Paragomania

[2]

It felt like a whirlwind, with time only thinking to give you a glimpse every couple hours. But days later, you're on a plane to the borders of America and Canada. Your singular bag was stowed between your legs. You didn't trust the people on the plane not to try to steal your shit. The flight went fine. The asshole next to you splashed his water on you, and someone was caught smoking weed in the bathroom. Pretty uneventful.

When you arrived at the airport, everyone else rushed out. They were here for family, for business. You kept telling yourself that this had to be temporary. You looked at your phone. Mrs. Lyle wasn't able to provide you with your father's phone number.

Carlisle Beckford. That was kind of a weird name. You wondered why your mom had told you that she didn't know who your father was. He had to be a dick or something, right? You knew you had to be smart about this. He probably barely remembered you, or your mother. You were just some kid that he was stuck with for a while. You'd be out in a couple months.

As you approached the doors, a man in beige robes stood at the doors with a sigh. Your name was across the sign. You cringed at the top of the stairs. Maybe your dad was, like, a monk or something. You approached the man with your bag slung over your shoulder.

"Hey," you called. The man dipped his head to you and began walking out the doors. Not quite sure of what to do, you followed him out to a blue sedan. "So...are you my dad?"

"No, dear," he said. "I'm simply here to retrieve you. Have your travels been good?" You nodded.

"What's your name?"

"You may call me Caleb." He started the car and began driving you into the nearby forests. Even though the air strip had been already in the middle of nowhere, it felt as though the road sucked you into the darkness of the forests. The sun was laying across the horizon, the purple-coloured shadows swallowing everything past your window.

Your anxiety grew as Caleb drove. What if he wasn't related to your dad at all? What if you were about to get trafficked? What if your dad was secretly a cannibal living out in the woods? What if you were about to come face to face with some psycho mountain people?

The car pulled up to a large wrought iron gate with two lanterns hanging from their perches. It guarded the start of a long, winding gravel road. Next to the gate stood a man in beige coloured robes, barely illuminated by the orange glow of the lights. He smiled brightly at Caleb and pulled the gate open with some struggle. Nothing you could see was easing the growing knot in your gut.

Caleb continued to drive down the driveway, nearly half a mile through the darkness. When a light came up, it appeared to be more of the lit lanterns, except they were lining the outside of the entrance of a tall limestone wall. Several people stood around the door, all seeming to be buzzing.

The car was parked beside what appeared to be two or three lines of other cars. You couldn't see well in the darkness, but they looked overgrown, like they had been abandoned for a long, long time. Caleb nearly leapt from the car, giving you no acknowledgement or direction. You awkwardly grabbed your bag and got out of your seat, allowing the car door to slam behind you before you followed Caleb from several feet behind.

One man in front, wearing much darker robes than the others, smiled widely. He had your skin tone, yet it looked reddened by time in the sun. The way his facial skin was pulled back by his grin looked nearly inhuman, as if you could see the entire shape of his skull. His hair was thick and frizzy in a ponytail. As soon as you were within several feet, he suddenly bolted towards you.

"Oh my dear child!" he exclaimed, hugging you tightly. His grip nearly lifted you from the ground.

Instantly, your whole body was in self defence mode. You pushed against his chest as if he could kill you, trying to force him away. You didn't want to be touched, this was bad. He smelled thickly of sweat and dirt. He released you quickly, jumping back.