The Red to My Grey

by William Dudley Berridge Tuckey

“I went and saw Johnson; he wanted to show me something.”

  “Then what are these bruises all over you from?”

  “…I explored the house, Angel. I’m sorry.” I was well aware I was going to upset her, but I just couldn’t lie to her.

  “Oh yeah Sniffle. What did you see? Sniffle”She tried not to cry but it was too late for that.

  “Enough to know that I had to burn the place to the ground.”

  She hugged me and rubbed her face against my shirt to wipe away the tears.

  “I’m glad that you’re okay but I need some time to think; I’m going to stay in Celia’s room tonight.” With that said, I went to sleep alone that night to reflect on my actions and the significance they would have on what was yet to unfold. I woke up that morning to find breakfast was silent and the atmosphere of the room was filled with tension. Dad was never really one for these kinds of vibes and spoke up to get us talking.

  “So, how was yesterday you two? Enjoy yourselves?”

  “Yeah it was fun; Wade got me heaps of clothes and I got a job!” she said enthusiastically but I could tell it was just an act for sake of keeping my old man happy. He looked to me demandingly for my response, but he cut me off before I could even open my mouth.

  “And where did you go last night, Wade? You wouldn’t happen to have anything to do with that burning building the neighbours were gossiping about, would you?”

  “No, No, No I just saw Johnson last night and hung out for a bit, that’s all.”

  “Don’t you think that’s a bit irresponsible of you to leave your girlfriend all by herself in your room at night.” It may not sound dirty, but the cheeky look on his face hinted he was talking that way. It took a minute for Angel to get what he meant and her usually pale face went bright red; her act of bubbly confidence fell to nervous stuttering.

  “Sigh. Shut up, Dad.” The day had only just begun and I felt exhausted already.

  “If I’ve learnt anything from raising you kids it’s that you think you can take on the entire world by yourselves. I’m not entirely sure what’s going on but don’t think you can’t come to me if you need help.” He then looked to Celia; she darted her eyes to the floor with her arms crossed. He then looked to me as if he was trying to read my thoughts and I stared back with wide eyes only for Angel to kick me in the back of the knee underneath the table. I brought my attention back to my breakfast and the tension reasserted itself in the room, silence followed. Afterwards we got ready and headed out for the day. We met up with Johnson outside his house and he walked with us. He looked ravaged from last night; he fidgeted with his normally perfect tie while Angel curiously observed him. He then gave me a sly expression over his shoulder when she turned away to hold my hand.

  “She knows, Johnny,” I said bluntly.

  “Oh, in that case. How do you feel about our actions, Angel?”

  “Well…I’m scared. I’m scared you think I’m a monster, that I’m like my family, that deep down I’m no different from them.”

  I held her hand steady as it shook inside mine. We came to a standstill and Johnson rested his hand on top of her head. He smiled as he finally fixed his tie with one hand.

  “I have only an idea what they were like, but I believe there’s more good in you than anything else. I can see you’re just trying to get by like everyone else.” I found it surprising how well he could relate to her.

  “Thanks,” she said softly. She let go of my hand and walked just a bit out of my reach.

  We came to a corner where we would go our separate ways.

  “You’ll be okay to walk to the mall from here?” I asked her.

  “Yes, I’ll be fine.”

  “Alright. Angel, have a fun day at work and say hi to Em for me.” I hugged her before she stepped onto the road.

  “Thanks, Wade.” She kissed me on the cheek and went on her way. Johnson laughed at me as we kept walking.

  “What?”

  “I can see she’s uncomfortable with you now and you’re trying to make an effort instead of her. You’re a good man, Wade; she’ll come around eventually. She’s just in a difficult spot right now, I think us burning down the house left her no place to go back to if she ever feels out of place.”

  “That can’t seriously be all that place meant to her though, right?” I already knew what I wanted to hear but I couldn’t help but ask.

  “Well of course, but it’s not within our reach to know.”

