Demonfire: Welcome to the Family

Chapter 2

    "Ibn?"
   
"Yes grandfather?"
   
"Come here." I went and sat at his feet. He picked up a cup of water from his side.
   
"You see this?" I nodded. He looked at me for a second. "Look at it again." I did. "Tell me, what do you see?" I glanced at it again, studying it closely. It didn't look contaminated.
 
  "A cup of water with ice in it." He nodded, but then looked at the cup again.
   
"What type of ice is it?"
   
"Crushed, grandfather." He nodded again.
   
"What happens when you poke a piece of the ice?"
   
"A small part falls off." He clicked his tongue and shook his head. I was taken aback.
   
"Am I wrong?" What was I missing?
 
  "You see Damian, whatever part falls off depends on the part you poke." I nodded, not really understanding where he was going with this. "But if you poke the center..." he did so himself, "every piece eventually falls off." I nodded, wondering if this would lead to an analogy. My grandfather was fond of those.
   
"Yes grandfather."
   
"This cup is an enemy." I waited for him to explain.
   
"If you get rid of the piece that connects every other, it all falls apart." I looked at him and thought for a second before nodding.

"So you understand?" I nodded more surely. "Good." He stood up and walked out of the room gesturing for me to follow. As I walked out the door, I glanced back at the cup to notice that the water had brought the ice back together. I wondered what that meant.
  
    I opened my eyes and blinked, shaking off the memory of my early childhood. Those days were far in the past. I put my hands behind my head and looked up at the ceiling, thinking. It was early morning and I doubted that anyone but Alfred, my father and I was awake. I stood up and checked the time. 4:43. Dammit.
 
  I got a hot shower and put on jeans and a hoodie, taking my time as I did so. I dried my hair and brushed it carefully, knowing that the slightest mistake could get me rounds of bullying. Jason loved picking on 'Baby Bruce'. I put my clothes in my hamper and made my bed. I double checked to make sure that everything in my room was in order.
   
Dick was coming to take me out today. I had no idea what he had in mind, but I hoped that it was appropriate enough for a 17 year old. Knowing him, he probably just heard that some kind of concert was in town and wanted to show me more 'American culture'. Ugh. I sat on my bed and thought for a second, wondering why my hands were shaking. A day with Grayson was bound to be dull and uninteresting.
   
I sighed and pulled out my sketchbook. I still had far too much time before he got here. I began sketching a face that recurred in my dreams for quite a few weeks now. Button nose, large eyes, slight dimples, full lips, and dark, curly hair.
   
By the time I was finishing the girl's ears, I heard a knock at the door. I threw my sketchbook aside, but then, realizing what I had done, I picked it up and closed it carefully. I thought for a second before grabbing a messenger bag and shoving my sketchbook and an array of pencils in it. I picked the bag up and opened my door, putting on a bored expression.
   
"Hello Grayson." He grinned.
   
"You ready?" I sighed and walked out, pushing him out of the doorway.
   
"Atta boy, you're already dressed." I rolled my eyes.
   
"You expected me to be undressed?" I seemed to catch him off guard, for he immediately went silent and lost his smile.
   
"...no." I walked downstairs, smirking to myself. It was rare to find a moment when one could fluster Grayson. Even Timothy would applaud this.
   
We got into his car and he turned on the radio. I groaned. He smiled at me, turned it up, and started singing Dancing Queen. Oh my God... . He didn't stop with the songs until I threatened to jump out of the car. He knew I would, I've done more dangerous things.
 
  I suppose the day with Grayson was alright, he took me to the mall and forced me to people watch. After much of his badgering, I had to admit that I was attracted to girls with blonde hair. He, obviously, stated that he preferred red heads. He is quite the oddball, but I suppose that he is much more bearable than my other siblings.
   
We were about halfway home when he forced me to go into a store and buy a scary movie for our family to watch. I unwilling obliged. When I went in, it was difficult to find the specific movie that he asked for. Finally, I forced a nearby customer to give me his copy. At the threat of a punch he agreed. The cashier flirted with me, but I couldn't help but notice that, despite her looks, her voice and manner of speaking were very annoying.
   
When I got back into the car, Grayson was staring intently at something on his phone. I waited, but he didn't seem to notice me. I cleared my throat, but he simply kept staring at the small electronic.
 
  "Grayson." He snapped out of it and looked at me.
   
"Hm?" Did he look...guilty?
   
"What is it that you are staring at your phone so intently for?" He looked down at his phone and quickly turned it off.
  
"Nothing, let's get home." And with that he cranked the engine and we went home.
 
  After we had arrived, he quickly walked upstairs to his room, muttering something about a weak stomach. I doubted that that was the case. Grayson could hold down 10 bowls of cereal with ease while watching Rambo. I figured that whatever was on his phone was the cause of his distress. I hoped that this was simply a one-time situation.