Short for a reason. Enjoy!
The pavement under her feet was just like the pavement throughout the neighborhood but for some reason it felt different under her toes. Her shoes were tucked neatly in the bag over her shoulder, the ends of her jeans touching the ground as well. The cement was cold on her toes, each foot seemingly pressing into dirt and grim as she made her way towards the house.
But it was her house, technically. Her mother's house was its nickname and it felt strange being here. But at some point in time this had been her house. It was a background image now, a shadow on the road that she didn't pay much attention to. Her mother was there sometimes, most the times at work. Myra only caught glimpses of the woman early in the morning, sitting in the open window of her daughter's bedroom, a bottle in her hand.
Myra frowned, her feet stepping up onto the cool wood of the porch. Three steps up and the front door was just a few steps away. It wasn't just yesterday that she had met her new family, but it felt like it. Dom and Vince helping her move in. Her mother adamant on buying them lunch. She wasn't too sure of who the girl in that memory was back then, but she was a shadow compared to who she was now.
She fished for her keys in her bag, pulling them out and fiddling with the various colors she had on the ring. Finding the one she slipped it into the lock and turned the knob, pushing the door open carefully. She wasn't sure when the screen had been taken off but it sat on the porch leaning against the wall just inches away.
She stepped in slowly, reaching out for the light switch. When she flipped it, nothing happened, her brows furrowing. She turned to put her bag on the coat rack that had been by the front door but there was nothing there.
Taking a few steps in and closing the door behind her, Myra slipped into the kitchen. The counters sat bare, still no table in the nook where the dining room table should be. She slid her fingers along the surface of the counter before heading back out and into the living room. The boxes were all gone, the room sat bare. Circling slowly Myra stared at the empty walls, noting that the family portraits were gone. Her smiling face was not beaming down at her anymore.
With a new panic in her body she scaled the stairs and headed up to the second floor. She quickly headed down the hall to the room she had moved her things into, the room her mom had been camping in since she had left. Pushing the door open slowly, Myra stared in at the empty room. No boxes, no clothes, no bed, no blankets; no mom.
It was sinking in. The vacant house, the lack of car, the lights that didn't work. Digging into her pocket frantically Myra pulled out her phone and clicked the speed dial to call her mom. This number is no longer in service.
Pressing back against the wall, Myra sank.
The cold floor sent a chill up her spin as she redialed four more times, hoping maybe it would connect. Her mom would be on the other side, telling her how much she missed her, informing her she had gotten a promotion, wasn't drinking anymore, had a new apartment. A second bedroom for whenever her baby wanted to come back. Warmth. Love.
The animated voice drilled a hole through Myra's heart.
This number is no longer in service.
She could hear the screams then. As she closed her eyes and let the tears slip down her cheeks she could hear them. So loud, in her ear, in her chest, they vibrated through her. The flames had come on so quickly, the smell of gas and burning rubber in the air. The five-foot fence in front of Dom had been no match for the man.
Vince had enveloped her and pulled her away from the fence then, trying to push through the people who were moving in closer to watch the death. They didn't know, of course they didn't know, so she couldn't scold them for their curiosity then. Vince pushed and shoved and when they were free the sound only intensified. The boom, the bang, the tears. Myra couldn't see straight as Vince crowded her away from it all, Leon there with them as well.
She just wanted to see her mom.
The sobs escaped her as she slid down further and hugged the floor. Pressing her cheek to the cold wooden surface she hit redial and waited for her mom's voice.