The Horrors of Montwood Mansion

Chapter Five

Wendy? Darling? Light, of my life. I'm not gonna hurt ya. I'm just going to bash your brains in.
~Stephen King, The Shining

Jonathan Blackwood was agitated and confused. His juicy fruit of infidelity wasn't a result of the fertiliser of his wife's constant sharp words but pure, pure lack of self esteem. He lacked self-confidence almost as much as terrorists lack humanity. Avery Rose could be charming; very charming when she wanted to be. In fact, her twinkling eyes, witty humour and a silky wave of blonde hair had completely swiped Jonathan off his feet the first time he had met her. It was almost unfathomable for Jonathan to believe that she was the same woman who had shot a cheeky smile at his direction as the gun of her dimples glistened, her icing covered fingers dangling delicately from her lips, almost twenty years ago. She was attractive, talented, rich, ambitious; every trait Jonathan thought he lacked.

It wasn't that he didn't love her. Of course he did. It was just that after all these years, all Avery Rose reminded him of was the loud echo created by the trumpet of his failures. She made him despise her and himself. He couldn't help but beam when he met Rose. A frail, desperate college dropout with a forlorn need for love. Her pathetic, needy desire for true love made Jonathan cackle. She was nothing like Avery Rose. Definitely prettier, blonder, bouncier yet so pitiful and meek. Her piteous attempts at pleasing Jonathan always amused him and for a few hours, Avery Rose would become a nostalgic, faint memory.

Jonathan, alike his daughter, was a little scared of Mr. Reznikov. Jonathan hadn't really given it much thought before but he definitely found it strange that Mr. Reznikov was always around whenever something uncanny happened in his household. In Jonathan's opinion, Mr. Reznikov was like an  alligator waiting on the edge of the river, ready to pounce whenever the deer was the most vulnerable. Creepily enough, he had been as calm as Gandhi on a hunger strike when he caught Jonathan cheating on his wife. What spooked him the most was the fact that Mr. Reznikov referred to himself as the safe keeper of Jonathan's family.

Unable to hold the conversation any longer, Jonathan hesitantly yet hastily invited Mr. Reznikov for a beer at the pub for the next night. Mr. Reznikov gave him one of his delightful smiles that had petrified Jonathan's daughter for days, and eagerly accepted the invitation. Jonathan was regretting his decision now and tried to conjure various ways to back out of the date with the old man but couldn't find a reasonable excuse.

                                    *********

"You look very nice, Jonathan."

"Uh, thanks, Mr. Reznikov."

"Oh, please call me Alexei. Leave 'Mr. Reznikov' for the kids," said Alexei Reznikov, chuckling deeply.

Jonathan smiled as he nervously chugged on his beer.

"How are the kids?"

"They're fine. Still settling in."

"Good, good."

"About last night, Mr. Rez—Alexei, I know it looks bad but—"

"Oh, I get it Jonathan. I've had my own fair share of affairs when I was your age. But then again, I never got married," said Alexei, a soft look warming up his eyes.

Jonathan shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

"Besides, it's a matter between you and Avery Rose, I must not interfere. Does she know?"