Watch Your Step

Nina's Tea Party #2

40 days ago

"This better be good Nate," the beautiful lass said. "Trust me Jill, it's going to be big," her colleague huffed and put his chubby hands on his stubby knees.

These two journalists came earlier than the sun thinking it's going to be their big break. It was a rocky path with small streams of water running along a mossy glade. Then they trudged deeper to the woods where their next big thing chose to live.

"We can't afford another flop or else we'll get our assess fired," Jill reminded her partner.

"Just trust me," Nate assured as he fixed his eyeglasses.

After another parade of trees, they arrived in a clearing where an old man was waiting for them. His greasy hair was slicked back to look neat but failed miserably. He was missing some teeth and his face had a burn that telltales he's been basking in the sun. Jill saw his jaw moving like he was gritting his teeth. Must be an old person thing, she thought.

Good day, fellas! the old man said, his hand already expecting a handshake.

"Mr. Anderson," Nate took the lead and shook the man's hand, "Good day, I'm Nathan Stone."

While Jill hesitantly shook his hand, "I'm Jillian Underwood."

"I thought I specifically ordered you alone, Miss Jill." The clench on his jaw intensified.

"Aside from policy, we need Nate here to document our interview." Then the gritting of his teeth stopped as Jill added, "In order for your story to be featured, Mr, Ander—"

"Call me Andy."

"Mr. Andy."

"Ah ah ah," he wagged his pointy finger. "We're all friends here, Andy is fine, Jill."

Jill cringed inside. "We're looking forward to working with you.

"Me too." His voice sounded child-like. "Now follow me, we're going to my house." Andy puts his hands on his back, crunching rocks under his footsteps.

"Great another walk," Nate silently complained. His armpits were sweating and his flabby necks were soaking. He removed the lid of his camera, turned it on and started filming their journey.

"Do you think he's kinda weird?" Jill whispered.

"We've met him for two seconds, let's give him a chance."

Andy's house was a cottage-like bungalow with fences and barbed wires all around it. A wooden gate creaked open as the company entered. Inside the house, the stale dank air wafts in every corner.

There was a hole in the roof and a ray of sun shot through it. Andy picked up some hardware tools on the floor, "Forgive me, I'm still fixing repairs in the house." Jill and Nate perused the living room, with dusty couches and a three-legged table in the center. In the dining room, bright yellow liquid in plastic cylinders were propped on the right side where the lavatory is.

"God I hope that's not pee," Nate said, turning his mouth into a line. Jill traipsed on the linoleum floor and looked around asking, "Is there even electricity here?"

"Yes, I have my own generator." Andy answered. "You know I used to be an inventor."

Atop the dining table, there was a mug and unwashed plates. Jill grimaced and whispered again to Nate, "There's teeth inside the mug." But Andy heard this, "Oh! Pardon me, those are my dentures!" He laughed and then opened a door that leads to the backyard.

Flowering plants waited for them in the backyard. But before that there was a fresh ground between the garden and the door. At the end of that space was a mango tree and beneath it was a huge hole that had been recently dug up. Judging from the shovel that was fixed on the soil like an excalibur. "This is where I throw my garbage, the biodegradable ones, of course."

"Yes, we know what a compost pit is," Jill said, "What we want to know is your story. With all die respect, you know to save everyone's time? "

"Well, to start with, you know I used to be a medical student. But I found my hobby on — wait for it. Andy opened another wooden door leading to the garden.

Well-trimmed bushes served as a maze to the center of the garden. Where there seemed to be an umbrella, shading a set of chairs and tables. And there was another person.

But somewhere around the bushes, a loud clip snapped, followed by a yelp of what sounded like a small creature.

"What's that?" asked Jill.

"Ahh, that would be my trap. Don't want these pests on my property, do we? Mr. Anderson walked over to the grass near the edge of the garden and pulled out a rabbit strangled by a big mouse trap. Jill put a hand on her mouth. Blood was coming out of the rabbit's orifices and one of its eyes hung out.

"Lady and gent," Mr. Anderson, cheekly announced, with the dead animal in his hand, "I believe we already have dinner."

Nate also covered his mouth but vomit still splattered out of it.