Ripped

The tale begins

Life is a series of expeditions and experiences. From childhood to adulthood, from nine to ninety. Everything becomes a memory playing on a projector. The sweet smell of summer, the cold chills of winter just become fleeting butterfly spreading its wings towards the blue sky, unconscious of the fact that these wings will wither a few days later.

Casie sighed. A small puff of scattered thoughts escaped from her mouth. It wasn't like she was old. The number Twenty five was not much at all. But she is wiser now. She understands that no matter how worst the day goes, no one will come forward and comfort you. You have to pay the damn bills. The landlord may sympathize you, but he's not ready to take one less penny.

The rations were running out and she was left with little money. Poverty became her regular companion. Her day to day struggles in raising a son was infinite. Between two jobs and managing her home alone was difficult. Endless bills and little payments did not meet the need. She barely managed to keep her life at bay and insanely regretted dropping out of college. Maybe she could have been living a better life if she had a degree. But her son didn't complain.

It's been two days since a massive storm hit the small city. The electricity has been cut off. The weather became frenzy every now and then. Her eyes settled on the small child standing in front of the window.

She smiled as she watched her son watching the scenery outside.

Grey clouds covered the sky as a strong breeze blew. The nature looked quite gloomy.

Suddenly a lightning crashed on a dark oak tree.

Embers shot out as brown timbers turned into coal. The sound of thunder was so loud that everything else washed away for a moment. A buzz erupted. The kid witnessing the whole scene from his window cried out as his ears hurt from the loud noise. The young mother rushed towards the distressed child and held him tightly. However her eyes stayed glued on the oak tree.

A restless feeling settled on her.

That burned tree is a bad omen.

Something sinister was coming.

"Alec!" She shouted and gripped his shoulder.

The child closed his eyes tightly.

"Alec look at me!"

His eyes fell on his moms brown ones. She had such warm eyes.

"Take a deep breath. It's alright. The thunder is gone." Her voice reached him.

His heart was thumping so fast that it was almost painful to take a breath.

He held his breath a little more but complied to her words slowly.

"It's okay. She murmured.

The young mother chose the small remote town so that she could save her child from the big wolves lurking outside. But ironically when people weren't after them, nature certainly was.

Those intriguing days were long gone. Her family, friends, lover everything was just a vague memory. Seven years may not be a long time but the immense pain was enough to push those memory aside. It was like fight or flight. She did not have the luxury to sit down and think about her past. She was too vulnerable to reopen the old wounds. She didn't have the energy to suffer the bleeding pain.

But in a day like this, when she had nothing else but to clutch her baby closer to her heart, her worst fear was to lose her child.

She lost her father when she was twelve. She lost her best friend when she was sixteen.

She clutched him even tighter.

"Mama I can't b-breath." Alex mumbled.

Casie looked down in her arms. "S-sorry." She laughed nervously.