The hybrid: Medusa’s eyes

Chapter 2

“ The color of your blood.” I opened my eyes to see Andre standing with a paddle.

“ Hi, Andre....” Silas said has Andre raised the paddle and whacked him on the head. He fell to the side.

“ Help me up.” I raised a hand to him which he ignored.

Andre walked over to Silas and threw him over his shoulder as if he weighed nothing and walked into the farm. I stood up, dusted my dress, and straightened my blouse. Andre and Old Reece, Silas's father walked out of the farm and headed straight to me.

“ Miss Brittany, it’s good to see you again. And I apologize for my son’s behavior. I hope you were not hurt?” Old Reece asked as he got to me.

“ No, I am fine. Thanks to Andre.” I adjusted my sunglasses.

“ We will be leaving now, Reece,” Andre said, with a scowl on his face.

“ Sorry for the trouble, Andre. Don’t forget, time is of the essence now.” Old Reece said as he went into the farm. I looked at Andre inquisitively but he scowled at me instead and I kept my mouth shut.

“ Hmm, are you angry?” I asked nervously.

“ Let’s go home.” I pushed the bike towards the street as we walked home.

“ Are you angry, Andre?” I asked as we got home. He took the bike from me and chained it to the porch. He held the door open as I walked in.

“ Am I angry? You’ve flouted about every rule I have ever set for you!” He yelled. It was the first time I ever heard him use that tone on anyone.

“ But I deserve to know some things, I am entitled to a life of my own. You can’t tell me what to do, I am old enough to make my own decisions.” I yelled back at him.

“ Go to your room now, Brittany. Don’t come down until I tell you so.” He ordered pointing upstairs.

“ No, I won’t. I am 19 not 12, you can’t just order me around.”

“ You keep saying that but you act like a 12-year-old!”

“ Can’t I know the stories about my parents? About my birth? You can’t tell me but when I go out to uncover them, you scream at me.” I stomped my feet angrily and sat on the couch defiantly.

“ Brittany, please...”

“ What happened to Old Josie? Did you hear the words he was saying?”

“ It was just meaningless ramblings. Please go to your room, I am bringing a guest over. You will eat supper in your room.” He said exasperated and walked into the kitchen.

I buried my face in my palms and took a deep breath before going to my room upstairs, unlike what people thought, Andre and I slept in different rooms all our time together. I laid on my bed for a while, then fell into a deep slumber.

I woke up sometime in the evening to sounds of giggles from downstairs, I stood to stretch my arms when I saw my supper on the drawer and a note under it.

It read:

Stay in your room. Please.

My bedroom window overlooks the front yard so when the front door opened, Andre’s conversation with his mystery guest flitted in. I went to the balcony and hid by the large vase, looking down at them. It was Daphne, the daughter of Lord Calpas of Third Street.

“ Oh, Andre.” She laughed heartily as she stepped down the porch with Andre.

“ But I am right, isn’t it?” They both laughed. It was nice to hear his laughter again, it was broad and throaty. I made the mistake of shifting a bit and Daphne looked up curiously then smiled. Andre did not notice a thing.

“ You know Andre...” She moved closer and flicked some imaginary dirt from his shirt. “ I don’t know what you are doing with that brat but it’s time to show me you love me.” She looked at the balcony again, smiling.

“ I don’t like rushing things, Daphne.”

“ My Father doesn’t like to wait Andre and you know what happens to people who displease him.” She leaned in closer and flicked her tongue in his ear, he didn’t flinch away from her touch instead he drew her closer.

“ I know, Daphne.” She suddenly pulled away with a scowl on her face.

“ It’s not uncommon to break up your betrothal, you’ve been promising to do that for a year now. I am beginning to wonder what is so special about her.” She said clenching her fists tightly.

“ I can’t just let her go, Daphne. It’s more complicated than that. I promised her father to look after her, I don’t have to fulfil the betrothal but I need to keep my promise.”

“She can live here when you move into Third Street. I can’t wait any longer, Andre. I will be expecting your message in two days, by the evening of the last day if I do not get an answer from you. Someone’s head will be on the stone and I will make sure it is hers!.” She threatened and stomped towards her carriage.

I heard the horses neigh and gallop away, Andre stood for a while and went back inside. I quickly went back in and closed the window, fuming angrily. I lay in bed and waited for Andre to go to his bedroom. After a while of waiting, I got up and went downstairs to confront him. He was by the sink doing the dishes, he glanced up at me and looked away.

“ Care to explain while Daphne was here?” I asked, standing beside the counter and picking a cherry from the bowl, popping it in my mouth loudly.

“ That is none of your business.” He replied. I walked up to him and removed my glasses. He wouldn’t look in my eyes. “ Put those back on.”

“ Why will I listen to you?” I demanded as I placed my glasses on the counter. “ You’ve been lying to me about our betrothal, about everything, you said you would marry me when I turned 19 but you didn’t. Now you are going to break it up and marry stupid Daphne?” I raged.

“ You don’t understand...” He sighed in frustration.

“ Explain to me then. I get that I am a burden to you, you are unable to enjoy your life because of me but I thought we enjoyed each other’s company.” I broke down in tears. “ I love you, Andre. I thought after all these years of showing that you might reciprocate.”

“ Go to sleep, Brittany. We will talk in the morning, we are both too tired for this conversation.” He washed his hands and went upstairs.

I sat on the kitchen floor and wept until my eyes were so heavy that I couldn’t open them properly, I went up to my room and slept off. When I woke up the next morning, I was well-rested and clear-headed. I took a long soak in the bath and wept again, I dressed up and went downstairs. The kettle was sizzling when I walked into the kitchen, I sat at the table as Andre served my breakfast. I ate quietly and stood up to leave.

“ Brittany...” I looked back.

“ Yes?” I waited for an explanation.

“ Your glasses.” He tossed the glasses to me and turned away. I stood in the spot for a while, wanting to cry but my eyes were still heavy.

“ I am leaving, Andre,” I announced. He swung his neck in my direction so fast that I thought I heard a bone crack.

“ What did you say?” He asked alarmed.

“ I can’t stay here any longer, I am breaking the betrothal,” I said as I broke the necklace and threw it at him, we both clutched our chests as a brief pain surged through our hearts as I did that.

“ Alright.” I looked up in shock but quickly masked it. “ You are old enough to make your own decisions, Brittany. Just remember, you will always have a home here.”

“ Thank you.” I looked at him tearily and went back to my room.

I brought out my satchel from the closet and started folding my clothes into it. I packed the shoes I had and my flip flop, I was done in about fifteen minutes, and I took my new waist satchel and emptied my savings box. The money wasn’t much since I had been spending them on looking for my parents but it was enough to start a new life somewhere else. I tied the satchel around my waist and stuffed it in my skirt. I looked around one more time with nostalgia and walked out of the room, I held my head high as I spotted Andre at the foot of the stairs, waiting with a small bag in his hand.

“ This is for you, it’s something your parents will want you to have.” He handed the bag over. I slung it over my shoulders.

“ Goodbye, Andre.” There was a moment of brief hesitation and since he was standing in my way, I had to stay rooted to the spot. Then he moved away from the doorway.

“ Goodbye, Brittany.” And with that, I walked out of the house and down the street. I felt him looking at me as I walked away but I didn’t turn back, he wanted Daphne and I was the third wheel. I didn’t know where I was going yet but I had faith that I would get there, I just had to see someone first. I turned into First Street.