Ruthie had a good reason to be concerned.
With her fiery beauty, satiny coffee coloured mane, and liquid brown eyes, she was quite a pretty face. But even though she was just a mere thirteen- year-old, she could sense when her sister was hurting. Anyone could.
Fingering the faded bedspread that adorned her twin bed, Ruthie watched as Lucy turned back and forth in her own bed, murmuring incoherent words. Moonlight filtered through the partly open blinds, flickering across the room in milky-white slivers. A cool breeze filled the slight curtains that hung over the bay window, filling it up like a sail. Ruthie propped her elbow on the bed, watching her sister struggle with sleep. With her halo of honey blonde tresses, and her smooth, china-white face, Lucy could have easily passed as a twenty-year-old angel. Her thick, dark lashes swept across her face in half moons, bringing out her smooth cheekbones and round, full lips. Lucy continued to writhe underneath her tangled sheets, sweat beading her brow. Lucy's stifled words became clearer, and her thrashing more violent.
"Kevin, don't leave me... please... what about all of our dreams together, our hopes for the future... no... come back! Come back! I love you! No!" Lucy was now shrieking at the top of her lungs, her voice desperate and pleading, her delicate fingers latticed together, as if she were begging someone. Suddenly, her rigid body slumped down on her bed, her eyelids fluttering, as her breathing grew slower, and steadier. In minutes, she was breathing evenly, oblivious in her slumber.
Ruthie hugged her knees to her chest, cradling a framed picture to her chest. Lucy smiled back, her cobalt blue eyes bright with laughter, her small arms clasped around her fiancé's waist. Kevin, clad in his standard police uniform, dimpled proudly back, his hazel eyes filled with love for the beautiful creature wrapped around him. Ruthie's skilled fingers quietly slipped the photograph out of the clear plastic case, and noiselessly folded half of the picture back, so that only Lucy's blissful face could be seen. Taking another framed picture off of her nightstand, she blinked back tears. It was of her as a toddler, still having a head full of chocolate coloured curls, grinning into the camera, holding onto her late grandmother's hand. Slipping the folded photograph into the narrow slit, she fingered the framed photo. Now, it was of Lucy, with her face bright, her arms holding nothingness, as if reaching out to some unknown person. And of her, Ruthie Camden, toddling across the front lawn, her hand in midair, as if clasping someone invisible. Both were happy. Both, holding onto someone who wasn't there. Ruthie wiped off a tear droplet from the matting, and placed it carefully on her night table. Turning around in her bed, she watched as the bright full moon, the size of a gold coin, disappeared behind a mist of dark cloud. Ruthie burrowed underneath the security of her covers, and cried.
With her fiery beauty, satiny coffee coloured mane, and liquid brown eyes, she was quite a pretty face. But even though she was just a mere thirteen- year-old, she could sense when her sister was hurting. Anyone could.
Fingering the faded bedspread that adorned her twin bed, Ruthie watched as Lucy turned back and forth in her own bed, murmuring incoherent words. Moonlight filtered through the partly open blinds, flickering across the room in milky-white slivers. A cool breeze filled the slight curtains that hung over the bay window, filling it up like a sail. Ruthie propped her elbow on the bed, watching her sister struggle with sleep. With her halo of honey blonde tresses, and her smooth, china-white face, Lucy could have easily passed as a twenty-year-old angel. Her thick, dark lashes swept across her face in half moons, bringing out her smooth cheekbones and round, full lips. Lucy continued to writhe underneath her tangled sheets, sweat beading her brow. Lucy's stifled words became clearer, and her thrashing more violent.
"Kevin, don't leave me... please... what about all of our dreams together, our hopes for the future... no... come back! Come back! I love you! No!" Lucy was now shrieking at the top of her lungs, her voice desperate and pleading, her delicate fingers latticed together, as if she were begging someone. Suddenly, her rigid body slumped down on her bed, her eyelids fluttering, as her breathing grew slower, and steadier. In minutes, she was breathing evenly, oblivious in her slumber.
Ruthie hugged her knees to her chest, cradling a framed picture to her chest. Lucy smiled back, her cobalt blue eyes bright with laughter, her small arms clasped around her fiancé's waist. Kevin, clad in his standard police uniform, dimpled proudly back, his hazel eyes filled with love for the beautiful creature wrapped around him. Ruthie's skilled fingers quietly slipped the photograph out of the clear plastic case, and noiselessly folded half of the picture back, so that only Lucy's blissful face could be seen. Taking another framed picture off of her nightstand, she blinked back tears. It was of her as a toddler, still having a head full of chocolate coloured curls, grinning into the camera, holding onto her late grandmother's hand. Slipping the folded photograph into the narrow slit, she fingered the framed photo. Now, it was of Lucy, with her face bright, her arms holding nothingness, as if reaching out to some unknown person. And of her, Ruthie Camden, toddling across the front lawn, her hand in midair, as if clasping someone invisible. Both were happy. Both, holding onto someone who wasn't there. Ruthie wiped off a tear droplet from the matting, and placed it carefully on her night table. Turning around in her bed, she watched as the bright full moon, the size of a gold coin, disappeared behind a mist of dark cloud. Ruthie burrowed underneath the security of her covers, and cried.