#Chapter 97: A Little Batty

Iris The baseball bat connects with the wall with a sickening crack as Arthur ducks just in time, letting out a surprised yelp. “Holy shit!” I shriek, the bat slipping from my hands and clattering to the floor. “Arthur! I almost took your head off!” Arthur straightens up, his eyes wide in the dim light. “Were you trying to kill me?” “I heard noises! I thought someone broke in,” I explain, pressing a hand to my racing heart. “I forgot you were here.” We both look at the wall where my bat made contact. There’s a sizable dent in the drywall, with small cracks spider-webbing out from the center of impact. If Arthur had been a second slower, that would have been his skull. “I’m so sorry,” I breathe, horrified. “I just… I was half-asleep and scared and—” Arthur starts laughing. Not just a chuckle, but full-blown laughter that makes his shoulders shake. I stare at him, bewildered by his reaction, until the absurdity of the situation hits me too.