NOVEL SIMPLE Chapter 1.4
Vick's words seemed reasonable. So far, the Baines had treated me quite well, and while I couldn't trust them fully, it was better than jumping into the unknown with "my family".
"Okay, you are right," I told her, making her worried expression relax, "I'll come back with you, but I wanna get some things from here first."
I turned back to "my mother", "Thanks for the, uh, offer, but I think I'm going to stay with them for the moment." Something I couldn't identify flashed through her eyes after I said that, gone the next moment. "But I'm definitely planning on coming here again and we can talk in more detail. I know that you probably really want me to stay now, but now is, um, not a good moment, you know? So, well, if you want you can give me your contact and we can arrange when I'll come again." I then remembered that I didn't have my phone with me and it was probably confiscated by the police. "Vick can you lend me your phone? I forgot I don't have my phone."
"Oh, you are breaking my heart, Avey…" she said, her face twisting with unbearable grief, "You can't do this to us. Your sisters and I were so worried after you disappeared and now you come back and you chose a friend over your family…"
Vick spoke up, "Look, we have to go. Are you gonna give him your contact or not?" She extended her hand with the phone to my mother.
"Yes, I will," she said, picking up Vick's high end phone and typing something in it, "I- I just can't believe my son loves me so little...."
"It's not that I don't love you, but I am really confused at the moment and I want to take things slow." I paused, because I didn't really know how to deal with this awkward situation. "I, uh, would like to ask if I you could bring some of my clothes from my room, so that I have something okay to wear for the next few days."
My mother smiled, "Oh, you are more than welcome to take as much as you need, as if I could ever say no to my little Avey. But I think it would be best for you to get them, since you used to complain that the clothes I used to buy for you were too embarrassing."
"Okay," I answered, "Vick would you like to come with me?" I asked her that knowing that she would say yes. She wouldn't leave me alone.
"You are making a mistake." Vick hissed in my ear, low so that my mother couldn't hear. "I can just buy you the clothes tomorrow. Lets just go!"
While Vick wanted to play it safe, I still felt the need to check the place out. I could do it tomorrow, but by then "my family" would be prepared, they'd know I was visiting and perhaps hide certain things. If I wanted to find clues the best time was now.
"It'll be fine." I told her, "I just want to check the place out. We'll be out soon, in and out."
The house was much different than what I remembered. The layout was still the same, but the decoration, colors, and even the level of disorder differed. It looked more like a house belonging to three bachelor men than three women.
My room should be the third one upstairs, at the end of the hallway. And, as we made our way there, a that looked similar to my younger sister, but taller, popped out.
"When's the pizza comi-" she said as she came out of her room, but froze when she saw me.
After a second of processing, she let out a happy yell and rushed me, "Brother!!! I knew you'd never leave me, that you'd come back!!!" She enveloped me in a crushing hug, but worse yet, she also enveloped my mouth in a fervent kiss. Her kiss was rough and needy, her wet tongue making a mess of the inside of my mouth.
I was so shocked and off guard that it took me a second to push her away. "What the fuck?!" I yelled, my voice annoyingly shrill.
My sister, Luci, looked confused as if she couldn't even understand what was wrong in this situation.
"Why the fuck did you do that?" I asked her, wiping my mouth, disgusted.
"T-that's how we used to s-say hello," she said, flinching, and shivering from my tone, "Um, w-why are you so a-angry, brother?"
"What the- how the- just what is wrong with you? You can't kiss your brother!" I told her, pissed beyond belief. "It's disgusting! Its wrong!"
"Um, but I, but we always did it. It's, ah, normal?"
"Let's just get the clothes and go. ," Vick told me, "I know crazy when I see it, believe me. You won't be able to convince her."
"Go?" Luci mumbled, having heard Vick. "Go? No…no no no NO! NOT AGAIN! BROTHER WON'T LEAVE, NOT THIS TIME!" she began screeching like a maniac, tearing her white hair and shaking her head. Her grey eyes gained a deranged glint.
Luci began walking towards me. "D-do you know what I had to g-go through after you left me alone with m-mom and big sis?! DO YOU?! You were my only light and you left me s-stranded in darkness! I don't wanna be a-alone again!"
I kept backing away, but Vick had a different idea, "Get away from him, you freak!" she snarled, giving Luci a roundhouse kick on the face.
Luci sprawled down on the ground and clutched her bleeding face. But instead of giving up, she shakily stood back up again. "I…won't…let… you…go…" she muttered and dashed again in our direction.
I expected Vick to hit her again, but Luci raised one hand and pointed it at her.
Slowly, unwillingly, Vick's arms began raising towards her neck. Then Luci closed her fist tight, which in turn made Vick's hands wrap around her neck, choking her.
Apparently Luci had powers in this reality and she was using them to make Vick choke herself.
Vick was struggling for air now. It'd be a matter of time till she ran out.