Chapter 2

Chapter 2 to The Key To Abaddon.

 

Chapter 2

    

 

I began to head home, completing my journey up black hill. my apartment was just off Fairy Lane, an old two bedroom house, the front was covered in spider plants which basically just coat the building in greenery, oh and also spiders. they forgot to mention this when i moved in last year. It was my first place after leaving home. I told my dad that for my twentieth i wanted to move into my own place. he wasn't too happy about it. once i left, it was just him living in the family house. My older brother Dorian left home just over five years ago, he's twenty seven. He left to join the army, which turned out it wasn't for him so he served his time and got out. We were never that close, we would see each other when ever there is a family gathering or our dads birthday. He would come in with his girlfriend and go straight to the TV to watch the football, because that was the only time my dad ever saw him, when a game was on. His girlfriend would go straight to the fridge to get him a beer, Not acknowledging our dad or saying happy birthday, they were jerks.  He always wore tight vests showing off his muscles and his tattoos. He got both of his arms tattooed, every country he visits he gets a tattoo to remember it. They can be really weird and have no connection to the country he got them in, like his Owl tattoo on his forearm, he got that done in South Africa three years ago when he was travelling, he’s a strange character. He has dark hair which he coats in wax which leaves a strong potent odor behind. It looks like Sonics hair style. I think its an emo thing.

 Things changed after our mother died. It was 2010, Five years ago when we were all sleeping somebody broke into the house. My dad woke to the sound of the window being smashed. I was fifteen years old at the time. My dad came into my room where I was sat awake listening to the sound of footsteps and things being broken downstairs, he whispered “go into our room and lock the door, don't open it until I say so”. his voice sounded calm, like he had done this many times. With the sound of things breaking and my dads so called tip toes down the stairs, I stood behind the locked door with fear running through my mind, what if something happens to my dad?. I slowly turned the knob, my hands shaking with fear, I stepped out into the landing, the landing is clear. My mother comes out of her room signaling me to quickly get over to her. I quietly ran over to her and she shut the door, not forgetting to lock it she twists the door lock and stands back. She turned to me and whispered “go and hide in the wardrobe, everything is going to be okay”. I ran over to the wardrobe jumping in as I opened the doors. She covered me with clothes to hide me I guess. She shut the door and then whispered “ do not come out no matter what”. “shouldn’t I be helping dad?” her figure blurry between the coats and hole patterns in the wardrobe.“NO, Thomas you must not come out of there no matter what.” I could see her moving back, “promise me Thomas” she whispered, after a long pause “i promise” I replied. My heart was racing, I thought to myself, they will find you with the sound of your heart beating, you have to control your breathing. I closed my eyes to concentrate, i slowly breathed in through my nose, and out through my mouth. Mum went over to the draw by the bed, she pulled out what seemed to be a silver blade, she stood behind the door which was directly in front of the wardrobe. I sat listening to see if I could hear dad. That’s when I heard a crash, and again. the control of my breathing vanished and my heart was beating louder than the noises downstairs. “keep quiet Thomas” mother said as she is waiting patiently behind the door. I could hear the crashing from downstairs. I began to feel nervous. I wanted to help dad but I made a promise with mum, plus i wouldn't know what to do, I’ve never been in a fight before. The sounds were dying out, after a few moments it turned to silence. i closed my eyes to focus to see if I could hear anything. I can feel the the vibrations coming from below, it felt like movement. That’s when I heard footsteps slowly making their way up the stairs, slowly, one foot at a time like something straight out of a slasher movie. I could hear them getting closer. I wanted to shout for my dad but that wouldn't be a good idea. The footsteps were on the landing now, i could hear who ever it was coming towards us. It was the middle of the night and the world was in darkness, except for this bedroom. Mum must have read my thought, she ran towards the lamp on her bedside table, her hand reaching for the switch. She switched the light off and that’s when it all turned went black. everything was in darkness. the only sense i could count on was my hearing. i could hear mum breathing, she must still be next to the bed.

