Apparently clothing wasn't as expensive at the closest retail store as he had imagined.
Drifting through the isles, eyeing one section after another was palpable. He was enjoying the company of Anis not because he actually wanted to explore the downtown shops that he did not visit often, except a certain thrift shop which he dare not bring up in his mind at the current moment, but more because he was slightly thrilled at the prospect of being the bigger person in the picture.
It was an unusual feeling for Ethan to be the one looking after someone and not the other way around, still, it was something that was endearing.
Anis lingered on a piece of clothing for some time, it was a simple long white skirt with a beautifully embroidered pattern of a bouquet of colorful flowers.
He was surely contemplating on buying it for his sister but the money he had was not enough as Ethan caught him looking at the price tag before jerking his body to a different piece of clothing. Unfortunately for him, his attempts did not go unnoticed by Ethan.
Ethan raised his eyebrows momentarily and looked at the price tag himself, "Anis. You want this?"
"-what? Well..it's too expensive."
"Really?" Digging deep into his pocket, he produces a bountiful sum of money from his wallet and dropped the shirt into the basket, "That should cover it."
"Wha-brother! You shouldn't! I don-"
"Don't be so shy. And besides, it makes me feel better about myself that I'm treating you. So it's really a plus for me, well saying that out loud really does lessen its true impact but, you know what I mean."
Pushing the cart through the store, the oddly pleasant scent of the chlorine mixed with the chemical odor of cheap clothes was not different from the malls he had frequented. It was a strange thought, really, the commonality between the stores despite their undisputable positions in society, was in regards to the usage of their products. At the end of the day the only distinguishing factor between what he bought here and what he would find at those overly lavish buildings designed to maximize a person's consumption, were the name stamped onto the products.
"What are you looking at now?" Asked Ethan who was standing behind the leaning Anis.
"Nothing! I was just—the baseball bat. I used to see the kids at school play it."
"So you wanna refresh some memories and play with them again."
Anis's expression dropped to a pensive one, "No. I can't play with them, they didn't allow kids from outside the school to play with them so I just watched on from the wall."
Ethan who had been imagining an utterly different scenario was struck with Anis's pained expression. He could give in and apologize but that would be akin to taking the easy way out, and so the only real answer was,
"Hey! Don't be so sad! I'm here right? Get that bat, we're playing baseball day after tomorrow, get your sister as well."
Suddenly, Anis's eyes lifted with a gleam that was unfathomably deep.
They carried on and Ethan returned back to his pseudo profound contemplation regarding the current economic and psychologically manufactured structure of stores. Anis was swerving his face from one direction to another, until he stopped in between.
All these thoughts were maybe not banal, as the expression he was making had led Anis to tug at his sleeve numerous times as if signaling towards something.
"Umm..Brother, I don't feel safe here." He voiced his concern.
Strange. He must've visited this shop quite frequently than he had, so a sense of unfamiliarity shouldn't occur in the first place.
Patting Anis's shoulder in reassurance for something even he wasn't aware of, he pushed the cart forward through the store now approaching the check out counter.
Checkout went as expected, ordinary small talk which Ethan never understood why people found frustrating, and even snatching a bag of candy into the basket because Anis's eyes had lingered on it for a bit too much.
All was going well for them, all they had to do was now was return back home and Anis could surprise his sister with not only a new skirt and a promise of multiple baseball games but also tangibly great for satisfying their sweet tooth.
It was a really heartwarming scene for Ethan to imagine, they exited the double glass doors and casually made their way to the car—
"FUCKER!"
—Is what would've happened if not for a figure with a crowbar clawing away at the window of the driver seat of their car.
Ethan let go of Anis's hand and looking around for anything to defend himself with, and settled on the baseball bat he had acquired, rushing towards the figure who had already ran well off into the distance.
He could chase him and maybe end up catching him, yet that was not what he had to do right now.
He signaled for Anis to reach to the car as he slowly turned the corners with the baseball bat raised. There was no one else present at the parking hall, maybe you could spot a family far off into the distance but the relatively empty parking lot may have been the reason for such petty theft, except none of the car's cabinets were actually open.
He reached the driver's seat with its broken window and shattered glass sprawled all over the seat. He jerked the door open to find a rectangular tin box, its dark edges filled with a brown grime.
Not knowing how to proceed next, he figured out that his next move should be to escape this situation as quickly as possible, already seeing a figure approaching the parking lot.
He jerked the door open and hastily swept his hand on the seat, such a reckless action made him let out a pained groan as bits of glasses stuck to his skin, thankfully they did not penetrate too deep and once both him and Anis were now seated inside, he threw the tin box to the backseat and forced the engine alive.
He turned and ricocheted through the traffic trying to make his way back home as quick as possible or at least to the nearest police station.
There was a car behind him
It was following him.
Panic came over him and his blood ran cold as movements such as just turning the wheel of the car became difficult.
To his right, Anis sat on the seat with his body compacted into a small region.
"W—What is happening?"
His question went unanswered as they were cornered into even more traffic, the light blinked red and with no turn to make and cars cluttering the front, they came to a halt.
There was no where else to turn and spotting the car languidly driving closer he ferociously tried to close the window which had already been broken.
