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Nadya tried to resist the urge to shut his eyes, flinch, or otherwise alert the old man in front of him that he was immensely uncomfortable. The old man was nodding along eagerly in conversation with Vinny, Nadya’s case worker. His pale hands flitted around like nervous birds, twittering and twiddling.
Nadya didn’t like the look of those hands.
Suddenly, he turned to Nadya, all sunken fish-liver skin, brown eyes, and thinning hair. It seems he had asked him a question because both Vinny and the old man were staring at him expectantly. Nodding hesitantly, the two older men beamed at him, nodding.
“Alrighty, then I’ll be on my merry way. Natalia—-”
“Nadya.”
“Nadya, right. You know that if you need me, you call. Blah, blah, blah. I’m sure you won’t need it this time,” Vinny winked as he exited the house, leaving Nadya with a gross feeling coiling in his chest and the constant claw of fear his only companion.
“Well, would you like a tour?”
The entire tour took about fifteen minutes, which was surprising considering how big the house had seemed from the outside. The gross feeling coiled tighter.
Nadya was standing awkwardly in the living room and he could tell that the old man had planned to end the tour here, but seemed to have no other clue how to proceed.
Nadya shifted his feet slightly, not knowing what impression he would leave with the man if he tried to retreat to his room. Just as he was about to bring it up, the old man clapped his hands, causing Nadya to bite his cheek to keep from startling.
“Why don’t we just, hang out, you know?” The man’s smile seemed a little too happy, it didn’t quite reach his eyes. Nadya held himself tighter.
“Er- Actually, I think I’d rather be alone.”
The man laughed with absolutely no real mirth, and Nadya felt his skin crawl.
“Nonsense, sweet child,” he loomed closer, and Nadya took a step back, towards the door. “ No one wants to be alone.”
He lunged.
Vinny had his arms crossed against his starched-and-ironed suit, and Nadya internally cringed at the ruined perfection. He couldn’t ex ternally cringe, since the IV in his arm prevented any real movement. Sighing, Nadya looked up at Vinny.
“It wasn’t my fault.”
“It never is.”