The Family (VOL. 1)

Chapter 18

My hands shook as I approached the living room where Bubba was supposedly waiting. I don't want to do this, but what choice do I have. I prayed for God to send some sort of distraction to stall this for as long as possible, but it never came. I felt like a prisoner on death row marching to my demise except instead of my body dying, it's my soul.

He placed a hand on the small of my back a little too far down and pushed me through the doorway towards where the family was gathered. Grandpa sat limp in his wheelchair in the middle of the room with Loretta crouched beside him whispering something in the sleeping man's ear. 

Bubba was positioned in front of them dressed in a yellow stained up button-down with his Sunday best jacket overtop, the sleeves pushed up exposing his tanned forearms, black pants and his brown leather boots. Something else about him seemed different though. Maybe it's the mask? I've never seen him wear it before. 

He glanced up from fiddling with his blue tie and noticed me. A huge smile spread across his face as he clapped his hands together and bounced happily on his heels. Nubbins gave me one last shove towards Bubba who grabbed my arm and tugged me towards Grandpa and Loretta. 

"Aww, would ya just look at that happy couple," she beamed, grinning like a Cheshire cat. "You ready, Grandpa? It's time." The old man moaned in agreement but never fluttered an eye open.

My eyes studied Bubba's new face. Sandy blonde hair was matted down in patches and slicked back on his head. Large jagged stitches pieced together the scalp to the rest of the face. One row of sutures drew the lips of the mask up for his own to poke through. Different scraps of skin, the shades not all matching up, were pieced in like a patchwork quilt; It obviously took more than one person to make up this mask. Twine drawstrings poked through holes in the neck securing it onto his face. Maybe it wasn't new. It looked so familiar like I've definitely seen it bef- 

"Oh, God..." I whispered under my breath, my heart sank to the floor. No! No! No! No! It can't be. It's not possible. He wouldn't have....but it is. I know it is. It's Matt. It's his face. Bubba's wearing his face.

" You killed him! "I wailed, my body trembling. "he's dead!" 

Bubba tilted his head to the side. Is he really going to act clueless?! He knows what he's done.  My legs wobbled like a newborn deer and if it weren't for his arms around my waist, I'm sure I'd have collapsed to the floor.  Everything I've been fighting for is gone. It's all over. I'm too late. I wanted to punch him, to beat him to a bloody pulp, to utterly annihilate him, but I know that'll never happen. What I do know is they'll pay for what they've done. I don't know when or how, but I swear it'll happen.

"Let me help you, Daddy. I know the sermon by heart. We can say it together, okay?" she said to the old man who was completely out of it. "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today..." she began as the old man moaned along with her.

I wanted to scream, to run, to fall in the floor and die right there, but I couldn't move a muscle, I couldn't make a sound. All I could do was stare at his face...at Matt's face on Bubba's face. The same hair, the same nose, the same brows, except now with Bubba's eyes and lips.

" Is this gonna be over anytime soon" Nubbins interrupted. " 'cause I really gotta take a piss. " 

" You should have thought about that before we started. Now, you're gonna hold it." " she snapped before continuing on with her speech " Now, Bubba, Do you take Tilly as your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold until death do you part?"

"Nothing about this is lawful!" I thought about screaming but decided against it as I'm already in deep enough.  

Bubba paused for a moment and stared at his mother for approval to which she gave a slight nod. He pressed my hand to his chest; his heart was racing almost as fast as I'm about to be out of here. He grunted and nodded his head excitedly, squeezing my hand even tighter in his and never letting his eyes leave me.