Seeking A Family ✔

Forever Grateful

Mr Rostwood and Jay started walking in the rain, darkness around them. They were completely lost and the streets were deserted. They had no idea what time it was and how long they had been there. They were cold and all wet and Jay had already started shivering. They couldn't continue that way. They had to ask for help. Mr Rostwood looked down at Jay.

'Patience my boy.'
He said with his heavy voice.

'Where are we going to sleep?'
Asked Jay desperately.

Mr Rostwood was too proud to beg for someone's help. He didn't like the thought of him knocking a stranger's door and asking for mercy, at all. Even if his leg was hurting him a lot from all this walking, he still didn't want to do that. To see, however, Jay and how bad he was, to hear his voice crack like that, this was breaking his heart.

'Someone will take us in.'
He said reassuringly.

So, here they were, standing before a random wooden door of a small house.

They knocked.

They waited.

And the door opened just a crack, revealing only darkness.

'Hello?'
Said Mr Rostwood trying to see through the dark. The door opened slightly more.

A face then appeared, lightened with a portable gass lamp. It belonged to a man, skinny and full of wrinkles. At the top of his head, there were sparsely, dark curly hair. His eyes were totally black and a big hooked nose was pointing out. His mouth was slightly open, which allowed them to see his yellow teeth and the big distance between them. The other half of his face was burried in the darkness with the rest of the house. His hand that holded the gass lamp was trembling, making the shadows behind him move forward and backwards.
'Who are you?'
He asked huskily, narrowing his eyes.

'We are travellers who got lost and were wandering under the rain for hours. We wouldn't have disturbed you if it wasn't a high need.'
Said Mr Rostwood in a formal manner, his voice steady and emotionless.

The man stood there for a moment, resting his eyes examingly upon them.
He slowly moved sideways to make them way to come in.
'Come.'
He whispered as if challenging them to dare it.

Mr Rostwood wasn't the least affected by the intimidating man.
'Thank you.'
He said casually and walked into the house with Jay closely next to him.

The boy was too scared to come in, but seeing Mr Rostwood's confidence, he relaxed a bit. He was always feeling safe next to his guardian and this time wasn't an exception.

The inside of the house was bearly visible. The man led them to a table and gestured them to sit down. He then headed to the fireplace. He took a bit of time lightening it up. As the fire was growing bigger and bigger, the surroundings started becoming clearer.

The room looked totally neglected. Cobwebs were formed in every corner of the walls. It was a place where you could find, literally, all sorts of things. In one corner there was a huge pile of cauldrons, in the other some broom handles. The brushing part of the brooms were inside the pile's top cauldron. Onto the shelves there were vases and bottles with different shapes and different colour liquids inside them. There were pots also, hosting some weird plants, Jay had never seen. A huge library, with dusty old books, piles of parchments and ink vases was at the wall next to them. Jay's stomack tightened seeing a small skull decorating the upper shelf. A black sheet was covering something big at the far end of the room. Jay had not the slightest interest to know what there was under it.

After lighting the fireplace, the man went to sit opposite to them.
'So, what is your story?'
He asked them in a deep voice, crossing slowly his fingers, his dark gaze never moving away from their faces. Jay hadn't noticed his long and pointed nails until that moment.

'First things, first.'
Said Mr Rostwood.
'My boy here is all wet and cold. I would highly appreciate it if you could give him something warm to wear.'
He said, resting an arm on Jay's back.

'Oh, but of course.'
Said the man.

'No I am ok, really.'
Protested Jay.

Mr Rostwood looked down at him strictly.
'You will do as I say, young man! '

Jay stared at him. It was obvious that this was not the right moment to go against him. Mr Rostwood was as tired as he was, and his mood wasn't good at all.
'Alright.'
He finally sighed.

'Good.'
Said Mr Rostwood.

'I see you are firm with the boy.'
Said the old man.

'Someone has to.'
He answered sharply, nodding curtly his head, while his host was heading to the house's depths to find some clothes. He returned quickly and told Jay to go in the bathroom to change. After that, Jay felt a lot better in his warm clothes. The man also gave Mr Rostwood some dry clothes.

'Are you hungry?'
Asked the man.
'I have hot chicken soup.'
And he started serving them.

They ate and drunk until they were full. They were so grateful, that they didn't know how to thank him.

'We are obliged to you.'
Said Mr Rostwood politely. This weird, ungly, old man had opened his house for them and had done everything he could to make them feel at home. Nothing of his scary attitude was matching with his generosity.

'Oh, it's nothing! '
Said he.
'I think you need to rest now.'

'Jay is going to sleep on the sofa and I on the carpet, we won't disturb you, I assure you.'

The man went on to give them pillows and blankets and after wishing them a goodnight, he went to his bedroom, closing the door behind him.

'Someone steals your glory and is more scary than you. How do you feel about that? '
Teased him Jay.

'Beaten.'
Said Mr Rostwood smiling and shuffling Jay's hair.

'Off to bed now.'

Thanks for reading! What do you think? Would you enter that weird house?