"Zoey, I would be getting off here, take care of yourself. If I need you for anything, I would contact you," Denzel said before he lifted himself from his seat. He made sure to cover his head very well so that no one would recognise him.
The bus came to a halt, and Denzel walked out, adjusting the backpack he carried at his back.
"Oceandire..." Denzel looked around the bus stop that was close to his residence. He inhaled, feeling the atmosphere around that place. "Four years Huh? Oceandire didn't change much," Denzel thought.
He began to stroll. The direction to his house was one he could never forget even if he hadn't been home for ten years.
Denzel looked around him, at the little commercial outlets that sold a few snacks that he loved before he left.
"Granny--" Denzel looked at an Old woman that always greeted him when he arrived, she was still there, selling what she called 'Takoyaki'. He was about to go and greet her when he recalled that he didn't have that much freedom, and he didn't want his identity to be revealed.
He almost cried when he recalled the moments when they welcomed him home.
"Denzel, have some takoyaki, There are enough for you and your sister," The Old woman often said, a cheerful look showing on her face.
"Thank you, granny, I love you so much!" Denzel would reply to her, using his both hands to form a love over his head.
Denzel already turned to greet her, but after recalling all those, he turned back to walk home.
"You need some takoyaki?" Denzel heard the Old woman's voice, but he had to keep going, he couldn't show himself to her. Even if she didn't see him as a criminal, her reaction when she sees him would drag people's attention to him.
He had to keep going.
The old woman said that when she noticed he stopped at her Outlet, but she took her face off him when he didn't answer.
But something caught her attention again, and she looked back at him. 'That lad, the way he walks... Denzel...' The Old woman assumed.
Denzel walked through the street that had the outlets, and he was almost nearing his house.
Soon, he was beginning to sight his house, a storey building having four bedrooms in total. The father stayed in one, Denzel had a room, and his sister had one to herself also.
The cream painted house had a staircase leading upstairs, where the entrance door was situated. It had a little roof over the lobby.
When Denzel got to the door, he looked at it, and let out a heavy sigh.
He knocked twice and placed his hand back into his hoodie pocket.
The moment from when he knocked till when the door got opened, all sort of thoughts began to wander in his head.
'What if they hate me? What if the door is slammed at my face the moment it gets opened? What if...? What if...?' The what-if thoughts were unending.
Denzel heard a little creak at the door, he inhaled and exhaled. The door came open.
Denzel could see that shocking look on Carrie's face, and he let out a soft smile.
"Hi Carrie, I am home," Denzel muttered to her.
"Is this really you, Denzel?" Carrie used her hands to cover her mouth. Her elder brother was big. He was much bigger than when she last saw him. His muscles were concealed in the hoodie he wore, but, Carrie could still notice it, and he was much taller than he was before. But, his smile was still the same.
Denzel carried his hands to pat her head. "How have you been?" He asked Carrie, calmly.
Denzel kept looking at Carrie when she jumped to hug him. Tears were already seeping from her eyes.
"Thank Goodness, you are alive," She uttered, sniffing.
Denzel looked bewildered, all he was worried about was the hatred they would have for him, but, there was his sister, thanking the Heavens that he was alive.
"Did you think I was dea--"
"You are alive... Denzel is alive," His sister didn't give him chance to speak, she kept on hugging him, holding him tighter than she did a second ago.
"Carrie, can we go in?" Denzel asked her with a relieved look on his face.
"No... wait a bit longer," She didn't let go of him.
Denzel was already getting a bit tired of it, so, he moved her back a bit. But he knew his stubborn sister, she wanted to hug him once more.
"Carrie, let's get inside first, I can't stay outside for long, my hood is down," Denzel said, trying to cover his head with the hoodie.
"Denzel... Happy birthday!"
Denzel's eyes opened up more, bewildered about what she said.
'August 16... How did I forget?' He thought to himself, walking into the house slowly.
When he got in, he walked through a little passage before he got to their living room. He could see the birthday cake that was placed on the table, and his frame on one of the cushion chairs.
"Did you know I was going to be coming around?"
"No," Carrie used her eyes to wipe off the tears that were on her face.
"Then...?" Denzel stretched his hand to the cake.
"Ohh that? We always celebrate your birthday for you every year, but we do it like a death anniversary also, since we thought you were dead." Zoey reasoned, telling Denzel to have a seat.
"Wow, you really did think I was dead huh? How about dad?" Denzel said that, and he saw his dad walk into the room afterwards.
"Denzel?" His dad called out, walking slowly towards Denzel.
Denzel got up from where he sat and walked towards his dad.
"Dad, how have you been?" Denzel said when he got to the front of his dad, stopping in his tracks.
"Come here," His dad said, opening both hands to allow Denzel in them. "This boy...I knew you couldn't have died," His dad said, patting his back.
"Then what was Carrie talking about?" Denzel questioned his dad, he was already preparing to get out of the lock.
"Don't answer that girl, she always wants to celebrate your birthday, claiming that it would be nice to also use it as a death anniversary."
"Huh?" Denzel pulled himself out, turning to take a look at Carrie.
"Dad is lying, we both planned it,"
Denzel didn't think twice before he knew that his sister was the one telling a lie.
"Dad, don't you guys watch the news?" Denzel asked his dad, wondering why they would still treat him that way with all the rumors that were circulating around about him.