nyctophilia

Chapter 29 - Surprise Visit

In the last chapter, the Gustavó and Brambilla children watch movies all day until they are called for dinner. Aurelia also gets ready and is on her way downstairs before she hears yells for helps in the garden and decides to check it out.

Chapter 29 - Surprise Visit

As the light fades to black, the colours of the grass and leaves remain in my mind almost like a fragrance. The backyard becomes ever more silvery between the shadows that stretch out as if yawning. Already the warmth is quite gone, only ever present in the sunshine, and the first bite of winter pales my skin.

I slowly put one foot before another, careful where to put my heels on the wintertime dirt of the garden.

With every step I take, the garden grows ever more dark. Soon the shadows of the trees will blend into the blackness and their silhouettes against the sky will grow less pronounced. As the view disappears the sounds emerge as if the volume is being steadily turned upward. The breaking of a simple leaves or twigs becomes the focus of my attention. Glancing upward I catch a glimpse of the moon before a dark cloud erases its precious silver rays.

Leaves scurry along the path and the breeze becomes more keen, raising goosebumps on my arm. There was no-one in the park so I pause at the gate in front of the entry hall.

I must have hallucinated. No more horror movies for me.

When I was about turn around to walk back inside, I again heard the voice saying 'I am here'. It is so close. Looking to my left I see a weird-shaped shadow behind a bush. Almost looking like someone was lying there.

As I near the body my heart falls right through my heels. It is Cathán. Or more what is left of him. He's more purple than brown. His left eye is swollen, he can't be seeing a thing out of that and he won't for a while yet. His face still bears congealed blood and his clothes are an utter mess. I throw myself on the ground right next to him colliding with the dirt and the cold.

He tries to say something, his cracked lips failing at the first syllable 'here', but he doesn't need to, I'm already on my feet looking around.

He is here.

Around me there are figures evolving from the shadows of the night. We are encircled.

I try to break through the wall of figures but I am back down by a harsh grip on my arm.

"Don't touch her. Just put it in," a very familiar voice commands; Charles. Shortly after I feel a burning on my arm like someone slit me open. The pain expands through my whole arm. A pain I just know to well. He did that before. My guess he out a chip in.

"What do you want?" I seethe through my teeth my anger getting the better of me.

"Don't be like that. I give and I take. This time it is a warning gift to remind you."

"Remind me of what?"

"You are mine and only mine," he says rushing forward forcing my face into his hands.

Obliviant to my confusion he elaborates, "I never want to see you with anyone else ever again."

I know now what he means crystal clear.

"You are sick," I spit trying to get my gun but he realizes and takes the frame violently, a bullet firing into the air.

It was a sudden defeaning loud. So loud I didn't even hear the shotgun itself as a distinct sound; instead it was the bell-like ringing as the sound echoed around the hall I was in.

I didn't feel pain. Or impact.

I think I didn't got hit.

I try to regain my self-conscious stand up straight and whisper deadly, "If I were you, I would run before my family hunts you."