The Curse Of The Red Wolf

"You know, you can't ignore me for the rest of the journey Ella." Eyes on the windscreen, Dad tried starting up a conversation again for the umpteenth time. "eventually you would have to speak to me." 'Till then I guess.' I had decided to be mute throughout the journey to New Orleans, not to get the worst out of my dad, or play a pity party, but because I was the pity party. We had a good life back home, well, at least. I had already started making several friends after years of being timid and being called a 'weirdo' in high school.

There was Lucy, Carla, and Kelvin, all of whom made my high school years quite bearable. And of course Josh, the only boy I found fascinating and had fantasized about having a big wedding and several cute babies with. Mom had died from a gas explosion at work when I was five, the police tried investigating the scenario but got no lead or evidence as to how it happened. Ever since then, Dad became a shadow of himself, trying to live off work, home, work again, then home. It was a circle, a long repetitive boring circle. "I told you why we had to leave," his voice sounded more apologetic this time. "Help me out here Nanny," he grunted. "Caro Mio, give it time," Nanny whispered from the back of the car seat. Nanny Tabbs was the only one who always reminded me I was Italian each time she spoke to Dad. She had become a major part of the family after Mom's death, occupying the office of a mother to both I and Dad, and a cook. I sat still, hoping to be quiet for a few more hours but got retracted by the ticking and tapping sound of our car almost coming to a halt. "You have got be to kidding me," Dad said under his breath. "What's going on?" The first words that whistled out of my mouth since we left home and zoomed off on our way to a land full of uncertainties. "What's the problem?" "I think we ran out of fuel," he said. "What!?" I screeched. We were in the middle of nowhere for heaven's sake, and what now? FUEL!!? "Oh great! This is just great," I continued in my not-so-good but very devastating state. We not only ran out of fuel but couldn't find a place to get one because we were miles away from a filling station, 'Could this day get any better'. "Common! Common! Common!" Dad said with gritted teeth trying to restart the engine of the car, but failed. "Cavolo!" he swore, hitting the steering of the car hard. I watched him from the side of my eyes, wanting to help ease some of his burdens, but my pride had already sprouted out pink branches. So I sat still, darkness already embracing my eyes, 'Could it get any better'.