Kingdom of isolation - you can't hide

Four ~ Aurora

Aurora

Age 8

"How's my little gremlin doing?"

That's what I hear the moment we step inside the house. Mama's younger brother, my arch nemesis and unfortunately Uncle by blood—Noah Evans. He's standing near the fireplace with his back to us like he's reenacting a dramatic scene from a movie, hands in his trouser pockets and head inclined so far back, I think it might snap. Just as dramatically, he turns around, head held high like an aristocrat and scans us from head to toe before grinning like the muggle he actually is. I stick my tongue out, blowing raspberries at him as a response to his rude question and he glares at me, eyes ablaze. His chestnut hair is slightly longer than last time I saw him and eyes are still that fiery hazel, vaguely resembling a nocturnal animal—nothing like Mama's ocean blue eyes. If they didn't have similar facial features, I'd think they were nowhere near being related. But the real bummer is my own hair that mirrors his, it's the only thing we have in common. Okay, maybe we're a lot similar in our personalities too but I'll never admit to that. And maybe I inherited my freckles from him too but that's beside the point.

He studied tourism or something silly like that—Mama's words, not mine—which requires a lot of travelling on his behalf. Actually, Mama says he's indecisive of his career path and that I should never take after him when I grow up. I don't see him that often, but whenever we get together, it always ends up in a physical fight. Seriously, Uncle Noah doesn't care if he's fighting a literal child.

"You know, I see a lot of your father's bad habits in you. I must do something about that."

He shakes his head disapprovingly and I giggle, ducking his extended arms and running to the other side of the room. He follows after me like a big cat and tackles me onto the carpeted floor, leaving extra sloppy kisses on my cheeks when I tell him how gross they are.

"God, Noah. Aurora acts more like a grown up than you." Mama groans, placing the luggage bags on the ground and walking towards us fighting on the floor. A small smile breaking out on her beautiful face.

"You?" He points down at me accusingly. "Acting like a grown up? Pfft, not a chance in hell!" He tackles me for another session of slobbery kisses against my protests.

"Yeah, Uncle Nooo!" I blow another raspberry in his face and he grumbles something about my mannerisms before tickling me.

It's like a universal thing, once adults find a weakness in you, that's it. They'll use it against you for as long as possible, maybe until you're old enough to fight back. My weakness is being overly ticklish and every adult seems to take advantage of that. Including this man-child that's supposedly my Uncle. I have serious suspicions about that, despite the obvious resemblance.

"You're still such a tiny little thing, gremlin. I might just gobble you up and be done with it!"

I squeal, trying to get out of his hold but he's freakishly strong.

"What do you feed this spawn for breakfast, Thena? Attitude in hellfire?" He huffs, about to lift me up by the ankles like a lion holding a piece of meat in his paws. I'm dangling mid-air while he chuckles like an evil cartoon villain.

"Let my little girl go before I eat you for dinner." Papa's voice echoes through the hallway and Uncle Noah freezes, putting me down slowly, vaguely resembling a cat caught playing with his food by the owner. I grin, wiggling my eyebrows in silent victory.

"Here comes the big bad wolf." He mutters under his breath, rolling his eyes and plastering the fakest smile he can manage as he stands up.

"James, my bro! How are you?"