please read and review...or not...zzz. would be nice.
New Chapter 1: Transfer On the Loop (Chicago pun, you can kill me)
His heart leapt into his chest as the plane touched down, the release anticipation washing over him oh so nicely.
Man. He was finally here. America, land of the patriots, home of the entitled.
His ancestral homeland.
"Finally. You excited kid?"
The foreigner nodded in assent to his temporary companion, eyes still closed. They had stuck together ever since he left Japan. The american was a kind man, always with a smile on his face. Very respectful of the culture of others, a rare trait indeed. Talking to him, the anxiety he felt over living in such a far away country was lessened. This wasn't the end of the world. Simply an opportunity to experience more of what the world had to offer.
He would stick with something closer to home next time though. Maybe Thailand, or perhaps back to India or Britain…
"Snap out of it kid, time to go."
For the first time in the past couple of hours he opened his eyes, iris trying to adjust to the change.
They stung. Such a pleasant feeling.
He gazed upon the middle aged man shaking his shoulder. Mr. Loud was a...unfortunate man, though he most definitely did not think of himself that way. The islander loved the man, as much as one could love a person they had know for less than a day, but the truth was his bald(ing) head and fuzzy crown of hair made for an...unattractive being.
Better looking in youth at least, since his children were not hard on the eyes. Well, he didn't like the creepy smile the pink one flashed in that one picture…
It was always the girly ones. He shook his head at the thought.
...for a moment, his heart panged. He warded it off. He missed his sister at times like these, though he would speak to her soon enough when he got home.
...well, not home yet. But it would be. His charms (and money, admittedly) had not failed him yet.
His attention was brought back to reality by movement in his vision, and he fought down the urge to leap up.
He scooted over from his window seat in time to catch his duffel bag from Mr. Loud,
"Thanks again for the gifts Ko-chan."
The boy winced.
"Please Mr. Loud. We're in America. Cut the honorifics before I get to confused."
The brown eyed barked out a laugh at this, which made me smile. My first friend in this strange land. Another face for my scrapbook.
This was, what, the fifteenth one? Well, that was a rhetorical question, of course he knew how many he had.
They exited the plain soon enough. It was a rather solemn procession, foreigners preparing themselves for the new country or natives quietly glad to be home.
Together, the two made way to retrieve their luggage. Ko had a lot of it.
Oh, he forgot to reconfirm his transportation status.
"I would like to thank you again, Mr. Loud, for offering to take me to my transfer family."
Always hurt to say that in the beginning.
"No," the wispy haired man grunted as he tried to lift his young friends luggage. Ko looked on in amusement, "problem kid!"
With a great heave and grunt of effort he managed to make the golden bag topple off the conveyor belt. Ko started to laugh.
"Damn, what is in these bags kid?"
"Books and clothes, mostly. I am a bit of a collector of both things. I would be glad to weave some copies for your daughter Eh, the one interested in fashion. Leni, wasn't' it?"
"Right on the nail. You'd really do that?"
Ko shrugged.
"Sure? I mean, some can't be worn unless she agrees to begin religious practice. Are you a particularly religious family?"
"I wouldn't say that."
Mr. Loud took another bag off. Ko began to help, lifting his luggage with considerably less effort than his older friend.
"I mean, we have the occasional prayer. I consider my family one of Christians, but I wouldn't be to upset if one of my kids found another calling."
"How tolerant of you."
From anothers mouth such words would be seen as sarcastic. The way Ko said it was filled with warm feelings.
"...hey, what religion are you a part of?"
Ko thought for a moment.
"This may seem odd to say, but more than one. I practice Santeria, which I picked up from my grandmother. I am also considered a shaman in Mongolia, after living there for quite a while. To use a term relevant to you, I am indeed a pastor as well. I follow,"
He noticed the lost expression on Mr. Louds face.
"...well. I could tell you more about my spiritual affiliations later."
A troubled mood took him.
"More than once I have been called a whore, promiscuous in my practice. Perhaps it is true, but still hurtful."
Lars looked like he was going to say something, but the shaman interrupted him.
"Enough of this talk. Is that not your daughter coming towards us."
Reluctantly, Lars dropped the conversation to welcome his daughter.
Ko looked on fondly as the two embraced. It was nice, seeing such a close family.
Much too rare, in his opinion.
Murky green-brown eyes lazily flicked over the landscape, not really registering what they were seeing, just passing the time. It would be rude to use his phone when his new acquaintance was oh so kindly driving him the...Creighton family household. The name made him laugh everytime.
Their driver, a blonde woman of seventeen (17) did not care to extend this courtesy.
Ko twitched as she took a selfie. It was illegal to use cellular devices while driving, he had thought.
Lori Loud. Almost disgustingly average compared to her more eccentric siblings, so he had thought.
As if sensing his thoughts she turned to give him an ugly eye.
He stuck out his tongue at her.
She growled.
Mr. Loud was dead asleep, the plane ride obviously exhausting the poor old man. Which was all well and good, as he would not be aware of the hostilities flying through the air.
Undoubtedly, the eldest Loud child was envious of the copious amounts of supplies he had with him. Or one of sacrificial blades were messing with her mind.
Hm. He stirred up his spiritual energies. That should do it.
"So, what brings you here Ko?"
Oh, a conversation! He was glad she put her phone away, it was annoying him to end.
"You did darling." Ko wiggled his eyebrows.
Lori scowled.
"Honestly though? A long, long time ago, like, back in the day of the Salem Witch Trials even, a branch of my father's family used to live in the area. Of course, it is much different now, but the connection was interesting enough for my dad to send me off here, instead of someplace larger like Houston or New York."
The elder Loud's brow furrowed in confusion.
"Where did you say you were born again?"
"India, though I lived out the majority of my early childhood in Britain, as you might be able to tell."
To this Lori nodded in assent.
"You sound a lot like Luna, although I expected your accent to be thicker."
Ko scowled.
"Most of the so called 'British accents' you here are from native Americans trying to hard to sound like civilized folk. No offense, but you all sound like monsters to me."
"None taken. Hey, why did your family leave America?"
"You want lies, a idealized version of the truth, truth mixed with lies, lies mixed with truth, or the honest truth with sone lies of omission for your sanity?"
"I'm starting to regret asking this question. Truth with omission, I guess."
"My family were chased out by the local governments for being monstrous cannibals."
The car stopped at a green light. Horns honked.
"What."
"It is true. My ancestors fed on the flesh of their fellow man, the result of a cursed sickness placed upon their minds, how exactly I do not know. Wily, they managed to elude capture, and hijacked a ship up in Boston, slaughtering all aboard and setting sail to the New World. They were Algonquian, you see. Eventually, they had feasted on all they could, and the remaining months were spent in a constant state of starvation, the cannibals having to lower themselves to fish and other tame meats. It was the best thing that could have happened. By the time they crashed upon the stones of Britain, a literal act of divine providence for they had no idea how to navigate the ocean in the first place, the curse had been lifted."
As Lori's thoughts were thrown into disarray…
Warm breath blowed upon her neck and ears…
A hand was placed upon her collar bone…
A husky voice, spoke, low and seductive…
"I'm tempted to eat you darling."