Revenge of Cornelius

by Tanya R. Taylor

  Rosie sat next to her grandfather, wiggling her feet at the table as she often did.

  "Pops, you look really tired. Are you still sleepy?" she asked.

  "Just a little tired—yes; sleepy—no," Michael replied.

  She continued wiggling her feet, simultaneously staring at him.

  "I didn't see you get in yesterday. How was your visit over at the Benjamins' house?"

  "It was fun," she answered quickly. "We did sooooo many things, Pops, and Mrs. Benjamin let us help her pick flowers in the garden. They have a huge garden with roses, daffodils and other colorful flowers and Alex got pricked by something and started crying like a baby…"

  "Rosie, you weren't teasing, were you?" Sara asked from the stove.

  "Pumpkin would never tease," Michael asserted. "She's the most sensitive, loving little girl. I bet you helped make it all better for Alex. Didn't you?"

  "How did you know?" She had a bewildered look. "Yes, I made it all better. Mrs. Benjamin was going to take him over to the tap, but I asked her if I could and she let me. Even when he felt sick earlier that day, I helped him feel much better. What I would like to know is why Nana thought that I teased him." She frowned. "My Mom taught me never to tease."

  Sara glanced over and realized that she had hurt Rosie's feelings. She turned off the stove and immediately went over to her.

  "I'm sorry, pumpkin. I was just playing. I know you're such a good girl." She rubbed her back gently.

  "I know, Nana. I wasn't really upset." She smiled.

  "Pancakes are ready. Bringing them over now."

  "Woo-hoo!" Rosie exclaimed rubbing her hands together. "I absolutely love Nana's pancakes. Don't you, Pops?"

  "Yes, I absolutely love them," Michael replied.

  Mira took a last sip of her coffee, then got up and joined them at the table. She sat next to her father.

  "While Mom's getting the pancakes, could you go and grab my purse, sweetheart? I need to make a dash to the store," Mira said.

  "You're going without me?" Rosie asked curiously.

  "You actually wanna go?"

  "No way, Mom. Pops and I are having pancakes! Tricked ya!" The child merrily skipped off.

  Mira leaned in toward her father. "How are you doing, Dad? I mean, how are you really feeling?"

  "I feel good." He nodded. "I was a little more tired than usual yesterday. Didn't get much sleep the night before. That's all."

  She gazed at him.

  "I know all that stuff your mother told you must have caught you off guard, but I'm as strong as an ox. I'll be around for a long time. You'll see. Don't you worry your little head."

  Mira's eyes started to well with tears again.

  "Now put that away!" He demanded. "We have to think of Rosie. She's too young to handle all the snibbling and snootering and all that crap I don't like."

  "Okay, Dad." Mira quickly dried her eyes.

  "We'll talk about this some more later, okay?"

  "Okay," she replied.

  She could see the love in her father's eyes and yearned more than anything right then to find a secluded spot and scream the frustration away. She needed to get it all out. Staying awake for half the night and crying herself to sleep wasn't nearly enough to even begin to ease the pain inside her heart.

  Rosie returned a moment later and Sara arrived with the pancakes.

  "Thanks, honey." Mira gave Rosie a peck on the forehead for the purse. "I'll see you when I get back."

  "Drive safely, now!" Sara said as Mira headed for the door, car-keys dangling in her hand.

  * * *

  Sara was in the process of clearing the table when there was a knock at the front door.

  "I'll get it." She tossed the dish-towel across her shoulder as Michael and Rosie continued their conversation in the dining room.

  As was her custom, she never used the peephole, but opened the door right up. She was surprised to see who was standing on her porch. Though they had never met, Sara had a strong inkling as to the woman's identity and the youngster standing beside her.

  "I'm so sorry to disturb you," the lady started. "My name is Andrea Benjamin; I live just up the street there. I suppose you're Mira's mother?"

  "Oh, yes. And I suppose this handsome young man next to you is Alex?" Sara returned with a smile.

  Alex, who had once been staring the older lady down, hung his head shyly when she placed him in the spotlight.

