Chapter 58: Bombshell.

CALEB. Everyone remained silent, glancing at each other. 'We'll find out soon." I said, taking a seat in the couch. The six of us waited in his living room, speaking in hushed tones and awaiting his arrival. Each of us were children from one part of the family. Me, Harry, Ursula, Keiran, Paul, Gina. Six cousins awaiting their fate in their uncle's house. Just then, I received a message from Dr. Flora. ‘The Castle Hotel, 9pm.' I had both a good and bad feeling about that text. Regardless, I replied that I'd be there. Uncle Kelly walked into the room two minutes later, with a drowning aura, and even more drowning tone. 'You're all here." He cast me a side glance, and my heart jumped into my throat. He tapped his cane lightly on the wooden floor. 'Greetings uncle." The six of us said almost simultaneously, kneeling on the ground. 'Greetings. I have gathered you all to discuss something of great importance." He began, settling quietly into the couch at the head of the room. His signature gray suit and hat gave him a mysterious appearance, with his eyes piercing daggers into everyone in attendance. No one could bear to stare at those cold pupils. 'Well, first order of business." He tapped his cane in a continuous rhythm. 'Caleb, I'm sure you've heard that your father left behind certain properties…." His voice trailed off, and he narrowed those thin slits at me. 'Where's Kyle?" He asked, his gaze piercing deep into my skull. The room fell silent as my cousins searched the room for him and realized he wasn't there. I folded my hands into fists. 'He's not feeling so well. He couldn't make it." I managed to say. Ursula and Gina echoed with their messages of recovery to him, but Harry and Uncle Kelly stared at me as if they knew exactly what was going on. I looked away. 'Alright then. Make sure you relay this information to him. And I will not tolerate such truancy again." He warned. I nodded in response, and he faced the rest of them. 'As to why I have gathered you all, I have decided to retire." That was probably the most absurd thing I'd heard all week. Uncle Kelly, retiring. Those two words didn't even complement each other in the least way possible. 'Why?" Harry asked, furrowing his brows in confusion. 'The responsibilities saddled upon my shoulder are a little too great for a man in his sixties. I want to enjoy my life before I move onto the next realm." Uncle Kelly said, fixing his gaze on the ground before slowly raising it to meet with Harry's. 'This is interesting." Paul spoke, smirking. 'Even more interesting, who will take over?" Gina asked. Left for me, I wouldn't even give a shit. But Uncle Kelly was into real estate on the outside. That was my division. 'That's why I called you all here. I could easily make a unanimous decision, but that wouldn't be fair." He replied. Uncle Kelly was all about fairness. 'How would you decide then?" Harry leaned forward in his chair. 'I have prepared a series of tests and assessments designed to test your skills in various areas. The one who proves themselves more capable than the others will inherit the business and my estates." This was a lot to take in. 'Sounds fun." Paul said. 'This isn't just about fun, Paul." Uncle Kelly said, resting his hand on the armrest. 'I know what I want, and you're gonna have to work for my validation. If you want it." 'We'll try our best, uncle." Gina responded. 'The first set of tests begin in two weeks. Get yourself prepared." We bowed, and he left the room. I remained seated in the living room. My cousins had all left, after sharing their opinions on how Uncle Kelly might structure his challenges. It was highly unpredictable, but we still tried. I would've been interested in the business if I didn't have my own worries. There's Kyle, me, the scroll, Helena… I haven't even been able to lead my own company properly in the last few months. I was overwhelmed by the rapid turn of events, and it was taking a toll on my mental health. I hated losing control. I hated it so much that I didn't even know how to handle things when I lost control. It was the only flaw I had, the only flaw I had decided not to work on. 'Hey man, don't bother yourself too much about all that's happening. I'm sure Uncle Kelly has a good reason for wanting to do all this." Harry said before he left. Neither of them questioned why I decided to stay back. Uncle Kelly wanted me to. I pondered on his words. There was a reason for everything, and I was more than curious to know why he was doing everything. Around twenty minutes after everyone had left, all the lights in the dimly lit sitting room went off, leaving me in a state of total darkness. 'Caleb." Uncle Kelly's voice drummed in my ears. 'Yes uncle?" I tried to remain as composed, as undisturbed as I could appear. But he used a tone I hadn't heard in a long time. A tone that was both menacing, angry and calm. Like he wanted you to screw up so he could satisfy his anger. 'How far have you gone?" His voice sounded close to my ears, but I couldn't dare turn my head around. 'I…I have found the old library, and been there a couple of times. I couldn't stay long because Brielle wanted me to come back." Brielle wasn't expected to attend this meeting because she was the youngest. 'Why did you come back?" 'I had some urgent issues to attend to." I muttered. In the next instant, I received a sharp blow to the back of my head. It stung. Badly. I threw my fist into my mouth to prevent the sound from leaving. I should've expected that. 'Don't speak to me in cryptic messages boy." He warned. 'Tell me everything." The lights came back on, and he was seated in front of me, lazily waving his cane in the air. I straightened up, and told him everything that had happened in the last month, from my visit to Henley, to Kyle's bizzare stories along with my encounter a few days ago. 'Interesting. I had never doubted the existence of those creatures. They're all around us, moving silently. The day of their recognition is fast approaching, and so they're taking as many lives as possible." That was probably the most I've heard Uncle Kelly speak at once. 'I thought that was all a myth…" 'You've seen them yourself now, haven't you?" He smiled. A little too much teeth. Uncle Kelly smiled.