Kin's mysteries

Chapter 6: The basement

It was a rainy Sunday. Henry decided to teach Kin how to drive the truck, because he couldn't always be the one to go to the wholesale, he said. It was so exasperating when Henry decided to teach him something. He remembered the day he learned to ride a bicycle...his brother was shouting at him and Kin fell several times because he made him nervous. The same thing was happening that day. He started the engine a thousand times before actually being able to move. His mother was watching them from the window, worried. Kin put his foot down on the accelerator; the vehicle bounced ahead but didn't turn off. He finally made it. He was driving. He shifted and sped up again. Henry seemed terrified, even if there were no cars on the road.

It seemed easy to go on, until his brother said to turn left. The problem was he said it too late and forced him to brake abruptly. Obviously, the engine turned off.

-"I told you to turn left! You had plenty of time to do that!" he shouted.

Kin snorted and turned the engine back on. He slowly moved forward but he was obliged to brake again because of an old woman who suddenly crossed the road. Henry was irritated and he didn't even notice his improvements.

They were passing through a residential area, when he said to stop near a small house surrounded by a garden. He managed to do what his brother said this time, but he wasn't happy either.

-"You could park a little bit forward...you're hampering the walkway." he pointed out, when they were both out of the truck.

-"That's not so bad...where are we going?" Kin asked, changing the subject.

Henry knocked on the door and after they entered the house, he realized that it was Jenny's and Rosalind's house. The first welcomed her fiancé with a big smile, she hugged him and they kissed. Kin looked around, feeling awkward. The large room was arranged into a shadowy living room and a narrow kitchen. The main colour was brown and that added more darkness to the place.

-"Who is it?" asked someone from afar.

Some minutes after, Rosalind came down from the upper floor. When she noticed Kin's presence, she looked annoyed. Maybe she thought he came to say sorry about what happened with the girl and didn't want to listen to him.

-"Do you want some coffee? Tea or some juice?" said Jenny, staring at them.

-"Coffee for me...thanks." replied Henry, smirking at her.

Rosalind went into the kitchen and opened a shutter. She began to make coffee, ignoring that Kin hadn't answered.

-"What about you Kin?" asked Jenny, putting her hand on his shoulder.

-"...just juice, thanks." he answered, following his brother to the sofa.

They found themselves sitting in the living room silently. Everyone was drinking without making a sound. Kin was the only one that had juice; the others had coffee.

Like before, Jenny was the first one to speak.

-"I need you to take a look at my pc...I don't know what's wrong with it." she said to Henry.

-"Ok...let's go see what's the matter."

They went towards the stairs and left them alone, staring at each other.

Kin couldn't stand that silence and that anger any longer, it was driving him crazy.

-"Should I go? It seems you don't like me being here." he said, directly.

-"Come on...my mum isn't home and those two will be busy for some time. I've got to show you something."

She jumped from the sofa and walked to the stairs. When Kin approached her, he was surprised to see that the stairs not only went up, but also down. That was where they were going. The basement.

The place was used as a storage. There were boxes piled to the right side and several open-shelves to the left. But in the left corner, there were some unusual objects. A mattress with a cushion and a blanket. Someone was sleeping down there.

-"That's where Jenny was hiding someone..." she said.

-"I see...I don't think it was her sleeping here..." he observed.

-"Not at all...or I'd have noticed."

They wandered around the place for some minutes. Then they heard footsteps on the stairs. They looked at each other and quickly approached the exit. When Jenny and Henry appeared in the room, Kin and Rosalind were sitting at the table in the kitchen.

-"Well, you two are so silent! Have you spoken at least one word while we were upstairs?" cried out the man.

-"What do you care?" Kin snapped out.

His brother always made him so angry. He leaped up from his chair and approached the door. Suddenly, he found Rosalind behind him.

-"We'll take the truck, I hope you won't mind Henry..." she said, grinning at him.

What did she have in mind? He couldn't still drive well.

-"Do you know how to drive a truck too?" he asked, when they were outside.

-"No...I saw you driving it when you came. I was looking from the window of my bedroom." she explained.

-"Well...I'm still learning." Kin muttered, feeling uncomfortable.

-"Don't worry, you were doing fine. I trust you." declared Rosalind.

He stared at her, astonished. Why that sudden change of attitude towards him? Wasn't she irritated about him leaving the girl go away?

They entered the vehicle, wore the seatbelts and he started the engine.