LOOP "does the death end?"

NEW YORK'S HOTCAKE

Nothing like a beautiful Sunday morning, the sun's warmth, cool morning breeze, the chirping sound of the birds and the wonderful melody of the screams of my neighbor beating up his wife. I mean, who needs an alarm these days?

It is not easy being a mixed black kid in Queens, a hood for black people on white land. I can't even be racist if I want to be. Well it's Sunday morning and with my dad {who is black} out to get the milk, I guess God o'clock is going to take a while {not that I find churches boring or anything}. The smell of pancakes and eggs from the kitchen got me off my bed, took a shower and brushed my teeth just so I could help with the chores. A man has to look good because the ladies come around {dreams can come true you know}.

On my way to the kitchen, I saw an actual female on my couch, one with flesh and bones {and no, not my mum}. What in the olympian goddess did I just see? Is it even legal to have your skin glow that much??? I kept staring at her perfectly lined lips, neatly braided hair, mildly gapped teeth, hazel eyes and thick curvy thighs {don't look at me that way, a 17-year-old should have his taste}. Back to the lady, I told myself I definitely would text Aphrodite tonight, so I said to myself.

"Go get her tiger, what's the worst that could happen?"

{P. S don't ever say that}. Walking to her like a mobile book of rizz, there was no way she would resist my charms.

"Theo! Have you seen your aunt? I didn't tell you she was coming over today, you guys should blend in fine" screamed my mum, Mellissa.

"Oh, and do not forget to be nice to her, she is probably tired" she said.

Wait what!!!!! I was one step away from thinking about bending my aunt and now I have to just blend in??? Maybe the seminary isn't such a bad idea because my luck with women is pretty shitty. Father Theodore, doesn't sound as good as DADDY, but it's something. I had to go say hi to my aunt. I walked up to her acting like I didn't just spend the last 10 mins rehearsing how I'd get her number. Remember to chin up Theo,

"Hi, I like your brown"

Shit did I just say that? I suddenly wish I was my neighbours wife right now, because a few punches to the face would really make me forget what I just said.

"Uhm thank you, I'm Catherine" said miss goddess,

More like Circe, bewitching future priests like myself.

"It's okay to be nervous, I don't bite" Catherine said,

{Oh how I wish you did},

"So you are like my dad's sister?" I asked,

"Well half sister" Catherine replied,

I was tempted to ask about my dad, but I made myself believe he would come home some day to give an explanation for leaving us behind. I mean, you can't be more delusional than that.

"Are you going to keep staring or are you going to tell me about yourself?" she said,

"You seem pretty used to the stares" I mumbled,

With a pretty smile she said" I have been called New York's hot cake for a reason."

I didnt know what was more shocking, the fact that she actually has that nickname or the fact that the conversation was this long.

I know what you must be thinking,

"He must be ugly or a nerd?",

Well I wouldn't blame you for having such image of me, not everyone remembers to add skinny when describing me,

"Mixed black ugly skinny nerd for president"

Has a nice touch to it. The only good trait I have is the fact that I am quite tall with ocean blue eyes {That should count as something}. My mum walked out of the kitchen,

"Breakfast is ready, you can continue your conversation on the table" she said,

Speak of table ethics. We got to the dining table and I saw my mother setting things up, with her blonde hair moving in the direction of the wind and her perfectly structured nose and ocean blue eyes. It made me wonder how stupid my dad would have been to leave such a fragile and beautiful woman all by herself for this long. Sometimes I feel I have to give the old man some lessons on how to treat a woman properly.

After all the chit and chatter on the table as we had breakfast, my mum started a conversation with both of us.

"So Catherine, how was your trip?" she asked.

"I wouldn't call it a trip since i stay in New York too" Catherine replied

"You stay in New York?" I asked

"Where do you think the nickname came from smartass?" Catherine smirked.

"So how the hell havent I seen you before?" I asked

"You actually have to go out of queens to see the other part of New York" Catherine replied

Well, I guess sarcasm runs in the family, and I must admit, it did make me smile a little. Speaking of smiling, my mother couldn't stop smiling at the both of us while we bicker over the fact that she stays in New York. For some reason it felt weird, don't do that mum, you make me look like a creep, and adding creepy to my noticeable traits doesn't exactly sound like something I would like.

"Anyways, Catherine, we are glad to have you join us" my mum said.

"Thanks Mellissa, we are family, so it shouldn't be such a big deal", Catherine said.

