1.01-2 – What is love?
3.0 - Edited by: Rellawing, AlliterativeArts, Raleon, Trismegistus Shandy - 7/31/2020
“...Leo? ...Leo! Where are you? Come out. It’s okay.”
A gentle, yet tough sounding female voice echoed through a trash-strewn and seemingly empty home. When no answer came in the following moment, the woman began to search with a concerned and sad expression. She rooted through the trash-filled living room. Her lips curled downward as her anger flared. Avoiding the worst patches of filth, she lifted her dress’ skirt to look behind the rundown-looking furniture.
Her shoes thumped against the hardwood floor, now and again crunching as she tread on trash, the next step crinkling and the following producing a wet squishing sound. The concerned aunt didn’t want to think about what produced those last noises. Desperation gripped her as she left the living room, concluding that Leo wasn’t hidden in the refuse. Her heart hammered as she dashed through the hallway to a stairway, calling out, “Leo! Please! Please answer me! I’m here for you!”
From the front entrance, a girl hesitantly stepped into the filthy home, tears filling her eyes, perhaps because of the stench, but maybe her tears were meant for Leo. Chewing her lip as determination replaced the water in her eyes, the girl spoke, “M-mom… I’ll help…”
Her mother turned and sighed. “I know you don’t want to come into this house. Please check downstairs. I’ll search above.” Her eyes fixed on her daughter.
“… leave it to me.” The girl nodded, gathering herself. She tiptoed into the living room, her nose wrinkling as fetid odors rose from the rubbish as she looked around.
“Not there… I don’t think your cousin is there. Look in the other rooms,” the woman said as she started up the stairs, which were by some miracle clear. Gasping, she climbed to the next floor where more detritus resumed. Sighing again, she wiped her forehead. “Leo! Please! Auntie Goonie is here!” A small noise echoed from down the hallway, or at least the woman thought so.
Anxiously swallowing saliva, she kicked paper and bottles, wading through to where she thought she heard the noise coming from. She arrived at the house’s master bedroom. As more unpleasant squishing noises arose from her feet she neared the door. When she attempted to turn its knob, the door wouldn’t budge. “Damn it!” she whispered, before raising her voice to deliver a desperate yell, “LEO!”
Grunting, she set herself against the door to force it open, but it still wouldn’t be moved.
“Auntie…” A weak voice came from the other side. Goonie gasped, having heard the goal of her search calling for her. She grit her teeth and slammed her shoulder against the door that now stood between her and Leo. The backlash was going to leave a horrible bruise, yet she would not be stopped. Her shoulder slammed repeatedly against the door and as she struck over and over, it creaked and screeched under the onslaught of her shoulder.
“Uw… aaaaaaaa!” Leo cried, his voice faint and weak.
Goonie cursed loudly, “DAMN YOU, ALBERT! Quinn! Come upstairs! Be careful. I might have knocked something down onto the stairs.”
“Coming!!!” With a clatter, the girl ran up the stairs.
Goonie continued to ram her body against the door that started to rattle and creak. Taking a short break, Goonie muttered, “We might have to call the police at this rate… I thought this would be simpler.”
“Shouldn’t we?” Quinn heaved a heavy breath as she reached the top.
“We may have to, but not yet… I’m determined to get Leo out of here as soon as possible,” her mother responded.
“I’ll help then!” Quinn nodded and threw herself again at the door.
Goonie smiled warmly at her daughter as a reward for her efforts. She rubbed her aging and aching shoulder that was already aching from the repeated attempts. But despite her pain, she was not done. “Let’s time it and hit the door together.”
Quinn examined the door and tilted her head. “Is he really on the other side?”
Goonie replied, “Yes. Now, hurry!” Quinn squinted and nodded, steadying her breathing as she set herself.
“One, two…. THREE!” The two of them threw themselves at the door. Goonie was determined and led a healthy lifestyle. Like her mother, even though she was only eight years old, she was stronger because she enjoyed athletics. And yet, these two couldn’t force the door to open, but this time, it screeched sharply. “Again!”
In the moment the two charged again, Quinn finally heard the frail voice of her cousin. Having received confirmation of his presence, she redoubled her efforts, filled with new determination. The moment they collided with it, the door splintered and it slammed open into the near wall, causing the knob to embed into the drywall and the mother and daughter fell inside.
The inside of the bedroom was filled with empty liquor bottles and used microwavable dinner trays. Cockroaches crawled through the mess. Their glistening black spindly forms wound through semi-rotting leavings.
Goonie collapsed into the mess while Quinn fell to her hands and knees. Tears poured from each of their eyes now that their goal was in sight. Since she recovered first, Quinn scanned around and she spotted a large chest in the center of the floor. There was a padlock through the clasp but it thankfully wasn’t fastened.
“H-help… please…” Leo sobbed. Goonie snarled and pushed herself to her feet. Quinn looked to her mother and nodded, rushing ahead to the chest, kicking aside bottles and cockroaches alike. They all cried as Quinn wrenched the lock from its clasp and threw the lid open. A new and unique foul odor wafted from inside the chest. Shock filled her expression as she laid eyes on her cousin, her heart trembling. Goonie reached into the chest and with seeming supernatural strength lifted out the child from within. Wrapping her arms around him tightly, she started sobbing all over again with Leo.
“You’ll be okay now, Leo! Are you hurt?” Goonie hugged the boy tightly, but with great gentleness.
Quinn looked up, her tears running onto the cluttered and filthy carpet. “Cousin!” Reaching up, she patted his back while Leo sobbed and clung to his Auntie Goonie. The child’s stomach was growling so loudly the two could hear almost nothing else.
“Let’s get some food in you right away. After all, someone sounds very hungry.” Goonie held a still-crying Leo who was listlessly snuggling back.
“Can I stay with you tonight, Auntie?” Leo sniffled.
“No, Leo. If I have my way, you’ll stay with us forever.” The woman glared into the distance. “You’ll never go hungry again, Leo.” She vowed as she stroked the boy’s hair. Goonie started downstairs with the boy in her arms while Quinn angrily kicked an empty whiskey bottle away before running after.