now we are in silence, who ever was out there must have left, i exhaled in relief. But seconds later the silence had vanished into the sound of somebody bursting through the bedroom door. It was dark, i couldn't make out who it was, all i could see was the glow of the moon lit eyes glowing green. The light came back on and i was blinded again but this time inincandescent light. once my eyes readjusted i saw a man in a black suit standing there. My mum didn't hesitate, gripping the blade in her left hand she charged past the bed towards the suited man, in a slicing motion she made contact with his face, the blade sliced through his skin like it was butter. He wiped off the blood from his cheek. Again my mother raised her arm to strike but he caught her strike, his arm blasted mum’s chest, he flipped her over onto the floor. Mid air her blade fell from her hands. He fell to the ground to retrieve the blade but mum kicked him in the side, causing him to tumble over onto his back, the perfect amount of time for mother to get up and strike him. i sat there quietly, terrified of seeing what comes next. my mother picked herself up, leaned down on top of the mans chest to prevent him trying to attack, she gripped the blade with both hands, a fierce look on her face. She thrusted her blade into his chest, causing him to scream out. my mother stood, my dad came running through the door. His face was cut and bruised, limping on his good leg. About two years ago my dad was hit by a maniac driver whilst crossing the road, his leg was hit as he moved out of the way but the bone in his leg shattered. He went through therapy and had to learn how to walk again.

