Chapter Four

Lunch was a bit awkward and quiet. It felt like I was the elephant in the room while everyone communicated with their eyes, excluding me in their weird conversation. If it wasn’t the exchange of glances it was the clearing of the throat that got me feeling like jumping out of my skin.

I knew the peculiar looks were directed at me, but it did not register in my mind that they were doing all of that because of how much I was stuffing my face. I wasn’t eating like a hog or anything, I just kept dishing, and eating and dishing and eating. It was not my intention to make everybody uncomfortable by eating like I had been starved, but I couldn’t help it. It had been ages since I’d eaten food this good, and Ma only ever took us out to eat at a restaurant once a year; on my birthday. But here it felt like every day was Ken’s birthday. What a luxury.

“We will bury your mother on Monday.” Aunt Courtney abruptly announced over the light clicking of cutlery and crockery.

It was probably not a good idea to convey bad news over lunch when someone was about swallowing their food. I was gagging and coughing profusely after the food went down the wrong pipe. My eyes burned with unshed tears as I grabbed my glass of water to defuse the irritation on my throat. Ken was already beside me, patting my back and asking me if I was ok. My throat was too sore for me to answer, which only left my head to do the nodding when I finally managed to get the food out.

“What did you say?” I dared to ask, hoping what she said was just a slip of the tongue I could excuse as an error.

Ken’s mother casually picked up her wine glass and gently placed it on her lips. Her other hand absentmindedly tapped the table, then her fingers rubbed her perfectly manicured fingernails. The neon orange of her nails were a direct contrast to the dark green of the dining table décor, making them noticeably stick out.

“There is no other way to do this, Hermione. There is just so much happening that you don’t know.” She gingerly placed the wineglass back down after a brief sip.

“Then tell me. I would like to know what made you come up with such a decision. She’s my mother, but she has relatives that would like to know if she is alive or d-”

“Unfortunately that is not how things work around her!” Aunt Courtney seethed while giving me a look that would’ve sent me to the morgue next to my mother’s body if it shot bullets.

“Bumblebee.” Michael started. His soothing voice was meant to calm the atmosphere however I did not see that working. “What Courtney meant was that there are some things that cannot be let out. The less you know the better.”

“What are you people not telling me?” I asked breathlessly. The duo exchanged a look and I was now getting vexed at that deliberate eye communication. “Grandma-”

“Don’t!” Aunt Courtney snapped, her eyes threateningly bulged out of their sockets. “Don’t mention that woman.”

It was no news that Aunt Courtney despised her own mother, especially because of the bad childhood she and my mother went through in the hands of Grandma. Grandma really knows how to leave a mark in people’s lives. Whether figurative or literal.

My damn tears were back. I suddenly lost my appetite as a lump, the size of a golf ball, grew and occupied the little space in my throat. Ken hugged me to his chest and was saying things my mind could not fathom, but I was sure he was trying to reassuring me that everything was going to be alright.

No. Nothing was going to be alright from here henceforth. Why couldn’t he see that pieces of my life were shedding off one by one before it could eventually crumble and be reduced to dust. It has been at the brink of a disaster for months, but I was too preoccupied to take action. Now that I had been hit, it was only natural that more terrible things come crashing down on me. I don’t think I’ve ever actually had some rest, or a little bit of peace in my life. Drama, after drama has followed me around like stubborn flies after decomposing corpse.

Aunt Courtney pushed back her chair with a harsh peremptoriness, startling us all. With her plate of half eaten food and her wine glass in her hands, she marched towards the kitchen.

I harshly shook Ken off me and ran upstairs towards my room. Coming here was pointless and a big mistake. This lady wants to ruin my life without any reason. If she wasn’t going to say anything then I had to start my own investigation. 

…and to properly investigate, I would need some supplies; a laptop, and lots of money to waste.

I did not go down for dinner. I was still too upset at Ken’s mother for what she said. I was not going down without a fight. My mother would not approve of this, but I needed answers, and the shower was one place that could help me think.

