stuff sells for a fortune when it’s salvaged from old houses before they’re torn down. Sell it and make some cash.”
“No.” Ian crouched down to tie his shoe. “I doubt it’s been exposed all that long; there’d be a lot more damage to the house. Probably the extent was rain blowing in through the broken windows, but there’s no evidence of massive flooding or anything.” He stood up again. “I like the birds. They give Rhayven House character.”
“You’re naming the place Rhayven House?”
“Yep. I think that’s its name already. Why should I change it?”
Opening the front door, Toby looked back and said, “Just when I think you can't get any stranger. When’s the big renovation starting?”
Ian thought he heard something. “As soon as we get all the permits necessary. Hopefully in a couple weeks or less,” Ian said. He heard whatever it was again. “Did you hear that, Toby?”
“What?” Walking back into the house from the porch, Toby stood and listened for a minute. “I don’t hear anything. What did you think you heard?”
Ian shook his head quickly. “Not sure. I don't hear it now. Something. Maybe nothing.”
“Can you be more specific?” Toby asked.
“Something. Maybe clinking or cracking…I don’t know exactly.”
“Probably just the wind or a piece of broken glass falling out of a window. Don’t worry about it,” Toby said. “This house has been standing here empty for years. It’s not going to spontaneously collapse just because you bought it.”
“Yeah.” Ian walked out the door, only to turn around and come back inside again. “I almost forgot. I wanted to take those raven skeleton keys with me.” He went to the kitchen and grabbed them off the countertop. Bouncing them in his hand, he said, “It was worth buying the house just to get the keys, I think.” And he grinned. “Maybe I should get special insurance for them.”
“Costly collection of old keys,” Toby said as he bounced the toe of his shoe against the door frame. “Would've been cheaper to go to a flea market and find some. But it’s too late to back out now.”
“Right.” Ian held them up and jingled them. “Like you could find these at a flea market.”
“Hold your breath and before you know it, your house will be ready for you to move in. Make sure you properly secure Heckle and Jeckle house,” Toby said as he watched his friend lock up.
“Jokes about all the ravens? I'm pretty sure they were crows. How about the house of Huginn and Muninn ,” Ian countered, “because they're Odin's ravens; therefore, they come with the power and the favor of a god. You can't beat that pedigree.”
“Okay, that's acceptable. I bet you can't wait until the renovations you need are done. Then you can embark upon the unenviable task of packing up your stuff and hauling it out here—unless you plan on hiring movers to do it for you.”
Pocketing the keys, Ian said, “I think it would be faster and cause less stress if I hired a moving company. Shouldn't break the bank and it would accomplish the task a whole lot faster than me and a certain friend”—he winked—“trying to do it.”
Toby pulled out sunglasses and put them on. “Hire professionals. I'm not helping you again. Ever. You're a pain in the ass. I nearly needed therapy after I helped you.”
“It wasn't that bad.”
“It was a whole lot worse. It took three times as long as it should have because of how weird you are about people touching your possessions.”
“I'm not that bad.”
“I repeat my earlier statement: You're a pain in the ass, pal.” Toby opened the car door. “Get in; I'm starving. We need to go get food.”
“I could eat.”
“How about the Chinese buffet place you took me to last time? I
“No.” Ian crouched down to tie his shoe. “I doubt it’s been exposed all that long; there’d be a lot more damage to the house. Probably the extent was rain blowing in through the broken windows, but there’s no evidence of massive flooding or anything.” He stood up again. “I like the birds. They give Rhayven House character.”
“You’re naming the place Rhayven House?”
“Yep. I think that’s its name already. Why should I change it?”
Opening the front door, Toby looked back and said, “Just when I think you can't get any stranger. When’s the big renovation starting?”
Ian thought he heard something. “As soon as we get all the permits necessary. Hopefully in a couple weeks or less,” Ian said. He heard whatever it was again. “Did you hear that, Toby?”
“What?” Walking back into the house from the porch, Toby stood and listened for a minute. “I don’t hear anything. What did you think you heard?”
Ian shook his head quickly. “Not sure. I don't hear it now. Something. Maybe nothing.”
“Can you be more specific?” Toby asked.
“Something. Maybe clinking or cracking…I don’t know exactly.”
“Probably just the wind or a piece of broken glass falling out of a window. Don’t worry about it,” Toby said. “This house has been standing here empty for years. It’s not going to spontaneously collapse just because you bought it.”
“Yeah.” Ian walked out the door, only to turn around and come back inside again. “I almost forgot. I wanted to take those raven skeleton keys with me.” He went to the kitchen and grabbed them off the countertop. Bouncing them in his hand, he said, “It was worth buying the house just to get the keys, I think.” And he grinned. “Maybe I should get special insurance for them.”
“Costly collection of old keys,” Toby said as he bounced the toe of his shoe against the door frame. “Would've been cheaper to go to a flea market and find some. But it’s too late to back out now.”
“Right.” Ian held them up and jingled them. “Like you could find these at a flea market.”
“Hold your breath and before you know it, your house will be ready for you to move in. Make sure you properly secure Heckle and Jeckle house,” Toby said as he watched his friend lock up.
“Jokes about all the ravens? I'm pretty sure they were crows. How about the house of Huginn and Muninn ,” Ian countered, “because they're Odin's ravens; therefore, they come with the power and the favor of a god. You can't beat that pedigree.”
“Okay, that's acceptable. I bet you can't wait until the renovations you need are done. Then you can embark upon the unenviable task of packing up your stuff and hauling it out here—unless you plan on hiring movers to do it for you.”
Pocketing the keys, Ian said, “I think it would be faster and cause less stress if I hired a moving company. Shouldn't break the bank and it would accomplish the task a whole lot faster than me and a certain friend”—he winked—“trying to do it.”
Toby pulled out sunglasses and put them on. “Hire professionals. I'm not helping you again. Ever. You're a pain in the ass. I nearly needed therapy after I helped you.”
“It wasn't that bad.”
“It was a whole lot worse. It took three times as long as it should have because of how weird you are about people touching your possessions.”
“I'm not that bad.”
“I repeat my earlier statement: You're a pain in the ass, pal.” Toby opened the car door. “Get in; I'm starving. We need to go get food.”
“I could eat.”
“How about the Chinese buffet place you took me to last time? I
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