Having a girl my age call my mother by her name felt wrong in every way possible, that is a death sentence in my books.

"Why did you come around ..... aunt" I said uncomfortably

"Don't make me feel old, sheesh" Catherine said

"So just Catherine then?" I asked

"I wouldn't want it any way else" she replied

"Anyways I have been living alone for a while now, since my mother died" she said with a sad look

"I am so so-"

"Don't do that Theo, I am miserable enough" she said

"How have you been surviving all these while?" my mum asked

"I am guessing she has a rich boyfriend" I chuckled

"Young man what nonsense does your brain work on?" my mother scolded

"Don't mind his insensitivity darling" she said

"It's alright Mellissa, not everyone can be reasonable" Catherine said

{Why am I the bad guy here? I tried lifting the mood with a good joke}

"Why don't you tell us your story.... that is if you dont mind" my mum said

"Well my brother rarely came around when I was kid, and considering the age gap, I figured he had more pressing matters than babysitting his little sister, he had you guys to take care of, a family and a life outside mine. I ended up being a needy kid with just her mum to serve as a guardian, well I did more of the guarding considering how much she worshipped cocaine" Catherine said

"Was it the drugs that killed her?" I asked

"I am guessing if it went down that way I would have preferred it" Catherine said

She takes a gulp from her fruit juice then she continued

"What killed her is not something I can explain, it happened all too fast for me to see, all I remember was seeing a man eating my mum's lifeless body, with blood on the floor, the moment he saw me he ran out the window. I did not know what to do, my survival instincts kicked in and my first response was to run. I ran as far as I could and hid next to a dumpster a few blocks away. It was 3am and I had nowhere to go" Catherine sobbed as she explained

"Was this recent? we could report to the police" my mum suggested

"It happened 3 years ago, I was 15 and I already tried the police. I walked back home by dawn but i couldn't find my mum's body, no blood, no sign of struggle, what do you think the police would think, seeing the scene that way?" Catherine asked

"That you lied or you are delusional?" I replied

"Not exactly, they took the case as a missing person's case,but I knew my mum was long gone and definitely not whole" she said as she took another gulp of juice

"I began hearing things about me going to child service, well I knew I wasn't cut out for it so I ran away, at this point I think I should have considered the olympics. I got to a tea shop miles away from home and I met a nice man, he decided to take me in after I told him I was homeless, his name was Frank. Frank saw me through my days in school and took care of me like his child, but of course hecouldn't fill the gap in me, he wasnt even close to filling it" she said

"Frank must have really taken care of you, considering how good looking you turned out to be" I said

"Well he sure did, I resumed at a different highschool and met new people, kinda needed to get my mind off things and what other way to do that than to get people's minds revolving around you? I focused more on my looks and before I knew it I became the talk of school with a new nickname NEW YORK'S HOTCAKE" she said

I was about to give a flirty reply but I realised how calm my mother had been all through the conversation

"Mom? are you good? oyu have been quite for a while now" I asked

"Yes darling, just a bit nauseous and I think I have a slight headache" my mum replied

"It's really been tough on you all these while, I am sorry I haven't been in touch with you ever since Steve-" she took a deep breathe

Who is Steve? That is the best unavailable father in the world and talking about him is quite sensitive for my mum. You may think I hate him but no, I just like to believe he doesnt exist. You don't want daddy issues, you get the daddy out of the way. I really should start therapy.

"So does Frank know you are here?" my mum asked Catherine

"A dead man knows no tale". Catherine replied

"I almost thought you were trying to say he is dead" I chuckled

"You are not so dull afterall" she replied

"What the f**k?" I said

"No curse words in this house mister, I will not repeat it again" my mum said

"Darling, you have nowhere to go don't you?" she asked

"I don't, so I was hoping I-" Catherine replied

"You are free to stay here for as long as you want, I need some more family to keep me company" my mum said,

"I promise to move out as soon as I make enough to get a home of my own" Catherine said

The idea of my extremely hot aunt living with me is great and all, but aren't we forgetting something important here?

"Uhm sorry to break your invitation, but aren't we supposed to ask what killed Frank?" I asked.

"He was eaten by the same man" Catherine replied

"Mum I can help kick her out". I said to my mother

"You would do no such thing. She is family, we protect each other" my mum said

"I am not letting anyone or anything endanger this family" my tone started to get louder

"I know you are the man of the house now darling, and I know you want to look out for your family, but you have to remember that she is also family", my mum said

"Let's say she stays, and we protect her from the boogeyman. Can someone explain why she is so calm?" I said as calmly as possible { which obviously sounded like I held a megaphone}.

