Voyage of Mysteries

Chapter Twenty Five: Transmigration

"Where the heck have you been?!" a voice thundered across the sitting room, shrouding the voices coming out of the TV within it.

Cassio stood rooted to the spot, bearing the heavy gaze of his stepfather. As usual, he had met his stepfather at home—drunk and jobless.

Mr. Humphrey was dressed in a black grubby T-shirt and shabby jeans, a baseball cap propped on top of his small head. He was a perfect example of a neanderthal man, huge and domineering. His eyes and teeth were yellow, depicting his fondness of cigarettes. Suspended within his right index and middle fingers was a large stick of cigarette, the ring glowing with faint ember colour. Grey smoke snaked its way from the ring, forming puffs of smoke around Mr. Humphrey.

"I'm coming from school," Cassio replied without the slightest bit of fear in him. It was in his former years that he had feared and dreaded Mr. Humphrey as if he was some god. Now he had been beating tough like coconut and couldn't bring himself to cower before h