Darkness

2.2

Supper was at seven, as the man said. So, me and my family were ready to leave around six. We didn't do much – didn't clean up, didn't take our clothes out of the bags – not that we had time to, it was already the end of the afternoon when we arrived. Maybe that was the reason the man offered us to eat with them, or maybe it wasn't.

My parents made me change into a dress and my mum did the same. My dad put a button up on and we were ready.

I didn't particularly like dresses, but I used them to make my mum happy. This was a simple white, off shoulder dress that my mum loved. It came down to my ankles and had little buttons at the front. It was really simple, but my mum was in love with it. She always made me use it in special occasions. I didn't know why this was one of them, but I just went with my mother's wishes.

Although night was creeping in, the warmth didn't go away. As we made our way down the dirty path, I hopped the dust would ruin my dress so I could go back.

My mum ran her fingers thought my hair as we walked whilst my dad was talking about how nice it was of them to invite us for dinner. I just hoped we weren't it.

Eight minutes, I counted on my phone, and we were at their doorstep. It was a really big house, it made me curious about how many people lived there. Although the outside looked run down by the years, it still looked nice. I wondered why they lived in the middle of the forest, with nothing or no one around. Except, well, I already knew...

My dad knocked on the door and we heard a woman inside scream for an Isaac. I remembered then that the man said that his boy was named Isaac. I pondered if his boy was the boy. Nevertheless, I hid behind my dad's figure. When someone open the door, my dad greeted them, but they didn't reply. And so, my father asked for his father. I was certain that was the boy, although I couldn't see him.

I didn't know if he told them. Was this our secret only? I wondered.

There was a cold voice that said, come in. It belonged to a boy but not a little boy. And before I could question if that was the boy, I remembered that the man said his son was eighteen. Still, I started to doubt. Was that little boy eighteen already? He seemed the same, when I saw him at the porch.

My dad stepped inside after he let my mum in. That would be the time my truth would be born. Starting with the questions of his figure, of his existence, to the world that was his world.

I stepped inside, and again, at my height he stood. His eyes stood as tall as mine and I saw the brown of the hearth in them. I saw that his eyelashes weren't long after all. I saw that his thin lips sternly held each other as if he was angry. I saw the freckles splayed around his face like he was the night sky. I saw his chocolate curls cut short as they tried growing with all they might. I saw his messy eyebrows frown at my sight. I saw his thin body, once fragile, now full with muscle. And I saw that he too was becoming a man. And forever I wouldn't forget you. Now my nightmares turn into dreams as I remember you, and only you. Because my eternal search for nothing was assured by you. Because the world might think I'm crazy, but you are my sanity. And in a way, I loved you for making me whole.

Within my astounded moment, his lips moved, and my father's hand pulled me back to reality. He pushed me in front of him, as the boy... Isaac, lead us to the dining room.

It was a big dining table, fourteen seats, I counted. I sat at one of the chairs the old lady told me to, whereas my mother helped with dinner and my father talked with the man.

Isaac sat in front of me frowning. He wasn't afraid of looking me in the eyes, in fact he instigated it. He wasn't that scared little boy anymore. He wanted me to know that he knew. He wanted to frighten me like I wanted to frighten them. I wondered if he thought I was crazy, too.

The old woman hit him in the back of the head, not with much force, but just enough so he would be staring at the ground instead of me.

I wanted to smile at his broke attempt to scare me, but I decided against it, and I too stared at the ground.

When left to my mind again, I started to wonder if they ate. If tonight they would put on a show for us. If they did this out of kindness. If they did this to anyone else. Why they did this at all.

I raised my head so I could find out more about them, but Isaac was staring at me again and my curiosity faltered. He looked curious too. I let a shy smile escape as I thought he was the first person to. I also felt empty; because his interest would lead him to nothing as I was only ordinary. You; are the extraordinary.

My father's hand touched my head and slid to my shoulder. I looked up and he kindly smiled. I miss that.

The man patted Isaac's head too and confirmed that he was his boy. Isaac seemed embarrassed by his father's love, looking away, making his father's hand fall. Maybe he was embarrassed because he loved him too.

Only seven sits were filled, with us and them. The man apologized for that, telling my parents his family was out of town.

Before I started to eat, I watched him. I remembered the blood. He took his knife and fork and cut the meat in one swoop, like he was angry. He stared back at me as he took the meat in his mouth. My mother whispered for me to eat, and although I wanted to watch more, I did as she told me.

They talked about the weather, hunting and family, from what I remember. I was infatuated with my precious secret, so I didn't pay attention to them, but to him.

We didn't speak that day. Isaac turned his back on us as we left and went back to our house, with the man to keep us company up the path.

I was ecstatic with my thoughts of tomorrow, laying in the strange bed. But the calming sound of water brought me back from obliviousness as it picked my interest. I peeked out the window to see that a river passed by behind the house. It made me happy to know that at that hour I wasn't the only one alive.

Author's Note: 

So we meet Isaac!! What are your thoughts of him so far?

Please vote. Thank you for reading.