A Moment like Forever
Prologue
By AnnieLouise2011
Jo stared at the dead body.
At the growing pool of blood.
At the glock held tightly in her hand.
They were only memories, yet Jo found it difficult to forget. Unable to sleep, Josie Sullivan stood and watched as the rain pelted her window. Lighting lit up the dark night sky like it was the July 4th while thunder roared like a wild animal. New York was supposed to be the city of dreams. Yet, Jo was still haunted by her nightmares.
Lighting a cigarette, she inhaled the toxic fumes that were so addictive and pleasurable. Moving boxes filled the apartment, which had yet to be unpacked. There was no sofa, no television, and no dining furniture. Jo had left most of it behind so she could start her new life in the big apple. She wished Chicago would become a distant memory. And wished future memories would be less tormenting than the old.
Sitting on the floor, an ashtray at her side, she began to look through one of the smaller boxes. It was filled with old photographs, torn at the edges and faded from the sunlight. It was like looking into the far past. They were her mother's photographs. Though Jo had never met her mother, who had died giving birth, her grandparents saved all the sentimental objects that they knew Jo would one day want to see. Letters, old toys Helen Sullivan had wanted to pass on and photographs of all the meaningful people in her life.
Letters from her father interested Jo the most. She'd never met him either. But she knew he had known about her. 'I'm sorry you have to go through this by yourself. I wish I had known before I left.' Many of the letters subtly mentioned her mother's pregnancy. He was a solider or something on that level. Most of the letters were missing and there was not much detail in those she had. He always signed his letters, 'Mackenna'. It could have been his first name, or his last. But she had made a promise to her grandparents never to go looking. It plagued her not to know.
Everyone had told Jo she inherited all her looks from her mother. Her big sapphire eyes, her chocolate brown locks and fair skin that seemed to never blemish; and never tan, much to Jo's annoyance. She was slim, some people had accused her of being underweight through her teen years, but knowing that Jo had attempted to put on some more weight which happened naturally as she fell into a hectic routine of working as a Doctor.
Snubbing out her cigarette, Jo got to her feet and walked slowly back to her bare bedroom. The walls were a mint green and the floor had a hardwood finish. Her bed for the past few nights had been duvets piled up to create some sort of mattress. It was uncomfortable and cause pains in her neck and back. But she had to deal with it until the bed she had ordered got delivered. Jo couldn't wait to get settled into the apartment.
Jo wanted to be able to call it home.