THE BOY WHO RETURNED
CHAPTER 2 (unedited)
A U D R I C
Blood rushed to my brain hot and fast, my nerves felt jittery and my muscles automatically became tense as I replayed the warnings in my head.
I rushed inside the house, mouth open in horror and eyes wide in shock. Was it possible?
Was it possible that what I heard was real?
No, it couldn't.
But I heard my name!
As a result of countless practice, my head shot upwards and I started taking deeper breaths and loosened my muscles. I slowly walked behind until my back hit a wall and I concentrated on my breathing just like I had been taught from the very first session in my yoga classes.
I'm fine, I'm fine, nothing is wrong with me.
I chanted until I felt my thoughts roll back up with order and my head didn't feel heavy.
I'm fine.
I repeated a last time before exhaling out loud and rolling my shoulders back, I stretched my arms over my head like I was warming up to shoot a workout tutorial and then started bouncing on my heels.
"You are all good, buddy, no need to freak out." I whispered in the process to calm myself. "dad will again find a perfect explanation to prove the abnormal things that seem to happen around you."
However silly someone thought this was, I needed to report it to at least one person. I didn't want to be that stupid new boy who didn't pay heed to the insinuations from the beginning only to end up in a situation more horrifying than integrating cos x.
I wouldnt even have Father Marcus to save me if a demon came chasing for my soul.
Mumbling profanities at my stupid self, I walk into the kitchen to find my parents in a half embrace, staring out the window and smiling.
Aww, so romantic, I shuddered.
"I hate to interrupt you guys, but I have an important issue at hand that needs a valid explanation." I say cringing a little and watching as the couple tore apart and faced me.
"Whats wrong, honey?" Mother asked looking a little worried. Oh my god, did I look worried too?
"Oh-nothing much to worry about, I was just wondering, you know-" I glanced at my dad who now stood folding his huge arms across his broad shoulder and gazed down at me with undivided attention.
"Go on," He ordered and I wanted to bang my head on the wall.
"Its probably nothing, I just need to go," I mumble and shake my head at how absolutely uncollected I am.
"Tell us, Rick," Mom spoke in a gentle voice offering a smile.
okay.
So should I or should I not tell them?
The incident that just happened could be accounted to the numerous times my brain was unable to link logic with events. I shouldn't bother them over my trivial brain issues.
"Its nothing too serious- I will just find a logical explanation for it myself,-" I said and gave them an uneasy smile and tried to hide my embarrassment.
"Speak. Now." I was taken aback by the authority in my fathers words and I gawked at him with frightened eyes and my mouth replied immediately.
"Okay," I breathed loudly, "Is hearing voices of old women natural too in Erebus?"
Because apparently, hearing howls was.
I waited in anticipation for their response as my heart beat in my chest loudly. Silence befell us as my gaze continuously oscillated between my parents. Oh crap, now they must really think I need a place in asylum, I winced.
"You are hearing voices?" I nodded, "Of a woman?"
"Old woman," I corrected as I looked into her calm eyes. She slowly nodded at me her gaze flickered to my dad's erect posture.
Dad, I'm sorry if I failed the logic test.
My dads face remains neutral leaving me puzzled, a moment later his calculating gaze turns to my mom and then he spoke. "What did you hear?"
"Now that is the creepy part." I admitted. "The voice told me 'Look for the truth'" I said drawing quotation marks in air.
He exchanges a silent glance with mom and when he turns to me, there is a hint of smile on his face.
"What? Did I miss something?" I asked impatiently as his lips slowly stretch into a smile.
"Recall yesterday, son." he told me calmly. "What was your mother shouting at you? Which order?"
I thought and replayed yesterdays events which mostly consisted of unpacking and organizing the entire house. Suddenly it struck me and my eyes widened in realization. Mother got up from her seat and grinned at me. She cupped her mouth and enacted to shout.
"Look for the tapes, Audric!" and I look at them feeling my cheeks burn.
"b-b-but, tapes and truth?" I questioned.
"Well to remind you, you were playing drake with full volume on your speakers. Words can get jumbled." she said handing me a large cookie and shaking me a little.
"B-but-"
"and if you remember you did hurt your head twice the other day."
Okay, that's it.
The smirk expanding on his face tells me how I willingly showed that I needed a second brain.
"Let's just forget I said anything like this, okay?" Pleading to the pair smirking in front of me.
"Sure" My mother laughed and guided my hand to mouth making me take a bite out of the cookie. "you just need rest and make sure you eat properly"
"Yeah, like I don't eat enough." I scoffed as my eyes scanned over the used packed food cans I had devoured in last lady two days.
