Floating in the Abyss ✔️

Chapter 26

After sending the photos of my outfit to Morgan, I realised I had a grass stain on the leg of my jeans, so I changed into a pair of the grey tracksuit pants we had bought. I found some scissors in the kitchen and even managed to cut the tag out like Laura had done with my other clothes. I was fine using scissors by myself, because I had control, but being near other people with them was frightening. They could do whatever they wanted with them.

Then, not wanting to give Laura more work, I asked her where the laundry was.

"Just here. Why?" She showed me.

"I got grass on my jeans." I told her showing her.

"No problems. I'll wash them for you." She smiled, throwing them straight into the machine.

"I could have done it." I told her, feeling bad.

"Don't be silly! You don't need to wash your stuff! That's my job."

"But..." I started before she cut me off.

"No buts." She laughed. "We should go get Ryan." She told me, checking the time on her phone.

She went to find her keys and I put my shoes on, when Chris came out of his office again.

"I'll drive. I want to come."

"Okay." Laura shrugged, giving up on finding her keys and just walking out the door. Chris and I followed quickly behind her.

We drove back to the same sports fields we were at just a few hours earlier to pick up Ryan.

"Is this where the actual school is too?" I asked.

"Yes, it's around the other side. The land is massive and so is the school. They have over two thousand students." Laura told me.

"Woah. Does it have the primary school too?" I figured that was the only way it could be that big.

"Yeah it does. They had their sports day yesterday."

As we pulled into the parking spot to wait for Ryan, someone's phone started ringing, giving me a fright.

"Sorry." Chris mumbled. "I have to take this."

"All good. Ash, lets hop out for a minute." She told me, opening her door and getting out. I did the same and followed her the two steps to the front of the car. She turned around and told me where to put my feet so that we could climb up and sit on the front of the car. It was a bit slippery and we were up kind of high, but I thought it was exhilarating.

"Is that Ryan?" I asked, pointing towards a boy wearing the number 18 hoodie.

"Yes!" She smiled. She slid down off the front of the car first and caught me when I did the same. "Careful." She laughed.

"Can you please just explain? I just...don't understand." Ryan said, stopping a distance in front of us. He didn't bother to say hello, which was understandable, since he looked so stressed and confused.

"Ryan, I got a call two weeks ago telling me a DNA test was taken and my daughter had been brought to the hospital."

"So you just didn't tell me my sister was safe? You kept it a secret that my sister wasn't dead?"

"I didn't know if she was safe myself Ryan. I didn't tell you because they told me she wasn't in a great state and I wanted to make sure I could bring her home. I didn't want to risk telling you she was there, only to find out that it wasn't going to last or go anywhere."

"You still could have told me! I would have understood!" Ryan said, his volume rising. I just stood and watched.

"I'm sorry Ryan. It was too hard." Laura sighed, hanging her head slightly and frowning. It was obvious how guilty she felt, even to me.

Ryan stood there, staring at me. There was no doubt we were siblings. He had the same green eyes and the exact same thick brown hair.

"I just can't believe you're alive. And you're here." He whispered, dropping the bag that was hanging off his shoulder. He slowly walked towards me, opening his arms. I knew he wasn't going to hurt me, so I took a step forward as he lunged to pick me up. He held me to his chest, my arms wrapped around his neck and legs around his waist. He smelt like grass from the football game, but I didn't care as he put his hand on the back of my head. "I'm never letting go." He whispered. "Don't ever leave again."

"I'm sorry." I whispered back. When I gently pulled my head back to get a better look at his face, he had small tears running down his face. I couldn't believe I'd made him cry.

"It's not your fault." He have a small smile.

"When are Austin and Jonah coming home?" Ryan asked, coming downstairs from having a shower. I watched him look around for me, finally seeing I was on the couch, and coming to sit right next to me. I found it funny how there was an entire couch and he sat leaving no space between him and I. I didn't mind though because he was warm.

"Not sure," Laura responded. "They're getting dropped home by Sean."

"Who's Sean?" I asked quietly. I felt better about myself when I asked questions. It made me feel assertive and confident. Two traits that I previously lacked.

"Austin and Jonah's best friend. He plays soccer with them too. You would have seen him today." Ryan told me. "Was mum nice to you at the hospital?"

"Ryan!" Laura exclaimed, laughing.

"It's a fair question. Ash?" He smiled. It was the first time he'd said my name, but I liked how everyone here called me Ash. It separated the person I was there; Ashlyn, but here, I am Ash.

"Laura's amazing." I told him quietly. His smile didn't falter as I referred to my mum with her name. I wasn't there yet.

"Thank you, Ash." Laura shouted from the kitchen.

"Which room did you take?" Ryan asked me, keeping a conversation alive.

"That one." I pointed to the one behind us. I wanted to talk to him, I really did, but I was still shocked that I was finally here with my brother. I didn't know what I was going to do when the other 4 appeared.

"Should've taken the upstairs one. Closer to mine." He chuckled. I smiled but didn't know what to say so just said nothing. "Have you got new stuff for it?"

"Yeah." I nodded.

"What did you get?" He asked.

"Clothes and books." I smiled, content with that.

"We're going tomorrow to get more furniture." Laura called out from the kitchen.

"Fun. I'll come and help you." He grinned, winking at me and clearly anticipating Laura's reaction. "Wait for it." He whispered, just to me.

"You have school!" Laura called out.

"I can miss it."

"No, you cannot."

"Too bad Mum, I am."

"We'll talk about it later."

"Nah, no need, I'm staying with Ash." He winked at me has he tried to stir Laura. She stayed calm.

"What?" I asked quietly, feeling awkward as he just looked at me.

"It's just really hard to believe." He said quietly.

"I know." I whispered back.
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THERE YOU HAVE IT. Go off in the comments Ik everyone will have something to say lol