Dark Encounters

Chapter one; Introductions (continued)

I never knew my aunt, no one told me who she is, and has never once uttered her name. I’ve asked Kira a few times as she would be best to remember her, but she refuses to say anything.

Well, at least it didn’t totally go to waste. Kira looked up from hers and gave me a quizzical glance, she could sense what I had been thinking about. Her face then brightened, and she gave me a soft smile.

“You opened the wrong fooking case, you bast**d!” Larry yelled, I guess that his show wasn’t agreeing with him.

I turned back to Kira and asked, “why was Betty crying when you guys got home?”

I’d started stacking all the plates and cutlery into piles, ready to wash them.

“Betty wanted a packet of chocolates and father said that they’d rot little girls’ teeth. Betty yelled back and I suppose it just escalated from there.” She shrugged her shoulders, “ I wasn’t really paying any attention to them. After all I was the one driving.” She went back to eating her food and the magazine that she had been reading. Everything was quiet when I’d finally finished cleaning up the kitchen, well, not just me. Betty had helped in supervising.

Just what I needed, a supervisor.

After surveying the neatly cleaned kitchen I then decided to go outside for a breath of fresh air. I didn’t need to bother anyone as the kitchen sat right next to the front door.

As the first waves of cool air brushed my face, I had to admit that it felt good against my warm clammy skin. I took a deep breath in, and I could most certainly smell a hint of rain in the air.

I found myself searching the horizon and the bushland around the property for any signs of movement. So, I can prove to myself that what I’d been seeing was real, that I wasn’t going crazy.

The night lay unusually quiet and as the chill night air brushed against my skin, I felt it prickle. A wave of goosebumps appeared along my arms as I shivered.

When I closed my eyes, I could almost imagine a life far away from here, far away from my uncle and away from the dread that has settled within my gut.

My parents had taken me to England once, when I was barely even walking. I remember bits and pieces of it, a far away place on the other side of the world. One day, I would go back.

‘Let me out and I’ll take you away from here.’

I jumped at the soft voice that drifted through my mind and wondered if it’ll ever be possible to do it.

I felt, not heard, but felt movement stir behind me. Heavy footsteps came to a stop beside me, and I instantly knew who it was without looking.

“It’s a nice night to be out.” Larry said softly.

I didn’t have the need to turn to him, and i certainly wasn’t going to acknowledge him.

But he continued anyway, “ you remind me of your mother, how much you look and act like her.”

Even in the dark, I felt the smile in his words. He always has a smile for her.

I slowly turned around and faced him, my face expressionless. “If only you could be like her too.” I told him.

Larry’s smile vanished and I pushed past him and back into the house.