"It's alright," mom said rubbing my arms and shaking me a little reassuring me, "you are a growing boy"
"Yeah, yeah" I mumble. Now that, I rested my ass on the comforts of my chair, I felt the exhaustion weighing down on me. I felt deprived of energy and surprisingly my bones pained and even my jaw.
"Cheer up, come on. Stuff that empty stomach of yours and help me prepare lunch," she says before getting up and stalking her way to the refrigerator and fishing out cartons of milk and organic veggies we had stocked.
I huff out and reply with a slight nod. Dad is already busy with the morning newspaper, munching an apple as he skimmed through the headlines.
"By the way am I going to get an introduction of the Raleigh's or do you plan to keep me in the dark? " I ask giving out an annoyed tone.
"Want to know about the Raleigh's? Okay then." he said, folding the newspaper.
When I turn to face him, he starts, "Elliot Raleigh has been my best friend all through the phases of my life. We grew up together, studied togerther and surprisingly even married the same year and our wives turned out to be besties as well." I catch my mother smiling at herself.
"and I and their son will follow the same lead.. . " I say distractedly as my gaze travels along the newly installed kitchen island catching my reflection.
"Uhuh," he clears his throat, "Their daughter actually."
"She is such a sweetheart, Rick. I absolutely love her." My mom gushes grinning from ear to ear. She literally says this about all the girls she meet.
Legend has it that my mother wanted a daughter instead of a son and when I came, she was a little disappointed. Nevertheless she didn't hold herself back in loving. Huh, no one can resist loving me!
"She is literally a doll." I catch my father mutter under his breath as he hides a smile.
"And may I know this dolls name? " I ask with a slight edge to my voice.
"Brucie." mom replies in her sweet voice smiling widely than ever and clapping her hands. Great, so the girl had already made a good fan base in my family where I'm considered barely sane.
"Sure I'll love her," I say inserting a comma in my sarcastic smile. I stand up and focus on the preparation. Although I'm not everyone's favorite, I atleast make delicious food.
I get to my work, cutting vegetables and preparing sauces simultaneously, mother and father get the house ready. In their absence of fifteen minutes, I've prepare eighty percent of the lunch. With one last look at the chicken in the slow cooking pan, I head out from the kitchen.
The aroma of my fabulous dishes travels with me and I smile. When I cross my parents room, I find them engaged in a deep conversation. I yell at them that I'm heading up to shower. I climb up the flight of stairs and walk into my bedroom and head straight for the bathroom.
The shelves are empty and all my necessities -which just included one toothbrush and one soap and yeah one razor- are in a bag below the sink. I was about to start brushing my teeth when I open the tap and was surprised to find no water running out of it. I checked the others and then recalled that the water line for my room and the adjacent room is yet to be connected.
So wrapping the towel around my shoulders, I trudge towards one of the opposite rooms and walk into its bathroom. I let the water warm up before stepping into the shower, and as I stare in the mirror to look at myself, I find yet again that my shoulders have broadened a little.
Another person will hardly be able to notice the change but I feel it, my bicepss have become a little muscular too, my jaw seems changed, like its been a little lifted. I caress it and find that my beard might start growing soon. My brown hair needed trimming and my eyes looked deprived of sleep.
I felt a slight rumble and the sound of engine getting louder and I realised the guests were here. Quickly, I got into the shower and scrubbed the tiredness away. As I turned off the shower, I was surprised to hear my mother's faint yet delighted voice.
Wrapping the blue towel around my waist, I rushed out the room to get into mine. As I stepped out of the room, I felt eyes on me. Turning I caught my mom and another woman-most probably Mrs. Raleigh- in a pleased conversation. When the womans eye met mine, she smiled wide.
Smirking, I raised my hand in a half wave and winked as I casually strode forward towards my room. Unfortunately, the water adhering to my feet made the floor slimy and before i knew it, I was slipping. Flaying my hands in a failed attempt to get myself steady I fall with a loud thud, sprawling on the floor like a star fish.
The worst thing that could've happened, happenened that moment.
The towel slipped off my waist.
My manhood was now on show and my self respect crawled under the rug. Flaming like a bride, I caught both the women with their heads turned completely in the other direction and I cringed.
Yet another example of Murphys Law.
I recovered immediately and fumbled with the ends of my towel and crawled my petty self into my room. Once inside, I managed to rise with the strength left in me after my collision and locked the door.
Way to make first impressions, Audric!
I had just showed the height of my profound confidence as well as my overly estimated coordination.
And this was just the beginning of the day.