When my dad saw the suited man lay on the floor he closed his eyes for a second, in relief it wasn't my mum. she stared at him, in that moment the man grabbed the blade and jabbed it into my mothers chest. i jumped out of the wardrobe, my dad yelled “ELLEN” he clenched his fist as he ran towards the suited man, that’s when i saw it. As my dad got close to him, the man disappeared. without hesitating my dad dropped to the ground, scooted over towards my mum who was chocking on blood, i fell down beside her. My dad looked up at me “ Don't look at this Thomas” he yelled, “NO” my mum shouted. She took my hand, squeezed it tight and said “ he.. he needs to know” “know what?” i said. “ Thomas i love you son, one.. one day you will.. have to make a choice.. and.. when that day comes.. you will have to be ready”.  She looked at my dad, who's face was streaming with tears, she smiled and whispered “loving you has been the best thing that ever happened to me, and i would do it all over again” her smile faded as her eyes closed. Her blonde hair was in my dads hands as he held her head and cried. My dad was a tough man, i have never seen him cry before. His hands were as big as my mothers head. His blue eyes were clouded with the fog from his glasses. Drops of tears were running off them as he held mum in his arms. His right hand came up onto my shoulder and he looked at me, i felt the pain he was feeling, but for some reason i wasn't crying as much as he was. He slowly removed his left hand that was cushioning my mothers head, slowly laying it down on the bedroom floor. My dad stood up and removed his glasses to wipe them and compose himself. “ Thomas” he said, his voice was calm “ please son, go and call for help, phone Alastar” i was confused “Alastar? dad we need to call the police” i yelled “ his face went from sad to deadpan, “just do as i say”. I left the bedroom to go downstairs, once i left the room i finally broke down. I stumbled as i was running down the stairs and fell to the floor at the bottom, i got up with tears streaming down my face and my only thought was that i need to call Alastar. Unsure why, i picked up the phone, my hands were shaking as i was trying to dial Alastar’s number, the phone was jumping around my hands, i was clearly having a panic attack. As i was trying to dial the digits i saw a hand take the phone from me. It was much bigger than my hand and unlike mine it was steady and its grip was firm and strong. My hands released from the phone, and I turned to find my dad raising the phone to his ear. I stepped out of the way and sat down beside the wall opposite the phone, trying to calm down and process what just happened. I could hear the ringing of the phone, the house was in silence. I could hear my own heart beating. I began to breath through my nose and out through my mouth again, it seemed to calm me down. After a couple of breaths my heart rate was back to normal. I could hear Alastar on the other end asking “where is he?”  “he jumped” my dad said “f**k..s**t.. Dara, I’m on my way” my dad removed the phone from his ear and placed it back on the wall. He fell down, back against the wall with his hands over his face, he began to sob. I got up and held my hand out to him, he looked up at my hand and reached out his left hand. I pulled him up with the help of himself. He leaned over and hugged me, “i should..”Struggling to form a coherent sentence with tears falling down his face. He said “i should be the one comforting you” he stood up and said “i need you to wait down here for Alastar” “okay” i replied. He walked up the stairs picking up the broken frames of our family portraits and his wedding photographs. He paused as he picked up a photograph that was out of its frame, he raised it to his face and kissed it. It was a portrait of mum and dad on their wedding day, they looked so happy, nothing but smiles. Now all that is left are memories and tears that run down my dads face and onto the photograph. Dad placed the photo on the stairs and continues walking up. A couple of minutes later i see the lights of a vehicle pulling up next to the house, i walk over to the door and look through the glass, trying to make out who it was, praying it wasn’t the suited man coming back to kill us. I heard the engine switch off and then the lights followed. As my eyes adjusted to the darkness outside i noticed it was Alastar getting out of his truck, then the passenger door opened and a man holding a a long ridged blade exited the truck, as they moved around towards the front of the jeep to walk over, i then saw two more men holding what looked like a wooden dagger. They were oddly dressed. The three men with Alastar all had matching outfits.Dark blue leather jackets, the arm of the jacket were torn off, revealing their muscular biceps, beneath their jacket was a silver sheath attached to their black pants, the sheath was holding a silver blade, the blade was the width of my forearm and the length a small sword. With a thick leather grip and a black symbol stitched into the middle of the sheath. Alastar was walking towards me, his grey hair was illuminated in the moon light, his grey beard was dirty, like he’d been drinking dirt and spilt it down his face. Alastar has been a friend of my dads since they were kids. When i was younger he asked me and my brother to call him uncle, which we did. He always treated us like his own, he would always take us camping in the forest out by the old oak tree, he was much older than my dad, at least by twenty years. As they got near i opened the door and Alastar ran over. “Thomas where is your dad” he asked “upstairs” i mumbled. He brushed past me, his earthy fragrance lingered for a few seconds, he stopped in between the kitchen and living room, it seemed as though he was looking for something. His men ran past me, knocking me into the door frame. Alastair began running upstairs ordering his men to stay downstairs, “clear the place” he shouted. They nodded and each one ran into a different room. I closed the front door and walked into the living room, i had forgotten about the things the suited man was breaking whilst fighting with my dad downstairs. The bookcase that once held all of my mums favourite classic novels had been tipped over, the couch had been moved, the cushions were on the floor. I walked over to pick up the cushions when i stood on a small piece of glass, “Ouch” i yelled. It must have been broken glass from the picture frames. “is everything okay”, one of Alastar’s men came running into the room, “everythings fine, it’s just a piece of glass” i replied. He began picking up the cushions off the floor and placing them back onto the couch, he pushed the couch back against the wall and told me to sit down. “i’m fine” i said, trying not to look like a wuss. “you have no shoes on and there is glass everywhere” he replied. He was young, he was older than me but just by a few years. I heard footsteps coming down the stairs, i turned to find Alastar and my dad carrying something out into the truck, it was wrapped in the bedsheets. They put it in the back of the truck and came back inside, Alastar ordered his men to go and get in the truck. dad and Alastar came and sat down next to me. “Are you okay Thomas?” dad asked, “i don’t know what is happening, who are those men, why did they have weapons?”“Thomas” i turned to Alastar waiting for his explanation “ your going to come with me, it isn't safe here”, now i was more confused “but what about dad” i asked “i will be coming too Thomas”. “ill go pack clothes” dad said to Alastar, Alastar nodded in approval then turned his attention back to me. “i know you have many questions, ones i can not answer at this present moment, but your gonna come with me for a while, i have spare rooms, it will be safe. I know your scared, confused, angry but trust me you and your dad will get through this”. After a few minutes dad came running down with a few rucksacks. Alastair walked over to my dad to help him bring the bags to the truck. We locked the door and that was it, we stayed with Alastar for the next two months. we buried mother in the forest down by the river at her favourite spot. dad said it was too dangerous to have the police or ambulance take her away because they wouldn't understand. after the two months had passed and dad had gotten back on his feet we left Alastar’s and returned home.

 

 

 

 

Author's Note

This is a rough draft.