Chapter Fifty-seven

Chapter Fifty-seven

“I told you I’d come back to visit, why so surprised?” He asked throatily and laughed through big teeth, his same old annoying, yet amusing laughter.

I was sure I wasn’t seeing things, he was really there, in flesh and blood, standing face to face with me, looking at me from groggy eyes and lips hanging open in a weird grin.

It was really him - Roland Bones! God, what was he doing here!? Was it not supposed to be Brandon? When did he ever mention revisiting? Or was this what Brandon meant when he said he was going to see me this evening? I knew it! He was behind all these!

I tried to shut the door at his face as quickly as I regained myself, but he held on firm to it, keeping it in place, before forcing his body right through, making me lose my balance and land butts-first to the floor, causing a slightly thumping sound that aroused the attention of my mom.

“Who’s there?” she asked from the kitchen with a bit of alarm in her voice. I rested the weight of my body on my elbows with my trunk slightly raised up from the floor as I watched Bones walk menacingly towards me with a ghost of a smile plastered on his face. 

“She’s making those delicious dishes again, right?” He asked with a big weird grin distorting his face. How did dad even meet this man?

I tried to get away from him, but his giant strides outran every move I made to run. He on the other hand looked on amusedly at me as he walked further towards me, smiling impishly at me, giving him a more foxy look. The fear I felt made me quiver, this man was like a nightmare in real life. All I was silently praying for was this should be one of my imaginations. Let it be that I’m only hallucinating, at least, no one will get hurt because of me. Just because I was too eager to meet Brandon, I opened the door to the wrong person, a demon in human flesh. This man sure had a way to scare me out of all my whits just by his intimidating appearance, and maybe, his face? Of course his face was really scary, I still don’t know how my dad could put up with it, and they were really close. God, how was that even possible?

My dad sure knew how to be in hell and not be burned by the flames, cos ain’t nothing you’re gonna tell me, Roland Bones was sure a demon of hell. Just look at his eyes - his fiery gruesome eyes! Oh no, shut your eyes Galena lest you have bad dreams.

Suddenly, there was a rattle behind me, like the sound of something shattering - I don’t know. I quickly swung my head to the direction and saw my mom standing back there with an awestruck look on her face, with her mouth hanging open with shock. She had dropped a glass to the floor in a fit of surprise.

“Haha! Mrs. Carla! Non ci vediamo da tanto tempo!” Roland Bones said sardonically with mock humour in his voice as he clapped his hands once in fake excitement in an Italian way of greeting. The way the words rolled out of his mouth, you could almost think he was a native. How did he know my mom could speak Italian? Oh, he was my dad’s friend, I almost forgot.

“Non fare questo.” My mom said breathily as she begged with her eyes. She was saying “Don’t do this.” in reply to his “Long time no see!” both in the Italian tongue. My mom was born and brought up in Italy, and her English accent still had some traces of Italian in it.

“Carla…” he said in accusing voice, as if trying to protest for being wrongfully accused by my mom. “I just want to have Dinnerrr!” he said with emphasis on the “r”.

He stooped over me with a big grin plastered on his face and picked me from the floor, making my weight return to my feet as I stood shakily, gawking at him in fear. His mysterious eyes and intimidating grin made me shudder even more, leaving me breathless, totally speechless.

“Come, I can smell some flaky croissants your mommy made for us.” He said half-dragging me towards the inner part of the house, without waiting for my reply.

“Your mommy made for us, really?” my subconscious asked and glared at him from behind her half-moon glasses.

I wanted to say something, maybe protest, but my throat felt dry, too dry to speak, so I just subconsciously shut my lips again. Of course, what could I say? All that went through my mind at that point was; “Shouldn’t it be Brandon coming through that door? Or is he trying to play his usual tricks on me and bounce in like my knight in shiny armor?” Of course, I’d appreciate anyone that’ll walk through that door to save us right now, the aura around this man was too monstrous and defiling. If Brandon would come in now to save us… I don’t think I’d be mad at him anymore. The last time Roland visited, he didn’t show up anyway, so, it might be that he is not in on this one. But while his sheer goodness and fake care lasts, let’s make do of it right?

“Carla,” He had a sinister way of pronouncing it, making it seem like he was trying to mock the original accent of the name entirely. “Go bring us the croissants and milk. I’m starving!”

God this man. Where did he learn his villain part from? How could he play it so well, making me feel like I’m caught in some Hangman Apocalypse movie?

As my mom made to move back to the kitchen, he stopped her quickly. I was sure my mom wanted to seize the opportunity to tell my dad about Roland’s sudden visit, but I guess he sensed that too - that smart ass idiot.

“Not so fast Carla,” he said groggily with a dry laugh, “not so fast.”

He clutched my hand tighter and I could feel the smallness of my wrist being crushed by the enormity  and firmness of his large, trunk-like palm. He was hurting me, but when I tried to release my hand from his grip, he held on even more, crushing my wrist and giving me his weird, old grin. Gah!

“I think Derrick is bringing them croissants here already. Let’s just sit and wait. Hehe” his groggy voice rang across the silence in the room once again, distorting the noise from the slightly panting breath of my mom and myself. Soon my dad bursted into the room totally oblivious to what had been going on.

“I thought someone was getting the damn door…” he said but his voice soon trailed off as he came face to face with Roland Bones. I could read the epic look on his face to be that of shock and maybe fear.

“Haha my friend!” Roland greeted loudly with his usual fake humor, “Did Carr-la teach you Italio?” he asked as if waiting for an answer but none came in return, so he continued speaking regardless.

“Non ci vediamo da tanto tempo, bello.”