"It's alright if you don't want me here, Theo, I wouldn't want me either. Regarding how I remain calm, I have been running all my life. Well, for the most important part of it, do you think there is an emotion I am yet to feel?? I have felt so much that I am basically numb, I have felt fear, I have felt anxiety, and trust me, you wouldn't want to feel the pain I have felt", Catherine said.

I definitely do not want to be eaten, and I can't be on a serial killer's leisure list, but leaving her alone is not in my prince charming guidelines. I dont mind if she is a damsel in distress, what's the worse that could happen aside being eaten by a friendly neighborhood serial killer?'

"Fine she can stay, but we have to report to the police, and we will definitely live carefully till this serial killer is caught" I said.

Suddenly I decided to try to be Theo Holmes, probably asking a few questions could help, I mean that's how it works in the movies

"Any idea who may be targeting you?" I asked

"If I had an idea I would have killed the person myself" Catherine said

Pretty and dangerous, just how I like my women {focus Theo}

"How about patterns?" I asked

"There is nothing Theo nothing" She said with a shaky voice

"Alright, thats enough, Catherine darling, come with me, I'd show you your room" my mum said

Catherine stood up with my mum and they both got up the stairs. I cleared the dinning table and had to go do the dishes, a little something to take my mind off the fact that I could be attacked by a cannibal at any moment, but I couldn't help but ask myself why the attacker never harmed Catherine. Was it an obsessed stalker? A crazy ex? A possesive next? I just didn't get it.

It reminds me of a time I watched a movie where there was a psychotic neighbor who killed every male visitor a woman had, sheesh that was some scary shit

Anyway, I decided to go do my regular day-to-day chores, and to make myself useful, so my mum doesn't come screaming at me { you would honestly think she is the black canary}. I tried to stop thinking about the whole conversation, but what could I The possibly do? The best I could do was involve the police, but from what Catherine said, there is no point in doing that.

What if the cannibal was a police officer? But why target Catherine twice? She seems harmless, well physically, and besides she is still a kid, she might be 18, but the killings started way before she turned 18. It made me wonder how I was going to protect both of them, I mean, I can barely protect myself {I knew I should have taken the taekwondo classes at 5th grade}.

Well, there is no point thinking about it now. Once I finished the chores, I went up to my room to play NBA2K23 on console { I had to do something normal at least }. I got on my bed, picked up my gaming headset, played my favorite Kendrick Lamar's playlist and played my game. While playing my game, I lost track of time and realized it was pretty late already, not dark but past noon.

"Mum?? You guys good? Been awfully quiet here" I shouted.

Why is the house so quiet? I looked out the window and for a moment I could swear I saw someone standing and staring at our house. Well, I couldnt see the face, but the long black leather jacket and cap was pretty hard to miss. My alarm rang and for a second I was distracted. The moment I turned towards the window, and you guessed right, the man was gone. I probably wasn't in the right state of mind, or it could be too much TV time. I heard that was a bad thing.

I suddenly realized that my mum had not replied me. I do not do well with anxiety, so I decide to call out again.

"Mum!!! Are you okay?" I shouted, again

After waiting for a reply and getting none, I decided to go check up on her. I walked up to her room, only to meet her crying on the floor with her head on her bed, and it broke me. I have seen my mum cry before but this time it was way different from what I normally see. She looked like a walking mess. Picture Monalisa drawn with the left hand of a right-handed kid, but she is still the prettiest mum in the world {just if she sees this}.

"Hey beautiful, what's wrong?" I said, trying to get her to smile.

She notices me and tries to hide her tears.

"Don't do that mum, we are past this already. Let yourself be vulnerable with me" I said

I sat on her bed and placed her head on my thighs while I gave her head pats

"Theo, have you ever wondered why I never let you speak ill of your father?" she asked.

I always try to avoid any conversation about my old man. It has always been a touchy subject.

"No mum, I have never been that curious" I replied.

" That is a trait I really wished you had taken from your father" she said

"Remember the conversation we had earlier with your aunt?" she asked.

"Of course, it's pretty hard to forget, definitely not your everyday family conversation" I replied.

"Good, do not forget it, and be careful, things will not always be this calm" she said.

"Okayyy, but how does this relate to dad?" I felt a lump in my throat as I asked

"Your father ......" she fainted.

"Mum!!!!! Catherine ,water, fast" I screamed.