Intrusive Visitation

"Do you guys want to enter or you'd just..." Lux offered his front door.

"Nah, we're about to leave anyway." said James.

"Ok, I'll be quick." Leaving his friends standing at the yard, Lux walked inside and called for Aling Alyng.

"Lala! You there?" He took a peek at the kitchen, with the door opened freely. He caught a glimpse of his Lala doing gardening. She must've been carried away by the flowers, whispering at them and all.

Lux left her be and proceeded to the dining table. He brought out both the Luckstars fruit from his bag.

'They'd be surprised once they see this.'

He smiled before heading to the stairs.

Lux went to his room and looked for his wallet. He lifted the sheets and looked under. Then, he opened his closet, hoping to find his tokens and bills, instead he found something else missing.

"It's empty..." He uttered after seeing that his clothes were not in his cabinet.

He quickly scanned his whole room, that's when he realized, none of his belongings were there.

Lux walked down fast. He wanted to ask Aling Alyng immediately, but then the wooden door squeaked and opened.

"Lux, your future mother-in-law's here." Jesse joked and murmured.

Suddenly, an ice-cold breeze entered through the door, along with an aged lady dressed with gray. It was Mrs. Creeth, Minsie's mother.

"Thank you boys. Mind if I come in?"

"Oh, not at all, good morning auntie." Lux greeted, providing her an entrance to the doorstep.

As bad timing as it was, he still gave her a warm welcome. She is her auntie after all, the one to go to when his caretakers weren't around.

She's always been that kind of mom who offers candies and baby pictures to their visitors, on that case, Minsie's baby pictures. And Garcion's too as well, her being proud at his son being the town incandescent and all.

"Lala is at the back, I'll go get her." Lux informed as he was readying to reach for her hand to give mano. But then he was shocked of her reaction, and rejection. His auntie refused to accept his gesture of respect.

Lux awkwardly directed Mrs. Creeth to a sofa beside them before leaving for the kitchen. As he was heading to the backyard, he checked his 2 hands and his 9 fingernails.

'They all seem to be clean. Is something wrong? Did I do something wrong? '

Out in the yard, Lux called on his Lala, who was surprised to see him for some reason.

"Lux, dear boy, where have you been? Your Lolo's been looking for you."

"Why? I was just attending the announcements at school, I've told you that didn't I?"

"I know, I know, it's just, we thought..."

Confused at seeing his Lala so worried, Lux paused and contemplated.

'They thought of what?'

He wanted to ask immediately but Aling Alyng was able to give him the answer.

"Nothing, you just left too early, not even when the sun's up. You know how dangerous it is out there."

Somehow, Lux was relieved that it was just his caretakers pampering him with care.

"Well, the sun is always up late so it was not that early. Anyway, auntie's at the living room."

"Is that so? Tell her to give me a few more minutes. There are rice cakes at the table. Offer them up and eat some too." His Lala said while holding his cheeks.

Lux returned back and caught up on his aunt bending towards the window. She was closed it, apparently all of it. Soon, she noticed Lux staring at her.

"Oh, the air was just too cold, wouldn't you say?"

"Uhmm yeah, sure." The boy said just as he watched Mrs. creeth sit at the sofa strangely and stiffly.

"Come here, uh-Lux." She then directed her hand towards to another sofa in front of her, the one beside the drawer and the tree.

Lux was weirded out.

'Did she just hesitated in saying my name? It's fine, fine, just cut her some slack. '

"Yes, sure, ma'am." Lux did as what he was told. He sat at the smaller sofa, confined at his own house and furniture.

The atmosphere was getting as thick as molasses, so he thought of breaking the ice.

'What to say at adults? Come on. How about the classic, the one they always use on children.'

"How are you Mrs. Creeth?"

'Great, now I feel like the adult. '

"I'm good. May I ask you a few questions?" The old woman said so obliging. He had no choice but to say yes.

"O-of cour-"

"Are you taking care of yourself?" The woman took no time to interrupt.

"Yes, auntie. No cigarettes, no alcohol, just a few doses of junk foods here and there." He chuckled, proud, but Mrs. Creeth's expression didn't change a bit.

"Do you have any 'deadly' illnesses that came from your father?"

'What kind of question is that?' Lux thought.

'Is she checking my genes? Looks like she's pushing the family thing too early.'

But about his father... his dad left him with Lala and Lolo for more than 10 years now. He doesn't actually remember most of their time together, much more the illnesses he could have inherited from him.

"I don't think so, no."

He saw the old lady staring at him, cold, emotionless and uncaring. Though with a smile, hers felt blank.

"Your mother?" She asked.

Lux froze. Lux didn't expect that to come out from her. She knew very well who his mother was, and what happened to her, the reason why she was... gone.

"I don't know." The young man answered disheartened. He can't go on feeling anxious, so he came up of a way to get out of this conversation.

"Maybe Lala knows, I'll go grab her." Lux nodded, trying to be sincere but he was too nervous. As he was about to stand up, the woman held his arm and insisted for him to-

"STAY."

Just like a cold shower, Lux felt shivers crawl on his back. The atmosphere became unbearable, creepy beyond all reasons.

"Uhm do you need water? Water seems nice right?" Lux jokingly said even though he was starting to get terrified. Her hands are now sticking to his wrist.

"Yeah I'm gonna go get you hot water. Excuse me." Lux tried walk away, but he can't go any farther than two feet from Mrs. Creeth.

'It's like my skin is glued to her hands. It feels so rough now, a second earlier it felt soft, but now, I'm starting to feel... scales?'

Lux wiggled his arm up and down, but it's no use, it's locked. Suddenly, he was forced to the thin and creepy lady smiling towards him.

Mrs. Creeth constricted her fingers around, like a thick rope grinding repeatedly on one's skin.

'It's hurting, my arms are hurting!'

Lux now wanted to run from her. He tried to remove the grip with his other hand but she was strong! He was only able to lift one finger at most, and that's saying something!

"Lala, Lala!" He yelled, trying to rush to the kitchen, but when he returned his eyes to his auntie, he realized,

'No, that's not auntie anymore.'