This attack felt more calculated than he imagined. From breaking the window to cornering them in a street and even the blackened windshield of the car following them, it appeared to be the perfect tactic for planned harm followed by eluding the law.
Finally, the car reached to the halt besides theirs, by now Anis had closed his eyes and was shaking in his seat, his body shrunk to the size of a toddler.
Ethan did not dare turn his head, he was staring ahead at the traffic, his body frozen solid.
Soon, the window of the other car rolled down and revealed a man with a bald head and large sunglasses. He large tomahawk was a spectacle to peer at, something which Ethan didn't even attempt to steal a glance for.
He opened his mouth to speak and simultaneously sweat trickled down Ethan's brow, he closed his eyes preparing for the worst when,
"Heya broski! Do you happen to maybe know the way to what they call 'Hampstermorgan'?"
"What..?"
"Heya! Are you even listenin to the word am speakin? My daughter's gettin married so I ought not to be late. Also do they say hello to us strangers with tin boxes in their hands here?"
Instinctively, he glanced to his right hand which had the box clutched and ready, he threw it back with haste and painfully smiled at the stranger, sharing an awkward laugh.
"Alright, the way to Hampstermorgan? You gotta take a right from here and head to the highway and go straight ahead until you see the sign to Hampstermorgan, it's about 30 kilometers."
"Alright, alright, alright. Thanks broski! Don'cha hit anyone with that lunchbox of ye! They got pretty strict laws here. Could you believe it, I got my arse sent to the ward for a night because I was peein on the streets! And they said I was unreasonable, HA!"
Ethan didn't bother to properly register the words that the man was speaking, the relief in him was so insurmountably high that nothing else mattered.
"Alright broski! I'mma get going. Hope to see ya round." And with that the car took off.
He found the still shaking Anis and patted him on the shoulder,
"Hey, it's alright, just some..misunderstanding or something! It's alright! I'll get you home don't worry."
To say he wasn't scared himself would be a lie, he was almost ready to fight to the death at that last moment, the guy already looked like the stereotypical gangster minus the tattoos.
They were rushing through the streets now, but more comfortably and without the fear of anyone following him.
Ethan made sure to regularly glance at the side view mirror and fortunately found no one was behind him except for a particular red Pontiac.
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※
"Don't worry. I will be reporting it. Did you send Anis back home alone?"
"Well yes I dropped him off at his house but, I really should've made my way to the police station and yet I ran here because I was scared, what if someone really was following?"
"Calm down Ethan, what you've done is fine enough."
"But! But I almost got all of you in danger as well, I'll accompany you to the police station! I can help with it—"
"Ethan! It's alright! Get a hold of yourself. You don't need to go anywhere, I said I'll take care of it!" He urgently landed both of his hands on Ethan's shoulders telling him to calm down, Ethan's dire words came to slow stop as he started to gasp for breath. He had ran here immediately after making sure that Anis was safe at home.
He was sweating profusely and panting uncontrollably as well, wiping off the perspiration with his bandaged hand seemed useless as the moisture didn't appear to cease at all.
Seating himself on the dining room chair where they had previously been before taking off for the store visit, his breathing came to an acceptable pace.
He eventually came to notice his father's loose tie dangling from his neck and his formal suit, he was probably going somewhere but stopped as soon as he found Ethan in such a state.
"And. What is this box about?" He changed the topic and set his eyes on the plain tin lunchbox of rectangular shape that he had carried inside in a haze.
"I honestly have no idea." When he was level headed enough, he reached for the box and Johann looked on in fleeting eeriness. The uncanny sentiment which was radiating off the object was even noticed by Ethan who wasn't sure if it was a good idea to even open it inside the house, for all he knew it could a bomb that detonated the instant it was opened.
Or maybe such thoughts were just his brain trying to cover up his cowardice for not opening it, he thought.
He braced himself and yanked the lid off and his face turned from confusion to immediate disgust and he peered away instantly.
At the horrific sight, Johann stared down in repugnance and loathing.
The box was home to a small loaf of bread that was plagued and besieged by an unsightly amount of maggots squirming and twitching.
Ethan instantly backed off and Johann's hand slipped off his tie, in one swift motion he took the lid and closed the box, taking it in his hands and barging to the gate, slamming it into the trash where it banged on the dumpster floor and scattered everywhere.
When he returned, he promptly tidied himself up.
"What the hell was that!?" Ethan's livid words were met with a reply of Johann holding back his own wrenching expression but failing as his face twitched and he shut his left eye instinctively.
"I am not aware exactly but, your mother did tell me about it being some of an ill wish in our tradition. Ask her what that meant, but whatever it was, there was certainly not a hint of goodwill in it."
He sighed and straightened his tie, taking the car keys and making his way to the door.
He turned around to see Ethan still sitting on the chair yonderly.
"Ethan" he said, "The time isn't right, please refrain from going out alone or for no reason at all."
Ethan turned to his father and found his face, previously bombarded with disgust, now filled with something more grim. He was sad, or at least unhappy, Ethan was able to make that much out.
"Yes dad. And drive safely, if both our cars have broken windows then we would need to be more concerned about what move that jealous jackass would make next." he said giving Johann a small laugh.