I did not know how long I was in there for. Feeling the warm splash hit my face and sink into the strands of my ginger locks, then drew wavy lines on my delicate, pale skin before finally joining the puddle beneath my feet and disappearing down the drain. My eyes were closed. I was enjoying the steamy air opening my pores and relaxing my tight muscles. This was therapeutic and soothing. Although I wish It could wash away all my pain and guilt.

“Hermione!” I heard Ken call. Wherever my mind was it was dragged back to reality. “You in there?”

“Yeah, I’ll be out in a minute.” I shouted back.

Well, that was short-lived. I got out of the shower with a towel on and thankfully Ken wasn’t around. I quickly wore the maroon silk pajama that looked a lot like what Aunt Courtney would wear, and got cozy in my bed.

A knock on the door followed by Ken entering my room, carrying a tray of food was what got me sitting up on my bed.

I couldn’t get angry at Ken. He was just too sweet, and played the big brother role perfectly well. I needed his help after all. He knew stuff that he wasn’t telling, so it was either we worked together or I work alone.

“I figured you would be hungry.” He said, placing the tray on my lap before sitting on my bed.

 I gave him a warm smile. And turned to the food. “What do you know about Grandma?” I asked Ken.

This was going to be an interview to see if he was as trustworthy as I thought he was. 

“Not much, just that she was obsessed with Sofia, her grandmother’s sister.” Ken started, and I put a spoonful of the lasagna in my mouth. “She wanted to be just like her and would side with her over her own mother no matter the situation. Grandma was about 16 when she ran away from home only to be found in Sofia’s house. She would tell the people she was Sofia’s daughter and would always try her hardest to be better than Sofia’s own children.”

“How did Sofia feel about everything?” I questioned.

“She adored Grandma. Those two were oddly close, one would think their attachment was not limited to just mother and daughter relationship.”

“Wait, are you saying that Grandma Mabel and Great Great grandmother Sofia had an affair?” I frowned. I knew Grandma to be many things, but not lesbian or interested in elderly women. From the few times I’ve seen her she looked more interested in men.

“I’m not too sure but whatever relationship they had it was suspicious. Dark.” Ken concluded and that got me thinking. At least I managed to get something from Ken, he could be of good use after all.

“Why do you ask this about Grandma?”

“I want to know if there is a connection between Grandma and my mother that I do not know about.” I told Ken.

“You think Grandma killed your mom?” Ken raised his eyebrows. I was a little surprised as well. This made more sense in my head, but now saying it out loud sounded strange.

“I don’t know yet. I need to investigate this.” I told him before stuffing my face again, and staring at him expectantly.

“Fine, I guess you want my help.” He said then smiled. That contagious smile got me responding to its effects.

“Yeah, I do. Only if you are willing to.”

I finished eating the last spoon and swatted away the spilt mess from my bed.

“Anyways, mom says you will start school on Tuesday. She already spoke to my principle and arranged a meeting with her to discuss your academics. Tomorrow you and I are going shopping.” Ken informed me before leaving my room.

I nodded and sighed. Changing schools again. I should be awarded for breaking a record.

“It’s all on you.” A voice echoed into my left ear. The sound ringed and buzzed my senses to life. I snapped my neck to the left and my eyes immediately got busy scanning my surrounds for the person that whispered that, but found no one. I was in an abandoned corridor of a strange looking building and the lights were out, making it even more difficult to identify where I was. The building had been damaged, like there was a break in and the ones responsible made sure to destroy every inch of it. The ceiling, the floor and the walls were not spared.

“It was all your fault.” That voice said, this time disturbing my right ear. My head shot to the right, unfortunately, receiving the same results. That voice sounded familiar though, but I couldn’t put my finger on it.

“Who are you?” My shaky voice shouted in the cold, dark empty hall. The silence that followed was quite eerie that it made my stomach turn. I moved down the hall slowly. My body temperature rose up a notch whilst my heart hit against my ribcage repeatedly. Each hit becoming louder and harder than the last the closer I got to the end of the hall where a set of stair heading downstairs were located.

“What do you want from me?” I inquired again, but my voice held a very small amount of courage to defend myself against the unseen.

