Read Online Revenge of Cornelius by Tanya R. Taylor - Free Book Online Page B

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