Chapter 4 Stuck in-between

Archie squats in front of his pet cage at the back of the mansion. He brush the bunny on its head and it wraps its arms around Archie's index finger.

“You’re fine, right?” Archie asks the bunny as he pour the remaining milk in the can.

“Eat that for now, I'll you more later.” he says and stand on his feet.

Walking back to the mansion he decided to go through the front door as he doesn't want to run into his father.

Getting to the front of the building he sees a lady from afar and abruptly stops on his track.

“Who’s she?” he couldn't help but to ask himself the first question that came to his mind.

He wonders what she's doing inside the building and how she gets in. He scoffs when he recollect the previous night with his father.

“That must be the babysitter.” he concluded. That's the only thought that came to his mind and he appreciate it because it's the only reasonable thought that could make her enter into the mansion.

He strides to where she stood and he couldn't believe his eyes.

‘She’s playing with the waterfalls’ he discreetly rolls his eyeballs at her.

It was only his father that founds waterfall soothing. He watch the waterfalls whenever he's sad or whatever he's having trouble with sleep.

He hates her gut for liking the same thing as her father.

“All that glitter is not gold. Some shines bright like a fireball but it's a devil's abode” he says, standing besides her with his hands crossed behind his back. The lady who's likely to be in her late 20s nodded her head in excitement.

“I’ve lived all my life in godly yet a destitute home. It's my first time being in a moneyed mansion, who cares if it's devil’s abode or a thumb hole?” he could swear he hears the lady scoffs and rolls her eyeballs at him.

“I can see that you're pretty eager to die.” he says angrily but he voice came out low that he's not sure if the lady hears or not.

He walks to the exit and steps out of the hell he call home.

Walking down the road he sees a snacks shop and he smiles and starts walking toward the direction.

As he sight a particular box of snacks, he remembers a kid at his school and how she has offer him handful of snacks.

‘From now on you're my big brother’ he could hear the happy giggles of the kid and he can't help but to smile at how she made him laughed wholeheartedly at school that day.

He hasn't been able to see her after that day and he's hoping to see her the next day during recess.

The incident of two days ago remains vividly in his memory. He couldn't help the smile that always well up his face anytime his mind drift off to her.

“I’m just going to get her these snacks and give it to her.” He says to himself but stops when he remembers his father wouldn't let him be if he should sees him with snacks.

“I don't eat snacks and he'll have me suffer through his grips if he should know that I play with some kid at school.” he says and turn around to leave only to bump into someone.

He falls to the ground and groan in pain.

Archie looks up to fire at whosoever that he bumped into.

Seeing his father, he promptly stands on his feet and look away from him.

“Is that your apology for bumping into me?” Mr Gordon asks not caring to ask if the boy scratch his feet or not.

‘How did he knows where I was?’ Archie thought, glaring hard at the annoying man in front of him.

Archie rolls his eyes, not saying anything.

“What are you doing here, instead of being in your room studying?” Mr Gordon ask again and Archie keep quiet.

The urge to hit his son keeps coming to his mind, but being who he is, camera will start rolling and he wouldn't tarnish his image for this stupid boy.

“Get in the car.” he command, looking around to see if people are watching.

****

Getting home, Mr Gordon pulls to halt and get down from the car. He strides to where Archie sit and drags him out of the car.

He grabs him by the collar and drags him inside the mansion.

He leads the way and they walks in the hallway that leads to Melanie’s room.

Archie scoffs at what his father is about to do. He yanks his father hands off his shirt and kicks his legs.

Being the strong man that he is, his son kick does not seems to affect him in any way. Instead, he tugs at his collar and pin him to the wall.

“Listen, Archie.” he says gazing hard into his eyeballs.

“I do not know the reason why you hate me this much, but know that everything that I did, I fucking do them because of you.” He spats angrily, using his index finger to knock his forehead.

Archie smiles sadly and grabs his father hands that clutched tight at his shirt.

“How Does killing mom be of help to me, you this bloody bastard.” Archie yells as tear rolls down his cheeks.

Mr Gordon dilate his eyes in shock.

“What did you just called me?” He asks taking a step forward.

“I called you a bloody bastard...

Mr Gordon punch him hard on his face which sends him to the floor.

“How dare you an ungrateful out call me that?” he roars.

He advance toward him on the floor and makes an attempt to hit him again on the floor and he feels a fragile holds on his hand.

He forcefully yanks his hand off the grip and he hears the sound of someone falling on the ground with a loud thud.

He looks back and behold, it is the new babysitter that he hired to watch over his son.

He stands on his feet and leave the corridor quickly, leaving for his room.

Archie smile and his once white set of teeth has been soaked with his blood.

He groans and stands on his feet, he watches the pathetic look on the lady and he shakes his head negatively before leaving for his room.

Melanie watches the scene in terror and uses the remaining strength she has left to stand on his feet.

She holds her head in her hands and enter into the room that was given to her. She walks over to the bed and zip down her purse.

She brings out her phone and decided to put a call across to the Harley, the Secretary that assign her.

Just then, a notification pops up on her screen and she decides to check it out first.

“What! She... She's already paid the money? Now does that mean I'll remains in this mansion for the next year?” she cries out, covering her mouth with her palm.

“No! I can't do this to myself.” she shakes her head nervously. She starts packing her stuff hurriedly.

‘Here is a tip for you. The advance payment form that you filled will be considered, but if we pay you a year salary even when you haven't done anything and you decided to run off with the payment... just consider yourself a jailer. The Gordon that I know does not forgive theft.’

The voice of Harley rings in her head like an alarm. She drops her bag on the floor, crying her eyes out.