Part 1, Chapter 4: Small Misunderstanding

Approaching Mr. Muller.

It was Early November when I came by their house once again. I was overjoyed that I had not seen Mr. Muller come by for his walk that morning and I assumed that he was having one of those "days" that Rose had described to me and I found this to be a great opportunity. Biting back that ever present fear again, I strolled over to the Muller's place, quickly putting out the cigarette that I was smoking before I turned the corner to the cul-de-sac. Kicking up a few leaves as I walked I listened to the wind dance its way though the trees, shaking off the last leaves that clung for dear life before the winter set in. The front that was supposed to bring snow was slowly coming up this way and I was ecstatic about it I could barely wait for the first snow day. I had already gotten most of my snow gear unpacked and it was sitting useless in my closet just waiting for that first snowfall and blizzard to come rolling about.

 

I came up the driveway to the front porch, my eyes wandering all around for the light that she often kept on in the front window was off. Perhaps there was no body home. That was odd. I looked around back and saw nothing, usually the rickety old dog, having gotten used to me being there so often would come barking at me and then sit looking pitiful behind the chain link fence until I either went inside or came to pet its frazzled fur. I whistled and still nothing, this was becoming even odder, perhaps they were home and they just forgot to turn the light on. Knowing Rose, though that did not seem likely and if her husband was still here it was nigh impossible, I was quickly running out of ideas on what could have happened to them as my hand hovered over the door.

 

I bit my lower lip, my hand shaking as I brought it down upon the door so lightly barely any sound was audible. I winced; no one was going to hear that. I tried to work up the courage to knock again, but did not have to for suddenly the sound of someone clearing their throat met my ears. Starting at the sound, I turned to my left to see Mr. Muller shuffling around the front of the house, removing a gardening glove from his right hand as he came toward me. A strange look upon his face, I could tell in an instant he was still sour about the gate incident and was probably going to wring my neck for it. He took far longer to get the glove off the left hand but as soon as he did I realized something I had never noticed about him. He did not have a left hand. The one he was wearing was a fake.

 

I stared, blinking only once. I did not even notice that his brow furrowed in distaste of me, the old wounds to his face more prominent with his change of expression. "Can I help you?" He snapped at me, hiding his hand behind him like he had done the first time that I had come in contact with him that one day when I brought Rose her flowers.

 

I jumped, "oh… my… I'm s-sorry sir… sir?" My voice tailing upwards at the end making my supposed statement and apology sound like a question.

 

"Can I help you?" He said again, this time more forcefully.

 

"Ah, I… uhm… yes you can… I uh…" I fumbled over my words, my hands wringing together as I looked to him form behind my spectacles, "I am Abig-gal Atkinson and… and I'm from the college…"

His eyes narrowed at me, "If you're here looking for more handouts, Miss Atkinson, I will not give you them as easily as my wife…"

 

I felt a wave of cold course through my body as my palms when clammy, clenching and unclenching them to try and return the feeling to them, my fingers then proceeded to tug on the end of my sweater trying to find something to do with themselves while I dealt with Mr. Muller. "No, Sir." I felt like I was inline for a military inspection around him, "I'm not here looking for a free handout or… money or… or anything like that.

 

"Than what do you want?"

 

"I…" I stopped. I really did not know what I wanted. I knew exactly what Rose wanted and so for right now that was exactly what my want was going to be. "I want to ask you something… just a few questions…"

 

"About What?"

 

I got flustered; he was barely giving me time to finish my prior sentence before he was already on the next level of thought. I was baffled, almost 90 years old, According to Rose and he thought faster than I did. Something was terribly wrong with this picture. Yet again, it did not strike some part of me as odd. There was something still there, some part of his brain that kept his mind still ticking and I wondered if it was just the presence of all the history that was present within his head. Rose had been just like him, sharp and quick with her responses despite her age.

 

"I want to talk to you about… well… you." I smiled weakly, proud of myself that I was able to finally state what I was trying to say. Making up a fib quickly I stated, "Your wife has helped me so much with that project for class and I was hoping that you could do the same. It might be interesting to get two perspectives to compare about the Second World War from the Germans stand point…" I had said it, hoping against hope that there would be no repercussion from my words for all he did was stare at me blankly for a few moments, a strange haze coming over his eyes. "Sir?" I said again, fearing that I had done something wrong, that he might be having some sort of attack right in front of me, he head tilting slightly to one side.

 

Suddenly Muller tensed, his whole body going rigid in one great shudder. His eyes blazed and sparked, flashing with provoked rage: "What do you want from me?" he hissed at me, hostility clouding his voice.

 

I was taken aback, "S-sir?" I stammered. His breathing slowly started to speed up, as he glared at me.

 

"What do you want from me?" My mouth fell agape as I shook my head, unsure of how to answer his query. The first thing that came to my mind was to answer with the truth, but some small part of my mind constricted me from even speaking. Something stalled my voice, some demeaning aura that surrounded this crotchety old man with the stocky glasses and the vulture-like hunch and frankly enough it scared me. There was something there that I did not like at all and as I slowly backed away from him I could hear that woman from down the street's voice ringing in my ears: she's perfectly alright, but her husbands a complete lunatic.

 

"I… don't want anything from you…"

 

"What are you trying to do to me?"

 

I shook my head vigorously, "Nothing s-sir… nothing at all…"

 

Color came rushing into his pale features as he glared down at me, the line of his mouth becoming pencil thin, thinner than it was normally, "Than why did you come here asking for that?"

I blinked, "I didn't many any harm in it, sir I just thought…"

 

"Obviously you did not think…" he practically shouted at me, seething. "What gives you the gall to come here inquiring about such things… you ever stop to think how the draining of those memories to the likes of you may affect the person holding them?"

 

"I didn't mean anything…" My voice raising several octaves as I started backing away from him, my legs felt as though they had been turned to water.

 

"Than why did you come? If you came to scoff and jeer you had best remove yourself from my property, Miss Abigail."

 

I put my hands up in the air trying to defend myself, "Sir… I never meant… I did not come to scoff and jeer… or do anything at you… I just came to…"

 

He put out his left arm, the fake hand gesturing off in the direction that I had come for he was unable to form a finger to point out exactly what he meant. "… Came to reopen old wounds… I am never reliving those years… and since you have come with the salt and lemon in hand I suggest finding some other poor being to torture with your questions…instead of trying to draw grief from an old man…" he was shaking. I was afraid he might collapse right there on the porch.

 

I quickly retreated down the stairs, "I'm sorry sir… I… really did not mean a thing…"

"Get out." Was all he said, still gesturing with the fake hand.

 

"I’m really sorry… please don't…"

 

"GET OUT!" He thundered causing me to jump. The sound that flew from his frail body was astounding, it surprised me that someone in his advanced age could be that loud. It also told me that now, if ever, was the best time to make a break for it. And run I did, my eyes still wide with what had just happened as I took off away from the house, throwing a single glance back to him on the porch before I quickly turned around concentrating my entire being on keeping the pace until I got back to the safety of my dorm room.