Taming the Master

Monster.

Every one of us blamed ourselves for what happened to André, even in unreasonable ways like this. Her saying she wouldn't have picked him so he wouldn't have to die is a bit of a stretch but I understood she was grieving and heartbroken.

"André was the best and only child I ever had. He was my life, my entirety, especially after his dad died. I don't know why everyone I love is being taken away from me or what I have done to deserve it, but it has already happened. I have no choice but to accept it."She turned around and moved toward Dré, cupping his face, and leaned in to place a kiss on his cheek.

He had her palms together and silently prayed for something, then went back to her seat.

The ceremony went by slowly like that as friends of Dré wished him farewell. It was now time for him to be placed underground.

Rain has started to fall heavily outside and luckily there were enough umbrellas for everyone, so we each took one and went outside.

We watched as some men carried the casket and slowly placed him inside the ground.

The whole process felt surreal but as they started covering his body with sand, Charlie's shoulder began to shake and he began crying, harder than before.

He cleaned his face with one swipe of his hand and ran out of the cemetery. I watched till he disappeared from my view. This part must be too painful for him to watch.

I looked at the fully covered grave and Clara fell to the ground. She wailed terribly and everyone began crying too.

Feeling like I did not belong there, I decided to go back to the mansion.

I took a bus back home and on the ride, I thought about how Dré would never be able to give me rides or how we would never be able to go shopping together. Ever.

I walked into the empty house. It seemed so cold, it had lost its warm touch as no one was there. Charlie didn't seem to have come here, I hope he was okay and not drinking heavily someplace.

Meanwhile, I was extremely tired and just wanted to curl up in my bed. I began walking in the direction of my room when one of the security men's voices was heard on the intercom.

"Miss Louise?" The voice said.

I stopped in my tracks and moved towards the intercom replying to the man. "Yes, it's me. What's the problem?"

"A man is looking for you. He says he knows you. He goes by Jackson. Should I let him in?"

No way this was happening. It can't be possible, right? It could be a coincidence. It's a pretty common name.

"Let him in." I needed to satiate my curiosity. Not knowing what to expect I stood by the door and opened it.

I saw a man who looked around 40, walking through the walkway between the tall trees from the main gate, admiring them and moving past the water fountain to get to the door where I stood.

I thought it was a trick of the light since I was very sleep-deprived. Since the incident, I couldn't have a good night's rest. I had nightmares of that same event repeating itself, every day, probably taunting me on how I had the nerve to sleep peacefully when Dré was sleeping unwillingly.

I rubbed my eyes with my hands and looked at the man standing in front of me. His face and figure did not change and it was then I knew I wasn't hallucinating.

"Louise." He said. After so many years, he decided to show up and at the worst timing possible.

"What do you think you're doing here?" I tried saying as calmly as I could.