No one had expected the loud scream of Thomas in the lazy Saturday evening. At first they thought it was just their neighbor's usual quarrel that ended with a door slam or an engine picking up.
But the cry continued, going deeper and scarier, intriggering the neighbors, as a partner would get up lazily heading straight to an open when they could have a view of what was going on.
Doors and windows were flipped open carelessly, just for a little peak of curiosity on what was going on between the Griffins again.
Many of them were mostly women, so they could have something to gossip about.
The boredom on their faces turned to a horrific petrifying expression, as they saw laying lifelessly on her ribcage Katherine Griffin, the mother of two, which one had passed away. Well known as their disturbed neighbor, in a pool of her own blood, the one she had tried shedding for months since she lost her boy. She ran depressed and extremely aggressive with everyone.
She had fallen from the balcony not even bothering to brace herself, like she wanted her own death. People could see it as her arms where wide open, evidence of suicidal.
Young women were gasping with their hands clasped to their mouth, while young able men raced to the helpless and devastated man who was kneed by her side with only his eyes to cry. He dare not touch her, still scared she might yell at him and hit him like she always does, then blame him for all. That was what he wanted but he knew better. she was gone.
"Kat? kat? please wake up, please don't do this to us." He mumbled in between sobs, fat tears running down his cheeks to his chin and dropping to the floor paved floor. Hiccuping and sobbing shakingly, he reached to touch her but refrained. He knew he loved her despite their violent dispute. strange love. Though it was too last, the deed was already done and he was left broken.
Eyes diverted to the five years old dusty blond boy, who stood in front of the porch, looking white as a ghost with a blank expression. He stood put not moving a muscle as his gray eyes remained settled on her coffee brown ones, they were still wide open like she was just laying on the floor for a prank. Her long dark brown hair sprawl on the floor messily, some locks falling on her face looking like some rough branches in a shrub.
Maria Teresa a neighbor who was also a relative ran to the boy and pulled him in a hug, "Oh sweetie." She moan, he never broke eye contact with his dead mother's corps, it was just like in those dreams where you won't stop staring not really knowing why you are staring in the first place. Everything thing around you seem to not exist as you don't feel anything other than void.
Soon enough the place was filled by paramedics with ambulances, and cops with their red and blue siren, by then the sky was purple with half of the Moon sticking out of the clouds. The cold evening spring breeze blew in the city of Unalaska bringing grief and silence along with it as well as words to gossip about.
"We'll asked you keep silent or all what you say will be use against you in the court," one of the men in cops uniform said to Thomas Griffin before cuffing him not like he was resisting, his gaze remained on the floor as he was been cuffed, hair messy, skin pale, looking terrified by the incident.Â
The boy watch all this happen to his family in silence, the paramedics couldn't tell if he was traumatized or shock, his heart beat and pulse were stable, no sign of abnormalities.
But he was never seen blinking, his eyes were opened staring at nothing. Maria Teresa was petrified and scared for him, he was just five, his father didn't give a damn about him. She wanted to protect him and make him hers.
She took him to her house, gave him hot chocolate and sat him on the dinning table while she went to grab more sugar. She came back later just to find the boy standing close to the window still staring at the spot his mother's body previously laid, the paramedics have clean the blood from the floor and everything was normal again but he could still see her phantom. Staring back.
"Honey drink your chocolate." She placed a hand on his shoulder, obtaining no reaction from him, his body was as cold as a corps, that had her worried.
That night she allowed him to sleep in her bed while she looked after him, it was a tough night for all the neighbours, memories of Katherine kept coming none stop, only when she was no more people remembered she once existed.
Being unable to sleep Maria woke up earlier that morning, prepared breakfast and help the little boy in fresh clothes, then gave him breakfast, he still didn't speak, woke up in the middle of the night only to return back to the window, but fortunately she came looking for him then tuck him back in bed.
As she watch him eat in silence the door bursted opened with Thomas badging in, totally ignoring Maria's protest as he grabbed his son and left immediately for their house.
He dragged the boy roughly upstairs, careless about how the kid would stumble every time trying to keep track with his big steps.
He crouch down to the boy once they were upstairs, in his room. "Why wouldn't you cry huh?" He spoke in a wobbling tone to the kid who was staring at the balcony where his mother had fallen from Thomas got upset slamming the balcony door shut then stumping back to his son.
"Look at me!" He said while cupping his son's cheeks in his palms roughly forcing him to look up.
"You did it! I know you did it, her death brings no pain to you, huh? I fucking hate YOU! AND YOUR FUCKING GRAY EYES! STARING AT NOTHING!" He yelled, obtaining no movement from his boy who was now staring deep in his soul.
"Tell me! Did you push her?! Did you fucking do that?! And your brother did you drown him?! Answer me!" Thomas yelled once again slapping the little boy who dropped to the floor with no other movement.
"I know you aren't my son! I know you too well, she begged you right? Why taking her life?! I fucking hate you child from hell!" He unbuckled his belt and started hitting the kid who had began wailing and crying out of pain. His cries ever so silent, only cat-like gray eyes pouring crystal like tears. Lips parted but only a faint sound could be heard. Hands clutching around his tiny little body. Nails deepen in his pale skin with each strike. intentionally hurting himself.
"I want you to mourn her! I want you to know how it feels! Why did you do this to me!" Thomas keep hitting not taking notice of the damages he was afflicting on the kid, he had totally lose his mind, he was crazy and enraged, his hand might be striking but his mind was blank, he wasn't thinking he just wanted to put his frustrations and pain on someone. He didn't know what he was doing.
Maria Teresa bursted in shoving him away from the boy who was hiccuping quietly, as slim tears stream down his pale cheeks now bruised from the slap, She picked him up and allowed him to wrapped his tiny legs around her waist with his head buried in her shoulder.
"Drop him down!" Thomas roared his grips tightening around the buckle.
"You've totally lose your mind Thomas! If you dare touch me or the kid I'm gonna call the cops! I wouldn't let you kill him like you killed his mother! Aren't you suppose to be in prison or something?!" She spat before pushing pass him making her way to the door.
"Bring him back! You have no idea of what he is capable of doing! He isn't just a child! I've seen him change! I swear! I saw him push her! She did that to him! She begged THEM! I warn her! He is the devil in person!" Thomas fell on his feet with fresh tears running down his cheeks. As he rambled about stuffs, none existing stuffs.Â
The little boy or was it something else in him peered up from Maria's shoulder and locked eyes with Thomas, it was not a usual eye contact, it was a hypnotizing one, the boy's eyes were black every sign of gray or white totally disappeared leaving place for darkness.
Thomas let out a scream unwillingly, a very loud high pitched scream, then darkness filled the room. Maria turned around gasping as a violently shaking Thomas eyes rolled back to the skull, blood pouring out from his mouth. She too let out a deadly scream.
This is just the beginning...