Family

SIXTY-THREE

I hate him.

That's the only thought that's been going through my mind as I aimlessly walk across the pathways, further and further away from the place I hate to call home.

My father is dying and the only reason he called for me was to rid himself of any guilt he felt for sending me away. 

Not because he felt truly sorry.

Not because he wanted to make things right.

If Alonzo hadn't shown his true self, Father would still hate me with every fibre of his cold heart. He probably wouldn't have even wanted me to be at his funeral. Maybe he planned on sending me back after he died.

"I hate him." I mutter as I kick at a rock.

My foot skids at the ground and I fall backwards onto the pavement on my bottom, an 'oof' coming out of my mouth.

"Need some help?" A deep voice asks from above me.

A gloved hand is outstretched towards me and of course it has to belong to an intimidating looking man. 

His body is covered in a black, oversized trench coat but it does nothing to hide the bulge of his muscles - he looks like he could crush me with just a hand. His eyes are a bright shade of green, gleaming under the light emitting from the lampost a few feet away from us but the tightness in his jaw and the way his mouth sits in a firm line takes away any softness from his facial features. 

He's covered head to toe in black but I can faintly make out the gleam of silver peeking out from under his coat's collar.

Clearing my throat, I shake my head before pushing myself to my feet and turning away. Nothing good will come from interacting with strangers.

I was a fool to believe he wouldn't follow me.

His footsteps against the gravel are loud, as if he wants me to know he's following me. Every time I turn around, I find the strange man already staring right back at me, his face void of any emotion.

My eyes anxiously glance around and the anxiety crawling up my throat only intensifies when I realise how dark it is and that I have no idea where I am.

What's worse is the fact that I can't see anybody else around.

Shoving the anxiety down my throat, I allow the anger that's been hiding to break out as I turn on my feet and face the stranger behind me.

"Why are you following me?!" 

He merely raises an eyebrow at my outburst and my glare only intensifies when he doesn't respond.

"If you aren't going to answer then fuck off! Better yet, just kill me and get it over with!" My chest heaves as my breathing becomes laboured and my vision begins to cloud.

"Breathe Leonardo." 

I can barely make out the man stepping towards me and outstretching his gloved hand and I flinch, raising my arms to my head.

His next actions surprise me as he pats my head, his green eyes gazing at me with something I can't decipher.

"Good." He mutters before retracting his hand as my vision begins to clear.

Wiping away at my slightly damp forehead, my eyes analyse the man in front of me, "What do you want?"

He answers within a beat, "To talk."

"Who are you?" 

He tilts his head at me, as if debating if my question is worth his time to answer.

"You can trust me Leonardo."