Last one!!! Dun Dun Duhhhh......
Saturday, December 16, 2018
I sat on my bed, staring at the wall of my room. Vanish. But I still remained in my time. My eyes bore into the photo of me and Daddy. I knew what I had to do, but I had to be with him, and that obviously wasn't happening. But I had tried. For hours on end , staring at that photo, trying to disappear, but I stayed stuck in the present.
"Alba!" Mama called me from the other room. With a groan, I pulled myself up and trudged into the living room. Mama stood before me, her arms resting on her hips. Her face was hard and angry.
"What is this?" She produce a small vial, one that had formally contained my medication from Dr. Kendrick. I gulp nervously.
"Yeah, uh, I just took the last one today. I should probably talk to Kendrick..." I say lamely, but Mama sees right through me.
"Don't you dare lie to me Alba!" she yells. "Why haven't you been taking them? And you threw them out?" I wince at the volume of her voice. Complete rage. I feel myself growing angry, too. It was my body. My life. She had no right!
"It's none of your business!" I yell. "Just leave me alone!" Her eyes widen, but then narrow with anger.
"Don't use that tone with me! Go to your room!" she shouts back. I have never talked to my own mother like that, but in this instant, I couldn't control myself.
"I hate you!" I scream, then retreat to my room, slamming the door shut. Tears pool at my eyes. I pick up the pillows off of my bed and throw them at the walls. My foot shoots out and topples over my chair, and I rip at the photos at the wall.
"I hate you!" I scream again, and sink to my knees, my face becoming covered in tears. And just as I want to leave everything behind, I evaporate into the past.
Saturday, October 27, 1984
I hit the frozen ground, my head connects with the ice. Crap. I pull myself onto my feet. My head pounds and my ears ring. The stars twinkle overhead; the only light that helps me find my way throughout the snowy yard. I stand alone, my feet embeded in the tall grass peaking over the powder. Trees line my back, and the land stretches out before me. Quite a ways away from the field stands a tall, large brick structure. Meadowlark House.
I wrap my arms around myself and trudge through the snow; my feet stinging and going numb. I needed clothes. Fast. My feet feel non-existant as I reach the basement window. I try to pop open the window, but it remains shut. This has never happened to me before. I try again and again, but it doesn't budge. But that means.... This is the earliest I've ever been here... But that also means I'd have to find another way in.
I sneak around the outside of the building, looking for an entrance. I finally pull myself up onto the deck. Let it be there. Please let it be there. And voila! I grab the spare key from the underside of the letterbox and shove it into the lock with my shivering hands. I slide open the screen door and enter the Meadowlark House. I glide over the wooden floors, trying not to wake anyone. I tiptoe past Etta's room. Pressing my ear to the door, I hear her stir within. I jerk away and run to the basement door. The old stairs creak as I step down them, and I scale them as fast as possible. With a faithful breath, I open the door to the laundry room. I flick on the lights. The spotless room is illuminated, but I don't see a basket on the table. I gaze around the empty room, when there is the creaking of steps echoing through the basement.
I duck just as Etta enters, and I crawl to the other side of the counter, praying she wouldn't see me. But she goes right to the table, sets down a basket, then leaves, turning the lights back off. I am absorbed in darkness. And suddenly, this moment is familiar. And I remember being outside, pressed up against the brick wall, praying Etta didn't see my shadow. I stumble around until I reach the wall. My fingertips search until they touch the cold, metal latch of the window. I click it open, then return to the basket, grabbing random articles of clothing and scurry from the room, just as my younger self slides into the room.
I jog up the stairs, pulling on clothing as I go. Etta is now in the living room, so I crawl on my heads and knees, ducking behind furniture. The lights flick of once again, and I am left to feel around for the front door. Unfortunately, my head hit the wooden frame. A faint clunk pounds through the room, and I slip out the door before anyone can find the source of the noise.
Needing to get away from the house, I run across the edge of the house. Bright orange figures start off into the meadow. Grandpa and Uncle Mark! I forgot about them! And then Mama bursts out of the doors and runs towards them, followed by my younger self. And the feeling. It makes my whole body freezes, and my mind screams at me to move.
Run! Move! Do something! RUN! And I break free of the grasp of fate. My bare feet pound against the ground as I charge forwards. But the future wasn't giving up without a fight, and it started to take it's toll on my body. Nausea overwhelmed me, and bile rose into my throat. My head seared in a firy pain, and my muscles screamed at me to stop. But I kept running. Twigs snapped painfully under my feet, and I nearly tripped several times, but my feet refused to stop.
And then I saw a flash of orange through the branches. My legs pounded faster, and my lungs felt like they were about to collapse. I could hear them get closer, and I pushed myself forward. Faster. Please make it. You have to make it. And I saw him. On all fours in the tall grass. I jumped, just as I heard the crack of a rifle. My arms closed around Daddy, and we toppled into the grass and powder. And pain explodes in my head. But when I hit the ground, my arms fell through and wrapped around myself. He was gone. And I was left in the bloody snow. Finally, the roar of my head exploded, and I was absorbed into only black.
Well, I was going to stop it here, but...
I tumbled into the snow, my stomach churning violently. I retched and vomited. With a groan, I pulled myself up. The world span and then slowly fell into place. I saw a blurred image rush towards me.
"Alba!" The image sharpened, and Mama wrapped me in a blanket. "Alba! Oh thank God!" She cried and enclosed me in her arms. Daddy! I want to say, but can't manage to. What happened to Daddy? "Your bleeding!" she screamed again, "She's bleeding!" And another figure rushes towards me.
"Alba? Oh thank God!" I look up, and my whole world feels pressurized and compacted. Daddy looks down at me, his hands on my shoulders. "Alba? Sweetheart?"
"Daddy," I whisper, then launch myself into his warm arms, sobbing hysterically.
"Henry! Oh, Henry, she's bleeding." Daddy pulls away, then inspects my hair, patting my head. His palm becomes stickly and red.
"Henry!" Mama cries again. Daddy grabs her hand.
"Clare? Clare! Relax, honey, it's a cut. It's not very deep. She's fine." The bullet! It had grazed the back of my head. I gingerly touch the cut. I nod and burrow back into his chest. Daddy leans to my ear and whispers for only me to hear.
"Alba? I know, Alba, I know. But your Mama doesn't know what almost happened. You've got to calm down, yes? It's alright. I'm alright." I nod and pull away, sniffling.
"Sorry," I sniff, "I'm gonna get changed." I rise, and Daddy pulls Mama to him. She still looks concerned, but she visibly relaxes at his touch. This is the way it should be.
Just the epilogue left!!!! It's not quite done yet....