"Welcome home," is the first thing I hear as soon as I close the front door behind me.
It makes me flinch involuntarily, as I'm not used to having anyone receive me when I return from school. And it had to happen today that I'm late.
I raise my head to see who's the woman speaking to me and I'm very glad to find out it's my aunt Agathe, not my mom.
"Agathe," I let out in a mix of disbelief and relief, "wha- why are you...?"
"Home early?" She finishes my question.
I nod at her, still unmoving from my spot, like a deer caught in the road by the lights of a car at night.
She hums as she collects her thoughts and walks closer to me before saying, "Sure, I can tell you, but only if you tell me too, why you are late."
⎯⎯⎯✧࿓☾⎯⎯⎯
(
5 years ago)
"Welcome home."
My aunt received us as if we were coming to the fanciest hotel in town. My mom carried me by the hand, and my brother strolled next to us as we walked inside.
We had moved from our grandpa's house, and I hadn't been able to see my dad for a very long while. Mom said time went faster than we felt it, but I was not sure I was feeling it pass by that quickly.
"Come in, boys, these are Nathanael and Josiah."
"Hi," the boy Nathanael mumbled.
"Josiah, dear, welcome them. They're your cousins."
He looked up at us for the first time and mumbled a similar hi to the one his brother had said. They were both older than me by a few months, and our mom forced us to return the greetings.
Agathe showed us our bedrooms, and we placed our stuff, which wasn't much.
I wondered why they didn't have a father before, but now I was in the same situation.
I missed staying at grandpa's, but mom never seemed to get along with him. That's why it urged her to move. I had a silent treatment with her and everyone at the house once we came.
I missed dad. I missed my grandpa. I didn't understand why we couldn't see them.
"Hey Rand," my brother usually let me sleep in his room during the first nights we came.
"Hey, may I?" I asked him shyly as I stood at his bedroom's door one of the many nights that I had dreamt about home.
He didn't say a thing but moved over on his bed to make space for me, one which I took gratefully as I ran and covered next to him with his mattress. He was reading before sleep as he always did.
I had read in one of his books that dreams reveal what we desire the most. And I thought it was good to have what you wish, at least in your dreams, but no. It felt horrible to wake up and realize it had not been real.
"Rud?"
"Hm."
"Do you think we'll ever see our grandpa again?"
He sighed, pulling his book down.
"Remember what I told you when dad was taken away?"
I nodded, as I knew the answer but pretended I didn't. I was not going to believe it until I heard it. Rudolph always knew the answer to everything. If he said it, it must be right. Even if it hurt sometimes.
"Probabilities are low, which means, we might not see them again. At least not until we grow up enough to look for them on our own."
He had his way of giving me hope when everything felt bad.
I knew Rud was not the kind to show affection, but he was always a brother to me. And maybe, the only family that I actually considered family during those times in this house. He and my shadow.
I wished we were the same age, so I could grow up at his pace, but I knew that if he hadn't been older, we would've probably both been very lost at the time.
I bid Rudolph good night softly, and as he resumed his reading, I turned to the opposite side of the bed. Facing the wall, I whispered a second, even lower, good night to the shadow that danced along the edges of my vision.
⎯⎯⎯✧࿓☾⎯⎯⎯
(back to present)
"Why did you want me to come here?" I ask my aunt as she drags me to the garden she had cultivated.
My memories flood as we walk into this house. I forget how big it really is. Usually, I close myself in my room and never leave, except for dinner and school. It has been ages too since I even crossed into Rudolph's room.
"Well, we made a deal. I won't tell Lea you're late, and you'll tell me what you think about my masterpiece."
Oh right.
She receives me and acts all friendly just to set me a trap.
She always does things like this. I know she only wants me to open up, but I don't know if I ever could. In a sense, I'm way more open with her than with my mom already, so that speaks volumes, right?
Whatever. If she promises she won't tell mom about my late arrival or my many other secrets, I'll keep playing along with her.
"Here." She swings the door open and sunlight floods into a small, inside garden adorned with vibrant greenery and cushioned chairs. It wasn't the grandest space, but it held an airy freshness that I must admit, has its charm.
"So?" Her eager eyes meet mine as we venture inside. My shoes tip-tap with each step on the wooden floor. I bet my eyes speak for me because Agathe's smile widens, radiating a contagious joy. "You like it, don't you?"
"Mhm, it's nice."
"Just nice?" She nudges me playfully.
"It's... fancy?" I offer, unsure of what else to say.
"Ha! I'll take that."
"So, this is why you came early today?"
"Yes, and I've been waiting to show you."
"Did you show Nathan and Joss already?"
She nods knowingly. "You know them. I can't bring them out like before. At least I have you." She rushes in for a hug, catching me off guard. I try not to pull away instinctively. I'm unsure why she likes me so much. Especially, when all I've done is ignore her and give elusive shows of affection.
"Oh, but I won't keep you busy anymore, I bet you got homework." She releases me.
"Yes, actually."
Relieved, I slip away, heading back to my room. The unlocked door awaited, a small solace in this family that could've been more intrusive.
Drowsiness weighs heavily upon me, yet I lay on my bed, staring at the ceiling, far from sleepy. I don't want to do homework either. My windows remain closed, the curtains drawn shut. I sigh and reach one of the books Rudolph gave me. It's a fantasy novel about a girl lost in the woods and chased by her own insanity.
The story envelops me, much like every other book Rudolph has lend to me, providing a much-needed retreat from reality.
Lost in the pages of the book, I delve into the story's world, the girl's struggles resonating with my own tangled thoughts. The text swirls before my eyes as the girl in the story confronted eerie, shadowy figures.
As the evening shadows deepen, a peculiar rustling disrupts my focus. My gaze flickers from the book to the closed curtains, where an odd occurrence captures my attention. The drapes quiver and shift, as if stirred by an unseen force. A sense of foreboding creeps over me.
Amidst the text, a few words seem to stand out, as if reaching out from the page:
"I'm here, Randy."
Startled, I blink, unsure if the words are part of the book or a figment of my imagination. Is it merely a coincidence or something more?
With a shaky breath, I close the book, but the disquiet lingers. The shifting curtains, the whispered words-it feels like an attempt at communication, leaving me with a nagging feeling that something beyond my understanding seeks my attention.
I huddle under the blankets, grappling with a mix of curiosity and trepidation, wondering if it's real. Perhaps my eyes are too tired for this already. Plus, my room is not the most illuminated space after all.
"Dinner's ready!" A voice outside my door startles me, accompanied by a soft knocking.
"Everything good there?"
"Y-yeah, coming."