The nursing home had been abandoned for years. After a claimed euthanasia procedure hit the newspapers, families withdrew their beloved elders from the Nursing Home. When all the elders were gone the employees followed and jumped ship. Their quick departure told the married business partners, Suzanne and Derrick Ashland it was time to throw in the towel. A month later, the nursing home was shut down and labeled abandoned, unkempt--unappealing--until a curious teenager named Marcellus Essex saw it's potential and low price. Six months later, Marc had turned the nursing home into an eyecatching mansion, inside and out.
The Indiana limestone mansion rose three stories high, topped with black terracotta roofing. Trimmed hedges bordered the front yard. On the sides, lively hibiscus blooms swayed calmy with the wind. Cutting between the field of green grass, the concrete courtyard lead to a large wrought iron gate and fence. Inside Marc and Theo hadn't set up everything, but there were four bathrooms, a large kitchen, a seperate dining room, an open living room. The second floor had three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a study hall/library stocked with Theo and Marc's gratuitous collection of books.
"It was impossible, huh.", Marc stood at the gate entrance smiling at the teal ocean.
Theo lightly laughed and gripped the gate bars, "I never said it was impossible, just crazy."
Marc closed the gate behind and him pushed Theo, "Shut the hell up". Theo pulled back his twists and mocked Marc's odd British accent, "Shut the hell up Theo...".
"Jimi should be here already.", Marc rose his hand against the ocean breeze.
Theo clasped his hands together and raised them above his head, stretching. "This kid better not be a brat like you made him sound--speaking of the devil..."
Grinning, Jimi landed in the yard holding a black duffel bag. "Mini Marc?", Theo looked at Marc and raised an eyebrow. Marc shrugged, "He dressed like that when I first met him."
Jimi glanced at Theo and jumped at Marc, "Markieeee!" He smiled as he raised Jimi higher in his arms, "Hey, I told you you were staying with me, how was it?" Jimi cut his eyes and frowned at Marc, "They're straight edge!"
Straight edge? Marc wondered if Jimi meant the straight edge he was familiar with. The straight edge that meant you didn't do drugs, alcohol all that good stuff. "What kinda straight edge you talking about Jimi?", Theo was laughing in the background while Jimi and Marc leered at each other.
"The kids called me a terrorist because I told them I was your brother, I kicked their asees." At this point Theo was bent over laughing, "Jimi! Watch your mouth", Marc put Jimi on the floor and walked on the concrete pathway leading to the mansion. Jimi fixed his panda trapper hat and grabbed Marc's hand. "Does he need a babysitter?" Theo asked after catching his breath from the heavy laughter.
Suddendly, an engine purred at the front gate. Theo turned around, narrowed his eyes and murmmured, "Can't get rid of her can you?" Halfway inside the house, "Huh?....."Marc turned around, "What the f#ck is she doing here!?"
Tessa switched off her White '73 Jaguar Convertible and gracefully stepped out. She walked with a spring in her step, brushing her blonde locks over her shoulder and locking her icy blue eyes on Marc. Was this planned? A floral top revealing her left sholder and a firm stomach; with white skin-tight jeans and creme-colored heels, supported that notion.
Marc lifted his foot up, dusted his leather boat shoes off then rushed towards Tessa and grabbed her shoulders, "Tessa, what the hell are you doing here!?"
She stopped and smiled, "To talk to you", she rested her weight on her right hip and observed the mansion's plant friendly courtyard, "Marc, this place is fancy, where'd you get the money to pay for all this." Marc ignored her question, he wanted her gone, he knew exactly what she wanted to talk about.
Marc slid a blunt out his white straight-leg denim pants, " Kelly wouldn't like it if she saw the crazy ex-girlfriend I told her about at my house". He stuck the blunt in his mouth and lit it's edge with his red lighter. It glowed orange then Marc inhaled. "F#ck you Marc!". Tessa crossed her arms still poking out her left hip. Marc blew out his smoke and smirked, "You wish".
Theo yelled from the front doors, "Hey Marc, I'm gonna go inside and show Jimi around". Marc turned around and gave them a thumbs up, "Cool".
Jimi and Theo walked into the mansion, leaving Marc and Tessa in the courtyard. Flicking ashes off his blunt, Marc asked, "What do you want" Tessa sighed and grabbed Marc's hands, "Someones after me....They were in my house".
Marc raised an eyebrow and pulled his hands away, "Tessa, cut it out. What do you really want?" Tessa always used these situations to get to Marc. He made it clear he wasn't dating her again, but she always found a reason to be around him. "Marc, this is serious. They broke into my house, but nothing was missing." Tessa stared at him, frowning. "Tessa what the hell did you do!?", Mercury tilted his head up at the sky and slowly ran his fingers through his hair.
Tessa grabbed her elbow, "Can I stay here for a few days Marc? "
"Get the f#ck away from my house Tessa!", He wrapped his arms around her and carried her to her car, she kicked and grunted to no avail.
"I'll come by your house and sit around with you for a while, tommorow. Tonight, I'm going to dinner with Kelly.", Marc closed her Jaguar door as she fixed her hair.
"Y'know", Marc leaned into the car, "you've been acting weird since we broke up, it's too much". Tessa dug in her creme purse and shoved a piece of paper in his face.
"Read that, the guy that broke into my house wrote it", Tessa revved her engine, leered at Marc, reversed her Jaguar into the street then sped off.
Tessa,
You can thank Marcellus Essex for your approaching death!
- Mr. Killjoy
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