Property of the Mafia

[32] Surprise, Surprise

Our lips were a moment apart until a strange, uneven clatter disrupted the tranquil silence.

I paused, suddenly meeting Leon's eyes and stepped back, realizing how painfully close I had been to making a move. His expression will still soft, like he was still lost in the moment. I glanced down, grimacing as I spotted just what exactly had disturbed us.

A pair of dentures.

A pair of golden, old dentures glimmering in all its glory.

I turned back to Leon, only to be equally confronted with the so called "dead" corpse over his shoulder smiling up at me, scratching its face awkwardly.

"Hi."

My eyes widened in horror.

"I didn't mean to intrude, but---"

"HOLY SH*TTTTTTTTTT!"

I interrupted, screaming so hard and loud that my throat hurt. I turned to make a dash for it, I ended up tripping over my own feet in the rush and toppled over, landing flat on my behind.

"OH MY F*CKING GOD THE F*CKING CORPSE JUST---"

Now I usually wasn't one to swear. But in a situation like this? I mean c'mon! This wasn't zombie movie! Why the freak would a so-called corpse just wave and freaking smile at me? Every time I struggled to get up again I would slip and fall into the floor. Who the hell polishes these god damn floors? I whimpered, finally giving up and sitting on the floor calmly, glaring up at the so-called corpse and his otherwise accomplice, Leon.

Leon was laughing hysterically, clearly finding my absolute terror a complete riot.

I wasn't sure if I was feeling more humiliated than angry, or the other way around. I stood back onto my feet, brushing off my legs as I stared him straight in the eyes.

"Leon. I think you have a little explaining to do." I stated breathlessly, glaring at him past my embarrassment.

"Ah--sorry 'bout that." He chuckled, wiping away a tear. Why that little.. "I forgot we had an audience. Too bad though, you were so close, hmm?" He winked flirtatiously, grinning to himself as he lowered the body thrown over his shoulder back onto his two feet. I probably would have blushed if I wasn't so embarrassed.

I stiffened, still quite disturbed that the supposed corpse stretched and cracked his joints casually, as though acting dead was the most natural thing to do in the world.

"So... Mr. Corpse, you are...?" I asked hesitantly, still on the defence. The driver stared up at me, wide-eyed as he pointed at his wrinkled, unrecognizable face. Though his lovely dentures lay on the floor beside us, his white, perfectly aligned teeth definitely did not suit the rest of his image. As a matter of fact, they stood out so much that by glancing back and forth between his crusty face and teeth was almost unnerving.

"Is this some sort of joke? You seriously don't recognize me?" The rough, aggressive voice and demeanour that I had juxtaposed with his previous actions did not match with his polite, almost gentlemanly tone.

"...No. Am I supposed to or something?" I asked, furrowing my eyebrows. And why would I be on friendly terms with some mobster who played dead?

"Oh. Right." The man rubbed the back of his head, clearing his throat. "Recognize me a little more now?" He suggested, the raspy and harsh edge to his voice gone and replaced with a firm, but solid tone that I could easily distinguish.

Holy mother of pearl.

"...Marcel?" I gawked, probably making an absolutely outrageous face as all the muscles in my face loosened. The man laughed uncomfortably, shifting about as Leon struggled to contain his laughter which threatened to erupt mockingly again. That little twerp...