“You did it to her!” The voice responded and that’s when it clicked. The soft tone of that voice and that mild Mexican accent could only be described as mine. I was in a battle against myself, but how?

“She wouldn’t have died if you had acted fast.” The voice claimed in my left ear.

I looked like an idiot, turning left and right trying to find where the voice was coming from. It was evident the person this voice was referring to was mom.

“I was not responsible for what happened to her!” I barked.

“It was all on you.” My voice shot back.

“I had nothing to do with her death.”

“If you cared less about yourself and more about her, she would still be alive by now!”

“It wasn’t me!” I tried to reason, but the voice was too adamant. My tears had already formed a stream on my face. I was not sure if being blamed for what happened to my mother was worse than what happened to her.  

“It was your fault, just the same way it was your fault with what happened to Ken!”

“NO! Stop it!” I pleaded desperately. My hands pressed my ears, trying to shut out her hurtful words… my hurtful words.

“Courtney did not want you anywhere near her son after that!”

“Shut up!” I yelled, while bawling my eyes out. This voice was taunting me. It was too much to take. Everything that happened in the past should be buried and forgotten. I’m not that girl anymore. All that happened was a mistake that I cannot take back!

“You cannot control it.” The voice continued. “Courtney is afraid of you. She does not want you in her house. You know what will happen once you lose your temper.”

“Stop please. I’m not like that anymore.” I tried to convince her, but my attempts were disregarded.

“It was all your fault, Hermione. ALL YOUR FAULT!” The voice accused. My throat erupted with a loud shriek. All the pain, anger, regret, frustration, stress and sadness got released through that loud scream like a heatwave slamming a village in the desert.

Out of nowhere a majestic, creature with laser green eyes jumped at me from the broken staircase I was facing. Its fangs were like large yellow spikes ready to tear its victims flesh. The fur was silk, bushy and raven in color, and the claws were the size of my face.

 Horrified, I could only use my shaky arms to block my face, hoping it will not hurt me. Apart from the loud growl, I did not feel the impact.

I jolted from my pillow looking like a mess. My eyes darted everywhere at once and I was a little confused of my surrounds until I remembered where I was. My palpitating heart wouldn’t stop hurting my chest and fat beads of sweat traced down my temple in wobbly lines. My hands fisted the sheet as I took my time to take deep measured breaths.

It was just a dream. None of it was real.

Except for one thing. That thing!

Seeing the moon glow and blush as the constellation of stars adored and praised it, it was evident that it might still be midnight. I tossed the bedsheets away and got out of bed.

Mom used to give me milk or warm water to drink every time I had a bad dream. But she isn’t here to do so. She would’ve been the first to bolt from her bedroom and barge into mine whenever I screamed from a nightmare. Then she would hum a tune of a song I still hadn’t figured out the name whilst cuddling me. It was calming and would put me right back to sleep.

I got to the kitchen and opened the fridge for milk. My eyes froze on a casserole and my throat instantly dried in response.

I’m sure Aunt Courtney wouldn’t mind if I took some of the left over lasagna. I pulled out a saucer and dished a huge portion of the delicious lasagna. Then warmed a glass of milk in the microwave before making my way down the hall.

I found myself in the library Ken showed me, and placed my food on the study table at the corner of the room. That book Ken showed me last time should have some of the answers about that thing I saw. I do not know why I am the one it chose to disturb.

I found the book and turned to the page without wasting any time. The bad side about this was that none of it was in English and Ken was the only one that could translate this. The good side was that I could properly examine the creature without it jumping at me. I stuffed my mouth with a spoonful of lasagna and carefully stared at the creature. For some odd reason it looked like it was changing the more I stared at it.  It was a beastly creature, standing on two legs and baring the fangs I saw in my dreams. Its demeanor was hostile and blood thirsty. Then it slowly changed and looked less vicious. It resembled something like a dog. It was jet-black, not baring fangs, small claws, but it did not seem any less harmful either.

It was… a wolf. A werewolf! I was a damn werewolf!

Once again, I choked on my meal.