  "Rosie hasn't stopped mentioning your name hardly since her first visit. He's such a precious boy," she said to Andrea.

  "Thank you. Alex, are you going to say thank you?" Andrea nudged him gently.

  "Thank you," the boy answered softly, giving Sara a quick glance before burying his head into his mother's skirt.

  "Please come in," Sara moved to the side. "It's nice to finally meet you, Mrs. Benjamin."

  Andrea and Alex stepped inside.

  "We're not going to take up much of your time, Mrs. Cullen. I was just wondering if Mira was here."

  "She went to the store. You can wait if you'd like. She'll be back real soon."

  "No, that's okay. You can just let her know that I popped by and I'll speak with her later."

  "Well, please let me at least introduce you to my husband," Sara said. "Do come through."

  Right then, Rosie appeared. "Hi, Mrs. Benjamin! Hi, Alex!"

  "Why hello, Rosie." Andrea smiled. "How are you today?"

  "Fine, thank you," the dainty child responded. "Did you come for me?"

  Andrea laughed. "I came to see your mom. You know, I promised to take Alex to McKerry's on Saturday. They have the biggest burgers in town. If you want, I can find out from your Mom if you can come along."

  "Oh yes! I'd love to come!"

  "I'm sure it'll be all right," Sara inserted.

  Michael was slowly approaching.

  "Honey, this is our neighbor, Mrs. Benjamin and her son, Alex."

  "A real, nice pleasure to meet you." Michael extended his hand to Andrea.

  "Nice meeting you too, sir," Andrea replied.

  "Little man, nice shoes you've got there!" He pointed.

  Alex edged in closer to his mother again. "Thank you," he responded almost in a whisper.

  "Your husband didn't tag along?" Michael asked.

  "No. He's at work, so…"

  "I'm terribly sorry we all didn't meet sooner. My sincerest apologies on behalf of my family. Perhaps, we'll meet Mister Benjamin soon."

  "Yes. I'm sure," Andrea said.

  "Well, I'll be moving along. You all take care now."

  "Thank you, sir."

  Michael continued toward the master bedroom.

  "Are you sure you didn't want to wait for Mira?" Sara asked again. "I have fresh coffee if you'd like a cup."

  "That's nice of you to offer, Mrs. Cullen, but I'll have to take a rain-check. Alex and I have quite a number of chores to do. So if you'll just let Mira know I passed by and she can give me a call when she gets the chance…"

  "Certainly," Sara walked with them to the door. "I'm glad you stopped by."

  "Likewise and good meeting you."

  "Bye, Mrs. Benjamin! Bye, Alex!" Rosie cried behind them.

  "Bye." Alex waved, happy that he was leaving the house of strangers.

  Andrea said farewell to Rosie, then walked with Alex to the car. After hopping inside, she felt an acute sense of relief that Mira actually wasn't there. It was difficult enough forcing herself out in the first place to confront Mira with questions that she wasn't sure she even wanted to ask. She was aware that if Theo knew of her intentions, things would turn out very badly since the unwritten code was that what happened at the house was to remain at the house—no matter what.

  She took a deep sigh, started the ignition and drove away.

  * * *

  "Hey! How are you? I called for you several times." Bobby saw Mira at the check-out line. He was holding a small cart as Mira's items were being struck up at the counter.

>   "I wasn't feeling so well. Sorry. I told Mom I didn't feel like speaking with anyone," Mira said.

  "That's…okay. I totally understand."

  "Mom told you?" She paid for the items.

  "Told me what?"

  "Dad's sick"

  The cashier glanced up at them for a moment, then carried on collecting the change from the drawer.

  "Really? I'm very sorry to hear that. Hope he feels better soon." Bobby replied.

  Mira took the change and grabbed her grocery bag. "I'll wait for you at the door."

  Bobby only had two items, so in a minute, he had caught up to Mira and they left the store together.

  Several feet away from the entrance, Mira stopped suddenly and looked up at Bobby. "I don't want you to let my dad know I told you this, but he's really sick, Bobby." She felt a lump in her throat and forcefully pushed it back. "Dad has cancer. He's going to die!" Tears started to form again.

