The Bellevues lived in an ordinary two-story prairie house in the suburb of Leygate. It was one of those places where everyone knew each other. Barry Bellevue was the head of his family, he prided himself on being an average man who had learnt to be content with his lot in life. Barry was a slim-built, bespectacled man sporting a chestnut pompadour. He had been an accountant in a firm for the past 16 years, holding down a nine to five job and helping his wife raise the family. Mary Bellevue was the salt to Barry’s pepper, she prided herself on being an average homemaker married to an average man. Mary was a petite lady, always seen with her signature french bob and cherry lipstick. She occupied her time with household chores, caring for Nana, attending church activities and fulfilling her duties to the Leygate Junior High Parent Committee.
Mrs. Bellevue held a position in the Parent Committee because of her son, Brendon. Just like his parents, Brendon was your average middle-schooler. He took after Mary’s petite facial features, and had wavy hair which was the same shade of chestnut as Barry’s. Standing at 4’5 feet, Brendon had a gentle disposition that always put others at ease and when he spoke, it was with a soft but clear voice.
The Bellevues were usually a quiet family but that was only a recent development after a particular incident; an incident which united Barry and Mary, and also caused Nana to move in with the family. Brendon was always close to his Nana, and her moving in only made their bond stronger. Nana, who was a little hunched and wore dentures, always had a mysterious twinkle in her eye and a soft spot for Brendon.
You see, average Brendon had a little secret. Ever since he could start remembering things as a toddler, he realized that the world was a different place through his eyes. Brendon was always a little emotionally sensitive, and his vision always got blurry whenever his emotions experienced a surge. As a toddler, Brendon didn’t understand why the air around him became thicker when he cried.
Whenever it happened, the air not only became thicker. Brendon realized he could touch it. The first time he realized this, it shocked him enough to cut his cries off abruptly. As he traced the texture of the air around him in wonder, ripples started to spread out and contort his surroundings. Brendon giggled as he saw the angry face of his mom stretch and ripple like the reflection of a funhouse mirror. Oh yes, Mary was often angry when Brendon was younger. His parents did not have the best relationship as a married couple, and it was during a time when Barry was often putting in extra hours at work while Mary spiraled from post-natal depression.
As much as things were tough at home, Mary loved Brendon with all of her sensitive, fragile heart. She was a woman who held herself to exceptionally high standards, and had a hard time accepting help from others, not even Nana. However, as great as a mother’s love could be, there were still times when the combined absence of Barry, the never-ending chores at home and the natural cries of Brendon would wear her down. Yet, whenever she looked at her giggling toddler poking holes in the air, her frown was forced to break into a smile. All of her struggles and efforts as a mother felt valued during those moments.
It was during one of Mary’s episodes that forever changed things in the Bellevue household.
It was the last day before the winter break of ‘1994 and Brendon had just returned home after alighting the elementary school bus. He came back to find Mary busying herself in the kitchen and the air seemed tense for some reason.
‘Mom? I’m home.’ said Brendon meekly as he went about his after-school routine in the living room. Without a response, Mrs. Bellevue came over and bent down to help her son with unpacking, muttering under her breath the whole time, ‘…always just me who has to do everything around here, of course he has work to do, always does, doesn’t he? That lying…’ Mary caught herself before going further, finally aware that she was no longer alone with her thoughts. Her frown broke into a sheepish half-smile as she looked at Brendon and straightened out his hair, ‘How was the last day of school honey?’.
‘It was okay mom. Oh…it was Rachel’s birthday today and she had a gift for everyone.’ said Brendon as an afterthought as he fished out a little plastic wrapped bunch of stationery to show his mom. Mary frowned at the pretty wrapper as her doubts and insecurities once again reared their ugly heads from deep within her soul.
‘Are you sure, Brendon?’ Mary’s soft voice dripped icily.
The little boy of seven years blinked a few times as he tried to comprehend his mom’s sudden change of tone and facial expression. Brendon felt an irrational fear rise from somewhere in the pits of his tummy, his mind raced through a rolodex of safe answers to possibly prevent what he suspected to be inevitable. ‘Y…yes mom, it was Rachel’s birthday today, I don’t underst…’, ‘Why are you lying, Brendon?’ His mom cut him off before he could finish, ‘You bought this at the holiday shop didn’t you?’
Time seemed to stand still as mother and son faced each other under the glow of the setting sun. The air around Brendon started to thicken, it was as though a few layers of saran wrap had been laid over his surroundings. Mary dropped the birthday gift and turned to leave, it wasn’t long before she came back with something terrifying; one of Barry’s belts. The helpless child squinted his eyes in fear and his vision darkened.
Brendon knelt on the same spot with a whirlwind of emotions as his mom’s voice gradually rose to a shout. He couldn’t hear much of what she was shouting clearly anymore and it honestly didn’t matter. Mary had lost her rationality to years of pent-up resentment and was only capable of venting it on the child in front of her. And as the first lash of the belt broke through the thickened air around Brendon, turning ripples into waves, he braced for the impact and pain that was aimed at his left arm and thigh.
Except that pain never came.
With bated breath, Brendon dared himself to open his eyes. Both mother and son stared frozen as a black shadow-like substance twisted and twirled itself around the edge of the suspended belt, just inches away from Brendon. The air in the house hung heavy with silence, with their breaths the only audible sounds. As a bead of sweat rolled down the side of Mary’s face, she tried to move her arm and the dark twirling shadow reacted by winding and tightening itself around the full length of the belt and half of her clenched fist. Mary let our a shrill scream and in his panic, Brendon squinted and put his hands outwards in defense, noticing a few more of the live shadows materializing out of ripples in the air through the corner of his eyes.
The rest of the shadows moved with a single-minded purpose and attached themselves to Mary’s limbs, immobilizing her amidst her screams. Brendon could no longer contain his fears, it seemed like his heart was threatening to pound out of his chest. A final shadow materialized behind Mary’s head and as it wrapped around her face to muffle her screams, Brendon blacked out.