  We ended the conversation when we arrived at work and our day began. The moment we stepped into the office however, both Johnson and I were called into Mr Smith’s office over the intercom. When we walked inside, we were greeted by him and Dan as well as Sabrina. Johnson was all the more curious with the two of them here, especially Sabrina.

  “Now, I called you all here to shed some light on things and come to an understanding.”

  “What sort of understanding?” Johnson asked defensively, which was odd due to how composed he normally was.

  “The truth. I wanted to keep all of this out of the workplace but all of us were involved. I feel it’s impossible not to be out with it.”

  “What’s he talking about?” Sabrina asked as she stared at both Johnson and I.

  “I’m talking about our night at that house and what has followed afterwards. I feel it’s unnecessary to keep all those who were there out of the loop.”

  “What aren’t you telling us, Rex?” Dan asked as he sat down on the desk.

  “No Rex, I’ll tell him. You’re right, they deserve to know,” I spoke sternly back into the conversation. The others stared at me, surprised in my display of confidence. “My girlfriend Angel, the one you’re all pretty familiar with. She was what we saw that night at the house. She followed me home and I’ve been with her ever since. As you can tell she’s no monster but she’s far from normal.” Sabrina just looked at me, I could see she was upset that I didn’t say anything to her but at the same time relieved. She probably had her suspicions already and I just answered any questions she might have had. Dan, however, used this opportunity to get back at me for yesterday.

  “Woah…Wade, why didn’t you tell me?” He shook me like I did to him and he couldn’t help but laugh.

  “You didn’t ask,” I gave him the same lousy answer he did to me.

  “Ahem. It comes to my understanding that very same house where you met Angel burnt to the ground last night and I’m more than certain you as well as Johnson were involved,” Rex was persistent as ever to get information to make sense of the situation. Johnson spoke this time since he had been investigating the house.

  “In my time at the house over the course of last week, I found the place to be dangerous, a home to a family of psychopaths responsible for the city’s violent past some odd ten years ago. Wade and I had seen enough, it wasn’t until our lives became threatened by what lurked within, did we decide to scorch the place to ashes.” But then suddenly, Slap! Johnson’s head jerked to the side and Sabrina’s bracelet jingled on the wrist of the hand she slapped him with. She frowned at him while he stood there with a red mark on his face not saying a word.

  “Damn it, Johnny! I know you’re strong enough to do anything by yourself. But that doesn’t mean you should! You’re always like this. Doing everything, never taking time to see how it could affect those that love you!” The office went quiet as if we were waiting for his response. She had swallowed her pride and was open for once about how she really felt, which made Johnson happy even under the circumstances.

  “There has never been even for a moment where I haven’t thought how my actions wouldn’t affect the ones I care about, especially if something were to become of me.” He held Sabrina in his arms and just like her selfish pride came back to her and she pushed away while she tried to calm down.

  “…I thought this would be a sensitive topic for the some of you but I’m glad we’ve all at least got an idea of all of this,” Rex again tried to be the responsible one in the room.

&n
bsp; “Wade, don’t you feel guilt at all? You’re the reason why he took the risk in the first place,” she went on to pin blame on me trying to take the attention off her.

  “That’s enough Sabrina,” Johnson said sternly. His patience must had been running thin for him to talk to her like that. She went silent and I displayed a breath of gratitude. The rest of our day went as normal; we sat in our offices furiously typing away at our computers and answering phone calls, but it was on the way home that we felt a gut-wrenching vibe in the air.

  “Do you feel that too, Wade?”

  “Yeah something’s off…come on let’s head home. I feel longer we’re out here, longer we’re setting ourselves up to mischief.” The pain in my stomach to me was a clear sign we needed to move, I’m still not entirely sure why. I’m guessing it was my instincts. Johnson accompanied me home in case what we felt was more than suspicion. I came home to the door left wide open, Celia sat against the wall, blood covered her hands and her blonde hair. We ran over to her and knelt next to her. “Celia! Celia! Are you okay?” But her eyes remained closed and she gave no answer.

