Sweet but psycho

Chapter 17

The next morning the bed was empty again. In panic I jumped up, running out of the room.

"Mort?!", no answer.

I checked the stairs but he wasn't there, nervously I ran through the rooms. I noticed the door in the hallway which led to the cage was open. He was sitting on a rock, already dressed in trousers and shirt, looking around the small landscape.

"Morning."

"Morning.", he didn't turn.

"How are you?"

"Could be better."

"What are you going to do with it? Do you want to keep it?"

"I thought of burning it down to the ground.", he pulled a lighter out of his pocket.

"Are you sure? Don't you want to think about it?"

"What should I do with it instead?"

"Don't know, burning it sounds a bit brutal."

"I like brutal. I want to see it burn, getting eaten by the flames like my family."

"Are you sure you want to see that again? It has a meaning to you doesn't it? And risking burning down the rest of the house too."

"I'll think about it.", he put the lighter back into his pocket.

"If we want to go over to my place, we should go now. Before our little friend comes over."

"Yeah. Give me 5 minutes."

He put on his jacket and grabbed a bunch of black roses.

"Where did you get those?"

"You gave them to me."

"Pretty sure they were not black."

"Sepia. Or squid ink, if you prefer that."

"Do I want to know where you got that?"

"I could tell you, but it would be boring, wouldn't it?"

"If you say so."

We went to my house, he didn't want to admit it but he was nervous, I could see him looking around, playing with his fingers. I grabbed his free hand and opened the door.

"Hi mom!"

"Hey, dear.", I followed her voice to the kitchen.

He just stared at her with big eyes, not speaking.

"Oh, hello. You must be the boy Alan is dating.", she looked equally nervous, knowing who he was.

"Oh, erm, yeah. Not quite a boy anymore. Mortimer McAdams, nice to meet you.", he bowed.

"You don't look older than 18.", she joked.

"Oh, well you don't look older than 25.", he smiled, handing her the flowers.

"Black....flowers?"

"Black is beautiful isn't it? It has something poetic, gives us the feeling of safety and makes us feel smarter, but also something mysterious, dark and scary."

"Right.....Is he always like that?"

"Yeah.", I smiled.

"Okay, good to know. Want to drink something?"

"Do you have non-alcoholic drinks?"

"I have alcohol free prosecco?"

"Fine.", he sat at the kitchen table.

We talked a bit and they got along pretty well, she seemed to be okay with him, I wouldn't say she likes him but it could be worse. But after about an hour the door rang, I opened it and immediately lost the smile on my face.