At the same time, they heard creaking from the first floor.
Though Johann's expression remained unchanged, he gave Ethan a nod before heading off,
"I'm going to the office gathering. Go ask your mother about this whole ordeal, I'll be back at midnight so prefer not waiting for me before eating..." He trailed off, seeing Ethan's singular raised eye brown and his arms crossed as if saying "Oh really?"
"..But I guess that won't be the case."
The creaking from the upper floor intensified.
"Your mother really is excited about writing to Reina, huh?" He said looking up as if he could see through the floor as if it were transparent glass, "Do try not to bother her too much Ethan, and take care."
"It'll be hard to do that, but I'll try!"
The door closed with a loud thud which drowned the initial sounds of Ethan's footsteps making their way through the stairs and to the guest room.
He found Anastasia sitting on the guest room bench with a pen in hand and writing on paper, she was biting her nails whilst pondering about what other load of information she could transfer onto the paper with no regard for how overwhelming it could be.
Thinking with such a distant tone, how shameful, he thought to himself.
Upon spotting him, Anastasia narrowed her eyes at him and got up from the table, all the while her eyes remained on his bandaged hand.
She took his palm in her own, "Your father is still quiet lousy with the bandaging." She said with a poker face.
"I'm sorry." were the only words he could mutter.
She didn't reply to him and instead took his hand closer and inspected it, adjusting her glasses.
"You know." She continued. "I got really scared when you came in running like that, all hurt and scared." Her eyes remained on the hand, "'When I find who did that, I'll make them pay' is what I thought but really.." she lifted her eyes from his hands to his face. "..I'm relieved you are alright."
Why wouldn't it be a relief. A mother to a son, a relationship so strong and familiar that Ethan may never understand just how deep it went. But it didn't really matter, because he saw the care her mother had for him in that moment all nestled in her eyes.
"I'm sorry. I couldn't handle it myself, I bothered dad with it and everything—"
"Bothered? Young mam where did you learn such foul language? I don't remember teaching you that, and Reina hasn't been home in a long time, are your friends to be blamed for this?" He smacked him on the head lovingly, "You didn't bother your father. I can assure you he's going to be running to the police station first thing. And although he doesn't really show it, he was really scared as well."
"But he's always..attempting to evade me from helping him, am I really that useless?"
She sighed and brought her hands to his face, cupping his cheek, "Good grief. Your father is hopeless, but so am I. We're really scared all the time you know. Whether we're good parents or not, both for you and for Reina, but Reina's been out for some time now, and he's really anxious about it so he ends up safeguarding you too much. Geez, he really is a worrywart, but I love that about him." she concluded, before letting go of his cheek, "Clean up now. Thankfully no one's gonna be trying to hurt us here right?" She gave him a smile.
A smile that he had seen before but each time he saw it again, it was always amplified in its grandeur of sincerity and reassurance, the sensation that his burdens weren't his own to bear. This feeling wasn't fleeting, it would always be there, for as long as his mother and father were by his side.
He loosened himself and Anastasia backed into the table, but before she could do so an intriguing question made her retrace her steps.
"Mum, if someone threw a tin lunchbox with bread full of maggots. What would you do?"
She approached him again, "First of all, I'd prepare laxatives for my son who was foolish enough to eat it."
Ethan yelped and fell back at the answer, "I didn't eat it!" he repeated.
"Other than that. I would have probably been extremely alert."
His exaggerated expressions drew to a close and he straightened himself at his mother's enigmatic answer.
"Here in Marlen, giving someone rotting bred is basically wishing for their starvation."
His eyes grew wider in concern, the attack held may have held a larger purpose than he could've imagined.
"The second reason would be—"
Anastasia's reflexes worked in her favor as she instantly jumped up and stood in front of Ethan, her arm extended trying to shelter him as a rock broke in through the glass window, shattering it.
Ethan stumbled back before he could process what was going and Anastasia's face contorted from fury.
Ethan soon followed in the same way, he gritted his teeth and went near the window before turning and rushing for the door.
"What are they thinking!" he shouted, ready to head down but his hand was immediately stopped by Anastasia.
"Mum! let me go! They were literally trying to kill us this time! We can't let this go! I need to do something! I need to—"
"Need to what? Walk in there and get hurt?!" she yelled at him.
"Young man you have nothing on you and you're planning on barging in there, then what? Fight them? God knows what they have planned, what if they are trying to lure you!"
Ethan fell back again but this time in remorse, he didn't dare to look at Anastasia, he had almost walked off to his own doom, and he had to be saved by his mother once again. Pathetic.
The people who were responsible for this—And whom Anastasia caught a glimpse of—appeared to be a small group of late teens, they could even have been in their twenties.
She clenched her fists tightly and turned to see Ethan.
"Mum! What do we do?" He asked knowing that there was no other choice.
"Ethan. Go down to the kitchen and call for Mr. Campbell." She moved with anger surging in her veins. She couldn't let things continue like this any further. As a mother and as a wife she could not bear to watch her own family be subjected to such undeserved hatred.
"I'll teach these dimwits a lesson myself."