Chapter One
"You're kidding, right?" I asked, laughing at the absurdity of the statement. My parents, dead? No way…had they always made it through scrapes, every time. The both of them defied death and the laws of nature on a daily basis. I, of course, being a total klutz, had on more than one occasion had to get bailed out by the two and their tricks of immortality. At least, that's what they had always seemed—immortal.
"Kate, I'm not. I wouldn't—couldn't—lie about this. Your parents got into an accident. They didn't make it out."
"Matty, stop lying. It's not funny anymore. Cut it out, okay?" This was going too far. He knew not to joke about this stuff—there had been enough close calls in the past to make this an unspoken thing.
I met his stare defiantly, and saw true sorrow in his ocean-grey eyes. He was telling the truth. My parents were dead. I continued to stare at him, because I couldn't stop. I couldn't move, breath, talk, think, feel. I was numb. My parents were dead. They were never immortal, never had been immortal, as everyone had jokingly called them. They were dead. This time, they wouldn't be coming back. They had defied death for long enough, and now he was taking his toll. I stared into Matty's eyes as I let the truth pummel me down. Finally, I broke that stare.
But that was only because I fell into his arms, not even able to cry.
England was…different. At least, Hollow Village was. The inhabitants were no longer cozy and carefree, laughing and waving at someone, even a stranger, would walk down the street. It was bigger, too, than ten years ago. The decade had turned the small village into a small city, with all the joys and sorrows that the city brings. Yes, nightclubs now offered entertainment all the night long, but the allies were no longer safe to play hide-and-go-seek on a warm summer's evening. People no longer knew every face in the area; they barely even knew their own neighbors' first names. It was a sad homecoming, but I didn't notice, not then. At that point, all that I wanted to do was to go home.
The estate had belonged to my mother and father, and before them, my grandparents and their grandparents before that. As far back as anyone could tell, the Lodge, House and surrounding area had been owned been someone in my family. I might have grown up in America, but it was here, in England, that I truly ever felt at home. My first thought after…it…happened was to come here. To come home, to a place that I knew that I truly and well belonged.
The village might have changed, and it might not have been safe to walk the country roads at night alone anymore, but the Estate was still just the same as always. I knew exactly the moment I crossed the boundary, and everything seemed to be okay again, and the sadness seemed to be holding itself at bay. The sun was shining the same as it had on the other side, the town side, but here it was warmer, more alive, less of a rock in the sky and more of a bringer of warmth and happiness.
The birds trilled their way merrily through the trees as I walked the small path through the woods. The woods, here, were different as well. The colors of the forest and the creatures that inhabited it were somehow more vibrant here, more real. And the animals were exactly how I remembered them. Not afraid of humans, but not friendly either. Just living their own lives and letting me live mine. Neither of us got in the way of the other, and so we could live in peace, just like always. And always, just like always, the animals would watch. Sometimes it would just be one, sometimes a few of them would frolic and romp together, but keeping an eye on a person the whole time. When I was younger, I had always laughed and talked to the deer and the rabbits and the squirrels, but now not just a bit disconcerting and a little creepy, as well.
They watched me the whole length of the path, but at least this time it was just a few birds, following me and singing merrily all the while, seemed to steer me towards the middle of the path, as if they didn't want me to go on any rambles today. Fine. Wasn't planning to. Today I was just going to relax, and maybe clean a bit. Stupid birds. I stuck my tongue out at them impulsively, and one almost ran into a tree, like it was shocked that I had even done that. Hehe. Humans rock.
The walk to the House only took about twenty minutes, and so it was only about two that I first walked into the entryway. I could've kept going on to the Lodge, but it was another fifteen minutes walk and I didn't feel like being alone in the huge building for the first time in a little over ten years.
It felt wonderful, coming home. I stood in the entryway for what felt like only seconds but was at least ten minutes, just looking at everything and letting the memories wash over me. From where I stood I could see the stairs at the very end of the central corridor, and each room directly in front of me. To my right was an office, where my parents had worked from when we had spent summers here. At my left was a living room, where I could still remember staying up late nights with my mother and father, watching movies, playing games and laughing. Always laughing.
Hastily I wiped the forming tears from my eyes and began my way to the staircase. I was done crying, at least until the night. Then I couldn't even see myself, and so it was alright just to let go at those points. I knew that beyond the living room and office were a kitchen and a dining room, but there wasn't really anything that I felt had to be attended to in either of those rooms.
Again, I stood at the top of the stairs to just let the love and comfort of being in the House once more soak through my very pores. There, on the left side of the stairs was my bedroom and, towards the back, the guest bedroom and shared upstairs bathroom. On the right were the bedroom that my parents had slept in, and another lounge-type living room area. I avoided that side of the upper floor. I did not need those memories at this time. Maybe in a while, once it had sunk it and was a dull throb instead of a sharp pain. If that ever happened. But for now…for now I just walked into my room, left the door open, and threw my backpack and duffel down. I lay down on my bed and realized just how tired I really was. Funny thing, that…I had thought that the walk had energized me…but….I guess…not…