Anger surges through my veins like the white water in the river, as realization hits. Apa wasn't the bad guy for leaving as people made it out to be. They were manipulated, fed lies by the man of the town. Mr. Persephone. The man that turned my best friend, his son, on me. Made him try to kill me. Overwhelmed with my emotions, I sit on the cot I awoke from. Gathering all the bits and pieces I had just learned and puzzling them together. My face begins to feel hot as I feel a hand lay on my shoulder, a gentle one, Apas hand. And with that, the simple touch. I break. Tears flood down my face, hot and steamy. I turn from the cot and go into Apas arms.
I do not remember leaving the cot area, nor do I remember leaving the comfort of Apas arms. Though when I awake again, I'm in a more closed in area. The room looks like it's from a fairy tale, with roots of a tree in casing the room and making it circular. Though this whole situation is a fairy tale. The large dome shaped room has lamps hanging from some of the roots while small wooden slabs hang from others, holding books and feather ended pens. From where I sit on the edge of the large bed, I can see three sets of doors and the doorway of what might be to the kitchen. One, I assume, is the entrance door, with large handles and a small greenish colored pane of glass that triangles down throughout the door. The others are simpler with only wooden planks and smaller handles. I trudge out of the bed and onto my feet, feeling the wave of the past events hit me. Reminding me I'm not in a dream at all. As I walk over to the doorway and out into the main room, that's filled with moss-colored sofas and a large bark colored recliner with leaves stitched on it. Along with a small center table that has a bowl of acorns.
I become highly aware that I no longer have my book bag and begin a search for it. Only to find it sitting alone on the small circular table in the kitchen, along with my hat. I grab my items gratefully and ponder my way around the kitchen, looking for food. As I deem my search unsuccessful, I hear a rap on the door frame and turn, defensively clutching my book bag. Though my clutch drops when I see the figure of my Apa who seemingly looks happy to see me. I faint grin grows on my face then grows bigger as I remember all that has happened once again. I rush toward him and embrace him. He then holds my shoulders pushing me out to see me.
"I've sent a letter to your Muder. I'd figure she'd be worrying about you."
"Has she sent back yet? Is she alright?" All that has happened from then to now I never thought if they would hurt Muder.
"She is alright, and she actually is here," Apa tells me as he nods to the door with green glass.
I immediately sprint to the door, ignoring my hat that fly's off as I open the door to a gust of wind. Looking around wildly and aimlessly I spot the distinguishing figure of my Muder. Tears flow over my cheeks as I drop my book bag and dive into her arms. There are gasps around us, noises of confusion but none of them are enough to make me let go of my Muder.
"Oh, my sweet Evelyn! Are you alright? Are you hurt? Did they hurt you?" She asks holding my face in her hands that's been dampened from tears.
She runs her hands through my hair, pulling it back from my face.
"No, they didn't hurt me. Well, they did, but I'm better now. Jadestorm healed me," I say remembering the betrayal and mindlessly touching the scar on my leg.
I pull back and show her the scars that run over my skin like when ink touches a splash of water on page. Almost like lighting in the sky. But only this lightning is the mark of a betrayal. She gasps and pulls me into a tighter grip. Mumbling words of anger. Out of the eerie silence I hear footsteps approaching us and feel the impression of a hand on my shoulder. It's Apa who's holding my hat and book bag I had previously dropped. Muder and I stand as Apa says something to the crowd that surrounds us. As they walk away, I assume it was a dismissal. After Muder and I had risen the crowd completely dissipated into the buildings around or to the cot room where I first arisen. Muder looks furious as she still holds me slightly to her side. Then the arguing began. It was mostly Muder yelling at Apa for letting this happen and taking me here instead of to her. Then it was about the past and why this all started because of him.
There were things I thought I'd never hear my Muder say about Apa, but not one of them would be that it would've been better if Apa was the one that got hurt. And those words were my breaking point. The last drop of the unknown into the cauldron that finally spilled over. I push away from Muder and stare and her as though I've never seen her before. My face is hot now not only from tears but from the rage boiling beneath my skin.
"Why are you doing this! Huh? Apa saved me from Quintin and his apa, and you yell at him?" I take a long breath and begin again. "For the first time I've had you guys together in a very, very, long time and you fight. What is wrong with you?"
"Evelyn." Muder starts.
"No, this isn't fair. I thought we could run away and be a family again."
Tears are now pouring down my face more than I'd like to allow. I stare at them both, my Muder's blank expression barely reflecting sorrow as she looks at Apa. I walk between them and pick up my book bag Apa had brought before the fighting. Muder reaches a hand out to me but I ignore.
"I'm going back inside. Whenever you two can act like parents and be happy to have me back, I want to go back home." My words are blunt, even slightly shocking me as I walk away.
When I reach the hut that I had run out of to hug Muder, I slip my things off on the kitchen table where I had found them and begin another search for food. This time I find some crackers and take them as well as my bag and hat to a small room I hadn't discovered before. I lie on the small bed and eat the crackers with sad sniffles. Though as I lay there, I think of a plan. A plan to get revenge and stop Quintin and his apa. Aplan to stop everything. To get Apa and Muder back home. Together.
ns 15.158.61.6da2
