BACK TO GRANDMA

The cold morning breeze swept across his face as he struggled to raise his eye lids. The nightmares were here again. This time around he saw Grace and Derrick laughing maniacally as they chased after him from behind.

"No... No... No!!!!! No!!!!!"  He screamed and woke up panting heavily. He looked around the room fearfully and noticed he was in a strange place.

"Hey... Are you ok?"  He heard a lady's voice converging the room. The room was bright with the lights from the sun penetrating from the windows. She walked Into the room dressed in a black nightie and he flinched on sighting her.

"Hey. .. Don't be scared…" She said as she approached him on the bed.

"Where I'm...I'm..I?" He asked fearfully as he continued looking around the room.

"You're safe with me..I've succeeded in reaching your grandma and she's on her way here" she replied with a warm smile.

On hearing that, his nerves relaxed and he exhaled deeply. His body ached badly and his lips were sore and swollen. He held on to the blanket covering his unclad Chest.

"I'm Maryanne," she said with a warm smile while he nodded. She looked the same age with his mother, pretty, tall, with a cinnamon brown skin and dark straight hairs. Her accent was Spanish though her English were well spoken.

"I'll prepare a warm bath for you. I'll be back" she said before walking out.

After taking his bath, she prepared breakfast for him and he ate silently while she stared at him from the sofa.

"Gracias…"  He muttered to her and she smiled.

"Co'mo est'as?" (How are you) she asked in Spanish. He nodded slowly and turned to his meal.

She stood up from the sofa and sat beside him on the dinning after he finished his breakfast.

"I want to know about the bad woman…" She said and Eden flinched. He looked at her and saw the serious look on her face.

"Who was after your life?" She asked again

"Um...um…" He was trying to speak when a knock on the door interrupted him. She stood up and went to open the door.

"Holla," (hello), Granny Rodrigo greeted from the door.

"Buenos di'as" (good morning), the lady greeted

"Are you Mrs Maryanne?" The granny  asked

"Yes…" the lady replied

"I'm Rodrigo Samara, Eden's grandmother.The little boy with you.." Grandma tried to explain.

"Oh... Venir venir" (come in)... She ushered happily.

Eden rushed out of the dinning as soon as he heard his grandma's voice.

"Granny!!!" He exclaimed, running towards her, she lifted him up and they both began to sob.

"My son," she said passionately as she rubbed  his hair.

"Granny .. I miss you.." He cried.  "Please take me home I want to go with you" he added fearfully as he clung to his Grandma.

"Yes.. I'm taking you home already.." She cried and pecked his cheek. She turned to the lady who was smiling at them.

"Thanks ma'am, I'm grateful for your help.." Granny said to the lady who had been staring at them.

"You're welcome granny.. It's my pleasure," she replied with a smile.

"I will take him home now, his parents are on their way"  Granny said

"I don't wanna see them, please don't let them take me.." Eden cried.

"Hey Eden she's not taking you to them ok? You'll be fine with Granny,"  Maryanne assured

"Yes son, I won't let them take you.." Granny promised.

After sometime, they left for Granny's home. His parents arrived no sooner than they arrived home.

"Eden!"  His mother cried, rushing into the house. 

Eden shifted backwards and hid behind his granny as she approached him.

"Son, what came over you!" Emilio yelled at him.

He remained behind his granny as he stared at his parents with contempt.

  "Hey, you both should go easy on the boy, he's just a Child" Granny defended.

"I don't know if a demon has possessed him mom, he almost killed Derrick and now he bit Grace with his teeth almost tearing her skin off…" Emilia related with concern.

"We need to take him to see a priest.." Emilio said

"You're taking him nowhere.. You've both failed over this child and I'm keeping  him with me.." Granny refuted.

"Eden... Come over here now!!" Emilio yelled but he remained reluctant.

"Eden!! Are you ok? What's gotten over you.." Emilia yelled.

"Grandma I need to discipline  him right now.." Emilio said, trying to drag him from behind the granny.

"Let him be!,"  Granny protested, shoving his arms away.

"I want to know why he bit Grace in that manner, I want to know!!"  Emilio yelled.

"Ask her yourself.." Granny retorted

"She said she was bathing when Eden walked into the bathroom with a knife and tried to stab her. She struggled with him and he bit her so hard" Emilio related.

Eden flinched as he heard those words. Grace had lied to everyone, he thought. But he couldn't say a word. His parents were not worth telling the truth, and it's best he keeps this dirty secret with him for the rest of his life.

"Well, I guess he's no longer comfortable staying around you both. I'll keep him with me then.." The Granny insisted.

"It's fine mom, because he's getting dangerous with each passing day. let him stay with you.." Emilia suggested.

"Yes I think so.. Let him stay here with you we'll check on him from time to time.." Emilio added with a sigh of relief.

He felt so happy at those words, and he couldn't wait for them to leave. He loved his grandma more than his parents. But then he thought of Julius.

"Mother…"  He called to Emilia as she was about to leave the house.

"What?" She asked with a frown.

"Julius... Is he alright?" He asked shyly.

"Oh, you finally want to talk now. well, Julius and his mother left Mexico after his mother was diagnosed of a heart disease.  Theyflew back to Spain for a surgery, so I heard,"  Emilia replied.

His countenance changed at once. A tear escaped his eyes knowing he would never see Julius again. 

That night, as he slept beside his granny, he slept with peace of mind. With no Derrick neither Grace around him, he knew he was safe with his Granny and a new life had just begun.

But just when his life was about to take a new turn, the unexpected happened.