Page 29 of The Nowhere Witch
He didn’t.
13
It was too late tonight, but first thing tomorrow, I’d go to the wall. I’d find every crack and fix them somehow, but I wouldn’t be able to see anything tonight. The wall was way too big to try searching in the dark. Plus, I’d need all my energy, and right now I had nothing left in the tank.
I turned the corner, my place in view, to find the monkeys waiting on the stoop.
“We’ve got problems,” Speak No Evil said.
“He’s never said anything truer, and he’s spoken a lot of truisms,” Hear No Evil said.
“Yeah, we’re screwed, from what I’ve seen so far,” See No Evil said. “Landlord is here. Saw him coming and knew it was bad news just from the way he was walking up.”
“He’s inside?” I looked over their heads to my window above. This was the day that wouldn’t end.
All three of them nodded.
“Do you know what he wants?”
“Don’t know. Said he wouldn’t talk to monkeys,” Speak No Evil said.
“Or statues. He’s got a thing against statues or something,” Hear No Evil said.
“Jerk. We’re going to see about him,” See No Evil added. I hated to break it to them, but the humanitarian laws of Xest were pretty crappy for everyone. I’d barely escaped the broker’s office not even an hour ago. If Hawk hadn’t let me leave? I’d still be there, and there wasn’t a soul in this place that would’ve been able to stop him. It seemed there was only one law that really counted in Xest, and that was “might is right.”
I pushed open the door, knowing I’d have to get rid of the landlord before curling up under my blankets and going to sleep. The plan to make a bed tonight had been ruined a good hour ago. I could lie down on cement right now and fall asleep.
The dust bunny dashed across the room, making a run for the couch, as a middle-aged man chased it.
“I’m going to get you, you damn dust bunny,” he yelled, shoving the couch to the side, the bunny moving with it.
He shoved the couch again, and the dust bunny disappeared from sight.
I’d never actually seen my landlord before. Zab had handled all the details. I wasn’t impressed by what I was seeing.
“Can I help—” My voice was seized by a cough as the dust tickled my throat.
He turned, forgetting the dust bunny pursuit and giving me his full attention.
“You’re Tippi?” he asked.
“Yes,” I said, then cleared my throat one last time. “Why are you here? Zab said I was paid up until the first new moon?”
“You are, but you need to leave by tomorrow night.”
“Why? Are people complaining about me? I’ve barely been here.” Had the monkeys been annoying people while I was gone? I was going to kill those little suckers, who happened to be hiding behind the door with shocked little faces.
“No complaints. You just have to get out,” he said, looking about the place as if sizing it up for the next tenant.
“Then why?”
“I have someone else who wants the place.” He had the decency to look away.
There was only one reason I’d be getting the boot for no reason, just as I hadn’t gotten a job.
“Let me guess. Hawk is behind this.”
“Look, there’s nothing I can do. He said you’re out, so you’re out.” He turned his head, rubbing the back of his neck as his shoulders slumped. The aggression drained out of him like a big, fat helium balloon that had gotten popped.