stopped playing a mole and went out to meet actual people, then I wouldn't be your only friend."

I sat quietly, finishing the rest of my meal and then spoke my mind. "I'm scared, Peter. I'm not even healed yet. I can't go to school yet but I'm tired of being here all the time. Even those trees in our backyard are pissing me off."

Peter was looking at me curiously, just lifted himself on his elbows and kept staring. "Are you sure it's just because of your ribs? Aren't you afraid of something else?"

I knew Peter knew about the supernatural side of our world. But I still wasn't entirely sure what to made of it. He never told me how exactly he came to that knowledge or if he had real witches in the family. I started nervously tugging my sleeve and that was the only answer he needed.

"Look. Tomorrow we'll go to the cake shop in downtown. I'll buy you an ice-cream."

"Peter, it's November."

"Who cares? Sometimes all you need is an ice-cream so stop bitching."

×

So the next day, in November, we went into town to get some ice-cream. Saying I was only nervous would be a big fucking lie. I was enormously bigh bundle of nerves and every unexpected noise made me jump but Erika was pleased with my progress, saying that I needed to get out of my comfort zone. So here I was. In front of our house waiting for Peter fucking Rumancek, who always got his way and my aunt supported him in it.

When he finally showed up, shit-eating grin spreading across his face, I wanted to slap him.

"What's up, Wolff? Can't wait for the tour?"

I rolled my eyes at him but smiled anyway. Our walk to the shop wasn't the fastest, I needed to make small breaks which were filled with Peter's sarcastic humour. Then he spoke about his family with a great passion and love. We exchanged stories. I told him about my seventh birthday when I broke my arm because of my stupidity. He told me about his uncle Vince and grandfather Nicolae.

"So what flavor do you want?" he asked me once we were inside the shop.

"If they have vanilla, I'll take it."

×

For the first afternoon outside of the house I wasn't feeling bad. Actually I realized I kind of did miss it. Small talks of other people, the rush of the town, rumbling of car's engine, that weird noises like from some porn... wait. What? I stopped in my tracks on the pavement and Peter did the same. 

 "What?"

"Do you hear that?" I asked like an idiot and took a look around myself. The only thing I saw was empty parking lot. Well, there was one car. With clouded windows even though they we opened a bit. Oh! Peter looked in the same way as I did and began walking again. "Come on, that's Roman's car." It didn't sound like a big news to him and I just stared at the car. "You coming?!"

I actually needed to speed up a bit so I could maintain the same pace with him. "Uhm, did you hear that too?"

"It was from Roman's car. Don't sweat it." He told me and immediately laughed about the double-edged sentence.

I was taken aback. A little bit. "So your mysterious friend is normally having sex with strangers in his car?"

Peter gave me amused look and shook his head. "He's not mysterious but I'll tell him you'll think of him that way."

"Ah, fucking great!"

×

Roman was waiting in old Godfrey Steel Mill for Peter who was running a bit late. He paced and lit up a cigarette. That girl today, who he fucked senseless, was good distraction but he couldn't fucking wait for better weather when girls will wear skirts again. Also he thought he saw today Peter with someone but it wasn't Letha.

"Roman! Enjoyed your little afternoon fuck in car?" Peter said instead of classic welcome and laughed.

Godfrey exhaled smoke and rolled his eyes. "I thought I saw you there! Who the fuck was with you? She stared at my car like she couldn't believe it."

"She's a new friend and thinks about you you're my mysterious best friend who daily fucks strangers in his car," answered Peter amusedly and grabbed a beer from the six-pack Roman brought with him.

"Well, she certainly wouldn't be wrong. Keep her close, she's a clever one."