  Bobby did the only thing he thought to do in that instant. He pulled her close and held her. "I'm sorry, Mira. I'm really sorry." Such news wasn't something he cared to hear about any member of the Cullen family.

  The tears were racing down her cheeks now. "I just wanna scream. I need to get this all out," Mira said, her voice breaking.

  "Well, why don't you?" Bobby asked. "Don't let anything hold you back."

  "You mean…here?"

  "Why not? There's a slight chance that someone might call the cops thinking I'm attacking you or something, but you could always explain yourself later if push comes to shove." Bobby thought the remark might make her feel a little better. He couldn't tell if it did.

  Without warning, came an ear-piercing scream that had 'eardrum bursting' potential. It may have lasted for thirty seconds.

  "That-a-girl," Bobby rubbed Mira's back gently. Her head was resting against his firm chest now.

  "Is she all right?" A middle-aged lady stopped and asked.

  "She's fine. Just a bit upset," Bobby quickly answered.

  "Miss…"

  "Yes," Mira raised her head slightly, drying her tears. "I'm fine. Just needed to vent."

  The lady gave her a confused look, but took her word for it, nonetheless, and went into the store.

  "Feeling better?" Bobby asked Mira.

  "Yeah, a little."

  "Will you be okay to drive?"

  "Yeah. I'm fine now. Thanks."

  Bobby walked her to her car.

  "So how long does he have?" Bobby asked.

  "I don't know. They can't know for sure," Mira responded.

  "Well, I'm here for all of you if you need me for anything and I'm still coming by to do the yard work. You'll have to try and convince your dad to leave it to me now."

  "I think at this point convincing him to do that might not be so hard."

  They were standing at her car.

  "I'm sorry I let you down yesterday. Things didn't go as planned."

  "I understand, Mira. There's no need to explain. We can do it another time," Bobby returned. "Right now, I know your focus is on your dad and there's no way I'm gonna even try to get in the middle of that."

  "Thanks." Mira managed a slight smile. "Just so you know…I've decided to extend my and Rosie's stay for another week or so. Depending on how things progress with Dad, it might be longer. We'll see."

  "Okay."

  Mira inserted the key into the car door. "I'll see you around, then."

  "Yeah. I'll come by the house this Saturday. Remember, when I get there, you have to convince your dad…"

  "I know. Thanks for being here for me."

  "Don't mention it. Anytime," Bobby replied.

  He watched her slowly leave the parking lot and a tear of his own escaped down his cheek as he considered the plight of the man who had become like a father to him—the only one he had ever known.

  Mira learned of Andrea Benjamin's visit when she returned home and immediately made the phone call.

  "Sure, Rosie can go to McKerry's with you guys," Mira stated. "She'll love it."

  "Would you like to join us, Mira?" Andrea asked.

  "I would, but Rosie thinks that she and I hang together enough back at home in L.A., so when she comes here, she prefers to do things without me. Strange, but true…"

  Andrea giggled softly. "Okay. Alex and I will pop by on Saturday, then. That's also my cupcakes day, so if you want, Rosie can help out and save some for you all."

  "I'm sure she'll love to. That's fine, Andrea. And it's so nice of you to allow her to come by so often and play with Alex."

  "My pleasure. She's a sweet child."

  That was the totality of the conversation as Andrea decided not to veer again into the uncharted territory she had found herself swimming in just hours earlier due to pure and utter desperation.

  * * *

  That night…

  Lights flickered alongside the massive structure, and whispering sounds penetrated the solitude of the child's room. One of the voices was loud and succinct enough in his ear to wake him. Alex peeled his eyes open and as consciousness rushed through his brain, he turned and scanned the bedroom. Only blackness greeted him and silence once again. Then appeared a faint glow near the closet—very small at first, but seemed to be increasing in size and mysterious severity by the second, and forming into something wavy. Suddenly, the indistinct, frenzied whispers started up again—here, there and everywhere. They were coming from all directions, yet the light near the closet remained still, except for its changing shape. In less than a mere minute, it was almost three feet tall. Alex kept looking around as the dread inside mounted to a level by which he could feel his little heart pounding and his throat tightening. It was a truly detestable state as it prevented him from doing the most logical thing— screaming his little lungs out!

