Vendetta's Wrath: Genesis

Chapter 3: Home Sweet Home

"......Whatever you're looking for in there....you're not going to find it...not anymore," the stranger said.

Maxwell shut he door and turned to look at the stranger.

"What in the bloody hell is that's supposed to mean?!," Maxwell asked with a flare of fire in his eyes.

"Exactly how I meant it," the stranger replied calmly.

"If you did anything to my family....I SWEAR TO G-,"

"First of all, lower that tone of yours it's very unbecoming...plus my ears are quite sensitive. Second, be assured that no harm has come to your family we know that much. And lastly, I wholeheartedly know that IF we did anything to your family as we see fit you would not be able to do a single thing regardless of your condition,"

"Tch....such boastful confidence!," Maxwell snarled.

"Boastful......yet factual. Now if you'll excuse me I have other business of my own that I must intend to. So, with all due respect, Mr. Armstrong....get the fuck out of my bloody car," the stranger replied.

A disgusted Maxwell wasted no time as he flung open the door. Upon stepping out, Maxwell felt straight to the ground as there was little to no life in his legs.

"Oh that's right...I almost forgot!," the stranger said before taking out two wooden crutches and threw them next to Maxwell who was lying on the sidewalk.

"Considering it a parting gift!," the stranger said before closing the door and driving away.

Mustering all the strength he had, Maxwell took the wooden crutches and used them to slowly rise to his feet as he made his way...to his house...to his home.

*********

Maxwell finally made it to the front door of his house. With a smile on his face he gave a few knocks on the door. There was no answer.

He gave a few more knocks and waited. Still...no answer.

After the third the attempt he finally heard a voice inside the house. He gave a sigh of relief. The thought of seeing his children and wife again warmed his heart. All the fighting, the bloodshed, the wars was now over he thought for this is the day where he can put all of it behind him. At this moment Maxwell believed....he was home.

As the door opened Maxwell was surprised to see his daughter looking up at him. To his surprised she looked different than he last saw her. She was taller, her straight hair was longer and he could see that she had a few more teeth.

"Eva....is that...is that you?....It's-...it's me-," he said with tears welled up in his eyes.

As he tried to reach out to hug his daughter, to his horror, she screamed before slamming the door in his face.

"MOMMY! MOMMY! THERE'S A STRANGE MAN AT OUR DOOR!," Eva cried out.

Frozen in shock, Maxwell slowly ran his fingers over his face as it now occur to him that most of his face is covered in bandages. But even so, was his face really that unrecognizable as he thought to himself.

Suddenly, he heard indistinguishable chatter in the house before the door was opened again, this time it was his wife staring at him.

"Ohh god...Annabelle it's-,"

"What are you doing at my house frightening my daughter?!," she asked sternly.

"Annabelle....it's m-,"

"Leave my house...or I'm calling the cops!," she remarked with disgust.

"Anna-..?," Maxwell said with confusion as the love of his life doesn't even recognize him either as he she's her looking at him like he was some kind of plague.