A week had gone by since my father's passing, and I couldn't help but feel empty on the inside, like a part of me had died with him. The crying is endless at this point, because the feeling of him actually being gone forever pains me and has had me at such a tight grip.
Sleepless nights became a normal thing, and waking up to enormous bags under my eyes, along with those tear stained cheeks wasn't out of the ordinary. Wearing scruffy old pajama pants and old sweatshirts with logos plastered on them suddenly became the daily wardrobe. I just didn't care. Not an ounce in my body even had the time to anymore.
Leaving the house was also never an option. I had become a reclusive. A hermit, as most people would describe it as, but in a way, I don't think most of my relatives or even friends minded at all. They never came in contact with me, and if they did, they would be apologizing for my families lost, and I would receive their best wishes and blessings. I was very much grateful for the space to breathe, even if it meant little interaction with the outside world.
I also never really had the chance to speak to my mother lately. We hadn't exchanged words since the funeral, and I was beginning to think she didn't care that her husband of 25 years is now deceased. A sob has never once escaped her lips, let alone any slight facial expressions of grief. She could possibly just be in denial about the whole thing, but I still remain doubtful.
Taking in a deep breath, I climbed out of bed to go get myself some breakfast. It's been days since I can remember the last time I've eaten anything, and that scared me a bit. With the past week's events, eating became less of a priority.
Before walking completely out of my bedroom, I stopped when I saw a quick glance of myself. I looked absolutely horrifying. My hair was sticking out in various directions, my shirt was too big for me, and my face looked like it had been shielded from the sun for over a century. I hardly recognized myself.
Entering the kitchen, which seemed like a foreign territory, I went towards the direction of the fridge. Opening it swiftly, I gathered some items and decided to make myself an omelet. After consuming my time cooking, I finally finished making my meal. Sliding my sock covered feet against the hard wooden floor. I placed my dish on the coffee table and sat down on couch. Between taking bites of my food, I watched the world outside through the large window. Fathers waved goodbye to their families as they drove off to work, joggers ran past with smiles on their faces, and even dog walkers had a happy skip to their step as they talked on the phone to what I assumed to be their loved ones. My life seemed to have come to a halt, but life outside these castle walls continued on.
The rest of the morning went by slowly and soon enough the afternoon haze came strolling in. Since my complexion was beyond pale, and was looked like a sickly shade of white, I got enough motivation to go to the park and take a walk for a change. I threw on my comfiest sweatshirt along with some black leggings and was out the door. My mother wouldn't be back until late tonight, so I locked the front door before I left.
The crisp autumn air send a nice shiver down my back, as the wind danced with the fallen leaves. The green colored trees were now replaced with tints of orange, red, and golden yellow. The streets were practically empty, with the occasional car passing by, which I was quit thankful for.
During the walk to the park and back, I found myself getting lost in my own thoughts. The time to myself was suppose to clear my mind, not confuse me more. I started thinking and began asking questions. My father was the one who had a large business and kept us financially stable, so without him, what would happen to my mother and I? My mother sometimes worked, but that wouldn't be enough. And what about my father's will? Did he leave anything to us?
I was now a few feet away from the house, and heard a weird noise. I squinted my eyes, and saw my mother talking to a lady I had never seen before. I walked a bit closer, and realized the mysterious lady was hammering a 'For Sale' sign into my front lawn.
This couldn't be happening.
A/N: It's been awhile, hasn't it? I wrote this short snippet during the power outage (due to the hurricane) and finally had the chance to upload it. Eli will be in upcoming chapters, I promise!