  The glow was much taller now and taking obvious human form. The outer edges remained faintly light as the inner cavity took on a solid blackness. The thought of what would come was too much for Alex to bear, yet he was helpless, alone, too frightened to make the slightest attempt to run out of there. He squeezed his eyes shut and silently prayed the prayer he had been taught to say every night: 'Now I lay me down to sleep…'

  Reluctantly, he opened his eyes again; curiosity had taken hold of him. The shape was still there that was now the height and perfect form of a very tall man—one he had clearly seen wandering through the halls of that very house for months.

  Alex yanked the covers over his head and squeezed his eyes shut again. The bold decision lasted only a few seconds as curiosity prevailed a second time and he could not stop himself from peeking. He could see the slight glow through the thin sheets, but to his horror, found that it was now right above him. He shivered with fear beneath the covers, hoping that his parents would somehow know he's in trouble and come to his rescue.

  The whispers were louder now: Voices of men and women—young and old. All the while, the unwelcomed silhouette remained stationary, just inches away from him. The boy's breathing became more strained; his chest heaved with fright and at the very moment he felt himself about to black out into utter nothingness, the light disappeared from the sheets and the voices suddenly stopped. Alex shot up out of bed, swung open the door and ran toward his parents' bedroom.

  He darted through the open doorway and found his mother sitting up in bed with the lamp on. She had an inexplicable grimace on her face. His father was lying next to her, snoring loudly.

  "Baby, what's wrong?" Andrea welcomed her son with open arms as he climbed up next to her.

  "He was in my room again, Mama! They were all there!" He sobbed.

  "Who was in your room? The shadows?" she probed.

  "I heard voices; I think it was them, but I didn't see them this time. He was there too and he was mad."

  "Who was, honey?"

  "Mister Koney."

  The burning on Andrea's back felt most uncomfortable. A fresh one rendered again that night and Theo slept right through her painful shriek.
Sometimes, new ones were clawed on top of old ones and the skin of the back was where their focus mainly was. More than ever now, she was convinced the shadow people were set to make her life miserable in that house and possibly drive her out of her mind.

  "Who is this Mister Koney?" she questioned the boy.

  "You know him, Mama. He's with you everywhere you go, but only in the daytime and only when you're here at home," Alex explained.

  An ice-cold shiver went through her. The very thought of what Alex had described was terrifying to the core.

  "Are you sure about this, Son?"

  "Yes, Mama. I'm sure. He really scares me. He doesn't like me and I don't think he likes you either."

  Andrea held him closely.

  Just then, Theo rolled over and peeled open an eyelid. "Why is he in here?" he muttered between sleep and wake.

  "He's going back to bed now," Andrea said as her husband turned over again—his back facing them.

  She looked at Alex. "You know your father wants you to sleep in your own room. How about I stay in there with you again tonight? Would you like that?"

  "Yes, Mama," the boy replied.

  Andrea slipped out of bed and accompanied Alex to his room. She found that the more she and her son were terrorized by these ghastly forces, the more she was despising her husband and wishing that somehow, these same forces would drag him down to the pit they must have crawled out of.

  8

  _________________

  Saturday morning, bright and early, Bobby arrived at the Cullens' house dressed in yard clothes and ready for the weekend routine. Michael and Sara were in their bedroom when they heard the lawnmower going.

  "He didn't bother to check with you first as he always does. Wise boy," Sara remarked.

  "That's because Mira already laid down the law to me and he obviously knows it." Michael shook his head. "I'll be damned if I'm going to be treated like an invalid around here. I'm going out there!" He put down his mug.

  "You're certainly not!" Sara protested. "Unless you're going to say hello to the young man who's out there working for free, you have no reason to go out there right now. There comes a time in life, honey, when we have to allow other people to help us."