  “Damn she has gashes along her hands and she’s been knocked unconscious.”

  “Who did this?” I yelled across the house.

  “Help!!!” A high pitch scream pierced the deathly silence and without thinking I sprinted towards it. I saw Angel against a wall trying to protect herself against a woman with long black hair that reached her calves as she forced her there. The woman had only a glance at me before sprinting past me and knocking me over. I got up and hauled after her as she escaped even Johnson who couldn’t hold her with his strength, which was insane since he could hold his own with the monsters. We ran into the street and I cut her off by leaping and running through an entire apartment to jump on her from above to pin her to the ground. She offered no resistance from there and she looked me in the eyes. They were like Angel’s, a burning red but this pair offered no comfort and showed a lust for violence. I had her hands pressed against her on the ground, acting helplessly like a damsel in distress with a smile on her face.

  “Oh, won’t anyone help me? Giggle. I guess not. Well I’m impressed you caught me or maybe I caught you.” She grabbed my shirt and dragged my face to hers. Her strength was something else and she was right, I had been caught. I was all alone in a dark street with no one to help me.

  “So, you’re the one my daughter decided to run away with. She has horrible taste.”

  “Then you’re—” I gasped as she whispered in my ear.

  “That’s right, Sophia Natsuki, her mother and owner of the house you burnt to the ground.”

  She turned me around and she sat on top of me; she laughed as she flipped out a knife already fresh with Celia’s blood and slowly brought it to my eye. But as the blade reached ever closer it was suddenly jerked back and she gasped for air. I looked up to see her hair grasped firmly in my dad’s fist and the other in her stomach. I had never seen a more serious look on his face until then. “Huh? Cough. Cough.”

  “Nobody hurts my kids; you’re coming with me. You’re not getting away with this.”

  “Dad, how are you this strong?”

  “Because I have to be,” he answered bluntly. She vomited up blood before passing out and Dad just hurled her over his shoulder and we went home to the trouble she had caused. Things only snowballed from here on in and as per usual, I had no control of what would follow.

  Chapter Three

  Dad threw the woman against the shower wall by her hair and then ran the water. She woke up and she shivered as the cold water drenched her and the long black gothic style dress she wore fell from her shoulders as it weighed heavy. Dad wrapped the long black ribbon she had in her hair around his and her wrist.

  “You have a lot of nerve showing your face in this city, Sophy.”

  “It’s nice to see you again, Jason.”

  “And how’s Sinclair? Was he worth everything he put you through?”

  “I haven’t seen him for years, I’m here of my own volition.”

  “I’m guessing you’re here to take Angel away then?”

  She stood up and unzipped the saturated dress and washed her skin under the water; she wore a small black cropped singlet and black panties. It was surprising how she could turn a bad situation into a positive one just like that. She yanked her hand with the ribbon attached to it and moved it to her chest

  “You sure you don’t want a feel or are you still loyal to that dead harlot?” Without warning, Dad then yanked his hand forward and slammed her forehead against his with a powerful headbutt.

  “Don’t ever speak about her like that.” Both their foreheads bled as they stared into each other’s eyes. She smiled and laughed carelessly while Dad tightened his fist and sighed loudly.

  “Wade, check on your sister and Angel. Both this one and I will be down shortly.” I was amazed that he hadn’t sent me out sooner and I left without saying a word. I went over to Angel and Johnson who had been taking care of Celia after I had chased Sophia out of the house.

  “Angel, how’d this happen?”

  “I’m so sorry, Wade. I never expected her to come back here to the city.”

  “I think she’s here to see my dad more than you…the two of them seem to have a history.”

  “I never knew, I don’t really know anything about her.”

  Celia then woke up to Johnson wrapping her hands with bandages.

  “Johnny? What are you doing here and what happened to me? All I remember is seeing some woman that looked sort of like Angel.”

  “How are you feeling? Are the bandages too tight?” Johnson asked softly.

