around people for quite some time. I hope I didn’t scare you.” His voice became increasingly polite.
I continued to stare at him bewildered and unmoving.
“Really, I must apologize. I just noticed that unique mark on your arm and I was hoping to get a closer look. A birthmark you say?”
“Yes, I was born with it.” I rubbed the red streak on my arm left by the man’s sturdy grip.
He extended a hand in my direction. “Please, just a quick look? I promise to be gentle this time.” His wide smile was somehow disturbing. I lifted my arm nervously and flinched as he ran his finger over the smooth surface of my birthmark.
“Well, that is something special isn’t it,” he admired. The tear-shape glinted midnight blue in the sunlight. “Do your parents also have this mark?” he asked.
I pulled my arm away. “No. Well, my mom doesn’t. I’ve never met my father.” He raised one eyebrow and glared at me, his face calculating my response. I felt my breaths quickening with each passing second. His eyes were like a spider web of black veins.
“Isn’t that a shame?” he finally said, his tone over-the-top sickening sweet. “But please, don’t let me keep you. I’m sure you have better things to do than chat with an old man like me.”
Relief poured through my limbs. I forced a bleak smile and fled toward my house.
I leapt in my car and reversed to the street. The man stared at me with a mischievous grin. I put my foot to the gas pedal and rolled by him like I was moving in slow motion. I peered back at him confused and frozen. I followed his frame in the rearview mirror until he and the black car were finally out of view.
I drove to Heather’s house in eerie silence. I clutched the steering wheel, arm hairs standing on edge. Every few minutes I glanced in the mirror for fear I would see the black car behind me.
The man’s disturbing expression still plagued my thoughts as I turned the corner onto Heather’s street.
I clutched my bag as I exited my car in front of her house, examining every corner of the neighborhood with guarded movements. I took swift steps up the walkway towards the security of the front door.
Just as I lifted my leg to the front step a roaring sound cut through my ears from a few feet away. I jumped backward and let out a scream, nerves on edge. The blaring noise went silent.
A familiar face popped out from the side of the house, easing my anxiety.
“Jose, hi,” I said.
It was Heather’s gardener. We’d spoken a few times in the past, when he’d been working out in the yard as I arrived at Heather’s house. Sometimes I would practice a little Spanish with him before going inside.
He carried a large gardening machine strapped over his shoulder. “Sorry, did I scare you?” he asked.
“Maybe a little,” I said. “I didn’t realize you were over there.”
I walked towards him on the grass. “How are you?”
“Really good,” he said. His eyes lit up. “Me and my wife, we will expect another baby soon.”
“Wow, congratulations.”
Before he could answer we both turned at the squeak of the front door.
Heather stood, arms folded in the doorway. “Are you here to hang out with me or the gardener?”
“Sorry, I better go,” I said to Jose. “Nice to see you.”
He waved and went back to tending the yard.
Heather crossed the polished wood floor in the entry way. “I have a little surprise for you in the family room,” she whispered. I couldn’t tell if her tone was affectionate or sarcastic. She didn’t sound as mad as earlier today, but she still wasn’t herself.
“Can we talk for a minute?” I asked.
She didn’t reply, but when we entered the next room, I realized what she meant by surprise.
9. COMPETITION
Apparently Heather invited other guests without bothering to tell me. I gave her an accusing look.
“Nick…hi,” I said, hiding my surprise.
Nick stood from the
I continued to stare at him bewildered and unmoving.
“Really, I must apologize. I just noticed that unique mark on your arm and I was hoping to get a closer look. A birthmark you say?”
“Yes, I was born with it.” I rubbed the red streak on my arm left by the man’s sturdy grip.
He extended a hand in my direction. “Please, just a quick look? I promise to be gentle this time.” His wide smile was somehow disturbing. I lifted my arm nervously and flinched as he ran his finger over the smooth surface of my birthmark.
“Well, that is something special isn’t it,” he admired. The tear-shape glinted midnight blue in the sunlight. “Do your parents also have this mark?” he asked.
I pulled my arm away. “No. Well, my mom doesn’t. I’ve never met my father.” He raised one eyebrow and glared at me, his face calculating my response. I felt my breaths quickening with each passing second. His eyes were like a spider web of black veins.
“Isn’t that a shame?” he finally said, his tone over-the-top sickening sweet. “But please, don’t let me keep you. I’m sure you have better things to do than chat with an old man like me.”
Relief poured through my limbs. I forced a bleak smile and fled toward my house.
I leapt in my car and reversed to the street. The man stared at me with a mischievous grin. I put my foot to the gas pedal and rolled by him like I was moving in slow motion. I peered back at him confused and frozen. I followed his frame in the rearview mirror until he and the black car were finally out of view.
I drove to Heather’s house in eerie silence. I clutched the steering wheel, arm hairs standing on edge. Every few minutes I glanced in the mirror for fear I would see the black car behind me.
The man’s disturbing expression still plagued my thoughts as I turned the corner onto Heather’s street.
I clutched my bag as I exited my car in front of her house, examining every corner of the neighborhood with guarded movements. I took swift steps up the walkway towards the security of the front door.
Just as I lifted my leg to the front step a roaring sound cut through my ears from a few feet away. I jumped backward and let out a scream, nerves on edge. The blaring noise went silent.
A familiar face popped out from the side of the house, easing my anxiety.
“Jose, hi,” I said.
It was Heather’s gardener. We’d spoken a few times in the past, when he’d been working out in the yard as I arrived at Heather’s house. Sometimes I would practice a little Spanish with him before going inside.
He carried a large gardening machine strapped over his shoulder. “Sorry, did I scare you?” he asked.
“Maybe a little,” I said. “I didn’t realize you were over there.”
I walked towards him on the grass. “How are you?”
“Really good,” he said. His eyes lit up. “Me and my wife, we will expect another baby soon.”
“Wow, congratulations.”
Before he could answer we both turned at the squeak of the front door.
Heather stood, arms folded in the doorway. “Are you here to hang out with me or the gardener?”
“Sorry, I better go,” I said to Jose. “Nice to see you.”
He waved and went back to tending the yard.
Heather crossed the polished wood floor in the entry way. “I have a little surprise for you in the family room,” she whispered. I couldn’t tell if her tone was affectionate or sarcastic. She didn’t sound as mad as earlier today, but she still wasn’t herself.
“Can we talk for a minute?” I asked.
She didn’t reply, but when we entered the next room, I realized what she meant by surprise.
9. COMPETITION
Apparently Heather invited other guests without bothering to tell me. I gave her an accusing look.
“Nick…hi,” I said, hiding my surprise.
Nick stood from the
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