No Way To Escape | Novel

CHAPTER 17: AT DINNER

That night I arranged a dinner party at my house as an attempt to bring the old active, voluble Larry back. Despite several protests by Larry, I somehow coaxed him to join.

At around 7 p.m., both Bob and Fred arrived. I had prepared a lot of exquisite delicacies which they helped me to set on the table.

'I have ordered a pizza too. His favorite cheese pizza. Larry's gonna love it', said Bob.

'Well done, Liam. I hope all these stuffs help to dissuade him from his griefs', said Fred.

'I hope so too', I replied. 'By the way, where's our chief guest?!'

Bob put his hand forward. 'Ah that pal.... Am gonna bring him up'

Bob left and ran down the stairs to get him. After some minutes he appeared with Larry at his side.

'Just see this man. He was still reluctant to come. I had to drag him out of his place!', asserted Bob.

'What is it, Larry? You had affirmed on your participation', I said looking at Larry. He didn't reply but sighed.

'Anyways.... Now that you are here, let's have some dance time together', I said merrily.

'Oh yeah.... Woohoo!... Let's get started!', said a cheerful Bob as he started imitating to dance. But Larry pushed him aside and got seated at the dining table.

'I hope we should start to dine', Larry said with that now-familiar lethargy. It shocked all three of us because usually Larry was the most excited one among us when it came to dancing. Looking each other's face, we three got to the table and I started serving food to each one of them.

'Today it's Larry's turn to do the grace', I said.

'Yeah yeah yeah!', cried Bob in frenzy.

'No way it's gonna be me', yelled Larry.

'Oh just don't act foolish, pal', said Bob.

'I mean it. I can't'

'You can't? What do you mean you can't? Now you must have to', said Fred gleefully. But it did not go well with Larry. Jolting his chair behind, he stood up furiously, banging the table and yelled, 'I said.... I can't!'

That face again looked familiar. It was the one I had seen that horrible morning when he had assaulted Fred. To settle the matters down I said, 'Ok ok... I am gonna do it. Sit down Larry. Nobody's forcing you'

'Better.... Speak aloud and call me when you have completed.... Am coming in a minute', he said passively. It seemed strange to me but in an attempt not to aggravate the tension within him, I agreed.

After concluding the prayer, I called his name aloud and he came in.

'Ah! Let's start', said the voracious Bob and we started having our dinner.

......

After a fantastic dinner, we planned to spend some more time together but Larry said that he was having some project work to complete as instructed by the Executive Chief of his hotel and he left.

'However hard we try, he's not trying to change himself', Fred said, expressing his concern, giving out a sigh.

'H'm'

'Hey!', shrieked Bob who had still not finished his dinner.

'What?', I asked.

'I want two more leg pieces', he said.

'You-'. I went to the kitchen, got the chicken bowl and thrashed it in front of him. He did not pay attention to my disgust at his eating habits and started eating directly from the bowl. Seeing that, Fred cackled gleefully. That made me laugh too. And still, he did not pay any attention. He was busy gobbling.

It was when I recalled that I had also prepared a special surprise item for Larry.

Ah!... How did I forget?

We spent the rest of the night delightfully. At around 1 p.m. both Fred and Bob departured, bidding me goodbye. I decided that I would then go to Larry's house taking his favorite cheese hamburgers with me. I got to the fridge, took the hamburgers, wrapped them with foil and set out to Larry's flat.

On reaching his place, I was just going to hit the bell switch when I perceived some murmurs. It was coming from Larry's flat only. It was a murmur, not a talk. So I could make out that he was not talking over phone. Moreover, I also noticed that the door was slightly open- The reason why I could hear the faint sound. I don't know why but my instinct told me to overhear what he was mumbling. So I went in slowly, trying not to make any sound.

'So tomorrow it is.... Yeah... I had been waiting for this. Tell me... How am I awaited?'. He became silent for a moment, fixing his gaze to his front then his face turned delightful.

'I can't wait for the salvation...'

Salvation! Wasn't he screaming about it that day?

'.... I can't wait to reach my goal.... I-'. I accidentally stumbled up against the umbrella leaned against the wall of the passage leading to the hall. Larry came running.

'Hey hey hey!! Who do you think allowed you to trespass?... Huh?'

'I.. I...I was going to ring the bell bu--but on realizing the door to be open, I came in... Sorry.... See this... I have made your favorite hamburgers', I said.

He looked at my hand and then snatched away the burgers. 'Don't you dare doing that again. Understand?', he said pointing his finger at me in exasperation.

'Yea-yeah'. I stuttered again.

'Done with your act of generosity? Now you should leave', he said mockingly and showed me the way to outside. Giving him an annoyed look, I came out of his house and he banged the door behind me. I was extremely angry from within. While going back to my flat, his words reverberated in my ears.

'So tomorrow it is..... Salvation'

What was that all about? What's gonna happen tomorrow? Uhh... you are thinking too much Liam. Shut up and go to sleep... You are having an important meeting tomorrow with your boss.

Now that I had reached home, I went into the washroom, washed my face, went to the bedroom after that switching off all the lights behind me and lay down on the bed to sleep which came too fast than expected.