~what is left of a weakling~

Before I could get to the woody suburb, I perceived the dark grey bleaching that occurred in the sky, and before I could say jack a thunderous clapping ensued and then a heavy down pour. It just dawned on me that it was spring.

So by the time I got to the door of Professor Duncan, I was already drenched in the rain. I stood at the door shaking and convulsing in the cold rain; the escape needed everything I could foster right now. I was alive for a reason and that reason must be actualize; I thought.

My teeth shivered and trembled along with my entire body. The cold that came from the rain courted my perception to believe it would snow abruptly.

And so it did. I was out in the cold snow, pressing on the door bell for Professor Duncan to answer the door; I doubted if he was up till that moment. We were not yet in the period of text and exam at school so I doubted if he was going to be up till this moment.

He seemed to have slept off and I almost believed there was no sign of anybody there. Without any intention to give up, I slammed on the door and persisted with my knocking.

I could hear a shuffling walker coming through now.

“Oh my goose! Greg!”

He called me, his voice shrieking with uncertainty, flashed a divergent ray of torchlight into my face after he opened the door finally. His brow pulled amidst dimmed eyes from slumber and unfulfilled rest.

I stood jittering and shaking uncontrollably in the cold as my entire body let the steady droplet of water onto the floor. I sniffed repeatedly as though it was the appointed time to weep.

“Come on get in!”

He beckoned on me without any prior contemplation what a kid of my age, who was supposed to be in his parents’ house, was doing outside in the coldest and darkest hour of the night.

Once I got in, I located his fire place and got close to get heated up and warm.

“I would fix you a hot coffee,” he sounded and was at it pretty damn quick.

Even if he hadn’t told me that, I would have gone for it myself. Cold had engulfed me so badly that I needed to be in the fire now.

He served me the coffee while I heated up at the fire place.

Quickly he went inside and came out with fresh pairs of shirt and blanket to cover up.

It was then it dawned on him to query me, “What happened? I have been looking forward to your visit after the previous one but not at this time.”

I had expected such questions from him even while outside, and it just came up too late. Maybe he didn’t want to hound me with more troubles after being drenched in the rain.

I was at my silence. No enthusiasm to speak. No motivation to believe in this life any more. I pushed forth the coffee that burnt my palms to my lips to earn my first sip.

He swallowed hard, blinked and anxiously waited for my reply.

I sniffed and he wondered if the tears surging down my chin had been there or it just started. I wanted to say something briefly but my lips were gauche and gargantuan with the heaviness and loss in my head.

Forcibly I echoed, “They killed them. I saw it happen.”

My shoulders shook heavily as I winced and wailed on end.

I could steal a glance at Professor Duncan at the time. He glared around thinking the people I talked about were somewhere around his abode.

“Who are you talking about? Greg!”

He advanced to me, grabbed my shoulders to quell my shivering shoulders to a spot.

“Perk up Greg, and talk to me. Who are you talking about?”

I sniffed smacked my lips and said coldly, “They were in stretched black limos, well suited. Some of them shape-shifted into all-black, scary-dentition, wolves, pounced on my parents and feasted on them without leaving traces of their corpse. And …” I broke down in tears and sniffed to say yet further, “…And they burnt down our house. I narrowly escaped.

My wailing interjected and i couldn’t finish up my statement either.

He held my cold face and spoke into it, “Now perk up. Perk up, Greg. Look me in the eyes! Put yourself together and talk to me. Did your parents reveal to you anything? I mean anything at all about these shifters?”

…Never you expose this virus to anyone…

Dad’s voice resounded in my head and I applied caution. Although I trusted Professor Duncan not to do shit if I should reveal the strange virus in my bag, yet I was intermittingly giving dad his last respect.

At the time obedience was the only virtue and respect I owed my parents.

“Speak up, Greg,” he urged me with a slight shake on my shoulders.

He tried to initiate an interrogative stare into my eyes and I pulled down my face.

“Nothing, nothing,” I shook my head to support my lies.

“Listen up, you are here with me now. Unless you told anyone about your destination, nobody could trace you to this place. You can take this as your home now. I am here for you.”

While he spoke, he shook my shoulders to intensely pass his message.

I sniffed and shook my head all through, with much of my attention on the virus that was still secured in my school bag.

“Come on let me show you to your room,” he told me and led me by the arm as we made into the inner chamber.

Although the tragedy that struck still heaved on my heart, I pondered on nothing than the strange, rare ability that Julius possessed.

Virtually everything that dude told me came to pass.

I barely could shut my eyes to sleep. Into the night, I glared at the virus – this green fluid…