I couldn't move as his eyes shot like daggers into mine. My mouth was sewn shut, and all I could do was stand in a paralytic state.
"Get out of here, boy, and maybe I'll spare you."
"What do you want?" I managed, pushing the words from my throat.
Mother squeaked as the man stood up, forcing her to do the same.
"You don't know?"
I glanced nervously between my mother and the man.
"No," I admitted.
He cranked his neck slowly until he was facing Mother. Then, through the thick mesh of the mask, he asked her.
"You didn't tell him?"
My heart pounded in my ears and my skin boiled hot in anticipation.
"Tell me what, Mama? What's he talking about?"
When she looked up, her eyes were brimming with tears.
"It's better if you don't know."
I ran a hand through my shaggy hair and gulped down the collection of profanities I wanted to scream.
"What do you want?" I demanded from the man again instead.
His eyes creased slowly into what I'm sure would have been an eerie looking smile at best. He tilted his head as he said it.
"But boy, it's not a 'what', but a 'who'. You want to know who I want?"
All I could do was nod my head. I wanted to know that more than anything.
"Boy," he told me. "I want your parents."
YOU ARE READING
Orphaned
Short Story12 year old Dean Hansen always loved Christmas, but this year things were going to be different. His parents had been acting strange; more secretive. But with the sudden disappearance of his older sister, presents under the tree are about to be the...