  “Bandages?” She looked back to her hands as he wrapped them and gasped. “How? What happened?”

  “The woman attacked you, she must have cut you with a kind of blade as you attempted to stop her from entering the house.”

  Dad and Sophia came into the kitchen a moment later; they seemed different than before. The deadly tension between them was gone and they both gave off this bubbly kind of vibe. Even Sophia’s sly, scheming smile felt kind of blushed, I guess. If it were an act, it wasn’t going to convince any of us that we weren’t already waist deep in something we shouldn’t have been in. Sophia attempted to examine at Celia’s hands but she hesitantly pulled away and hid behind Johnson.

  “I’m very sorry my dear, with any luck, it won’t scar. I just have these uncontrollable outbursts where violence comes naturally to me.”

  “I too am sorry but eyes as calculating as yours tell another story Ms Natsuki.” Johnson spoke politely but stood on his guard against her.

  “Oh, aren’t we a perceptive one? Please call me Sophia.” She then swung herself around and hugged Angel, lifting her into the air while laughing innocently.

  “Mum!” She squealed as Sophia rubbed her face against hers. “Look at you, you’re almost all grown up. Maybe you’ll be as pretty as me sometime soon ha-ha-ha.” She then turned to me with Angel still in her arms and decided to poke some more fun.

  “What?” I asked bluntly.

  “Wade, that’s no way to speak to your girlfriend’s mother,” Dad scolded me while I set the table.

  “I think I’m within my rights, if you haven’t shown up when you did—”

  “Don’t worry, Jason, he’s just nervous. I can be a bit much for people. At first glance you don’t really resemble Jason; you’re much more like Amy; it’s a shame she’s not around to see you now, I can tell you think just like her.”

  Celia looked at me with concern in her eyes, I could tell Sophia got to her on the inside. “Could you not talk about her, it’s hard enough on us…”

  “What’s this about? Nobody can shrug off what happened tonight like it didn’t. So, Dad. Sophia, drop the act.”

  “Chuckle. You’re Jason’s children alright. Well to tell the truth, I came back to Fellbroke thinking some degenerate had run off with my daughter and had burnt my home. But when I saw Jason and when I th
ought back on the time we had in the past. Of what our parents went through.”

  “Your point?” I was pretty pissed off at this stage of the night.

  “Her point is, she’s excited to see you two together and approves of your relationship. She wants to be a part of your lives and she’ll be here in the city for quite a while longer for various reasons. Since you burnt down her home and all, she’ll be living with us for a while,” Dad cut me off to deliver the unsettling news.

  “Huh? You want the woman that hurt your children under the same roof and another thing! If you knew Angel was her daughter, then why were you so quick to take her in?”

  “The same reason as her…it’s pretty cute.” He then went on to laugh like an idiot while I further imprinted my hand into my forehead. Johnson Chuckled under his breath as he came to understand how I had landed myself in this situation in the first place. Angel on the other hand hugged her mother out of excitement and anticipation to her words.

  “You really mean that, Mama? You’re really going to be here for me?” she asked with tears welling in her eyes.

  “Yes Angel, I’m glad I’m here to see you grow up for a change. I’ve done more than enough for myself.” Her words must have been a dream come true to Angel, but I wasn’t buying them, I couldn’t bear the thought of Angel being hurt again. I left with Johnson for a short walk to clear my head. We just walked around the block while I complained and went over what just transpired.

  “That woman’s a liar, she’s up to something. There’s no way Dad would let her get away with what she did tonight, he must be in on it too.” I plotted to Johnson; he kept quiet while I continued to rant on, unrelenting with my vicious accusations.

  “No, her intentions are obscured and are unclear to us, but her words did have truth behind them. Next time I am able, I’ll sit down and talk with her. I should be able to see through her.”

  “I’ll trust you on that, you’ve never really been wrong before.” The conversation was brief apart from my ranting and we went back to my house after Dad called us back and invited Johnson over for dinner.