The Girl At The Last

Chapter 31

Elaine

I watched helpless as mom shuffled through the cupboard, travel bag on bed. Her hands shivering but body rigid. Trying her best to control her nerves. For me.

"What's going on?" I whisper tears now falling freely.

She paused, turning to look at me. Gently cupping my cheeks with her warm hands she kisses me on forehead. My eyes flutters shut.

"Here" she removes the locket which Dad had given her for their tenth anniversary, and slipping it around my head. The blue stone falls coldly around my skin.

"Why are you giving me this?" I cleared my throat sniffing. I know something was wrong. Dad wasn't home and after an unfortunate call mom has been acting restless.

"Because I want you to ha_" the lights suddenly go out, darkness falling upon us like a blanket. Leaving mid sentence she stalks to the window.

"Mom" I call out. Attempting to Reach her. A loud crash resonates the house.

"Go hide" suddenly she shoves me, inside the cupboard. Motions me to keep quiet with her finger. Her silhouette is the only thing i see as the rays of moonlight sprinkled around us. Teasing our vision.

"Elzi promise me you won't make a noise no matter what happens" she whispers. Holding my hands in tight grasp. I nod, knowing it's the only thing I could do.

"I love you baby"she breaths, slowly pulling her hands away. She closes the door.

"Please don't" I plead. As I watch her stalk to the drawer on the night table through the crack on the cupboard. Taking deep breaths, one bigger than the other.

She takes something out, though I couldn't see it. I know by the sound of it. It was metal.

She leaves the room.

I wait for the time she'll come back. Slouched by the corner. Cold and scared. Only silence and darkness as company, nothing else.

Soon it changes when I heard it.

A loud seering sound. Like a cracker busting.

Like a gun shot.

It goes off again, and again and again.

Till I use the heel of my palms to shield my ears.

But it was no use. I could hear the scream.

Her scream.

With a jolt I snapped open my eyes, breathing in the oxygen as if my life depended on it, and it did. Sweat matted my head and streaks of tears coarsed my cheeks.

"It's okay, it was a bad dream" a voice convinced me. I was in Dianas embrace, she ran her fingers through my hairs combing it. Calming me.

I snuggled more, clutching her shirt through my blanket.

It wasn't a nightmare. It was the night locked up in the secluded corner of my head, which I refused to relive. It was the name I had tried to erase from my memory all these years.

I was Elaine, weak, defenseless and broken. Elzina was my past who was dead in my head. Wanting nothing from this world except to forget whatever that came with it.

But tonight, I faced the sound of it and I know I can't pretend to be someone else anymore.

Day 1

I ignored calls and texts from Nathan.

I refused to get out of my bed. Exception to use the bathroom and for food.