I sat cross-legged in the grass, the sun dipping low on the horizon and painting everything in shades of gold. Grace was crouched nearby, her tiny hands meticulously assembling a miniature fort of sticks and stones.
"You know, forts don't protect against dragons," I teased, leaning back on my palms. "Especially not ones that breathe fire."
Grace gave a dramatic glare, her freckled nose crinkling. "It's not for dragons," she said. "it's for explorers. Like us."
I smiled. Grace had always been so adventurous, curious about things she hadn't yet discovered. She was always ready to turn the ordinary into something magical.
Grace paused, tilting her head as if pondering something profound. "We find the edge of the world. And maybe... some treasure."
I chuckled. "Sounds ambitious for a ten-year-old."
"I'm ten and three-quarters!" Grace shot back immediately, puffing her chest out proudly.
"My apologies, future world explorer!" I said, pulling her into a playful headlock. Grace squealed, wriggling herself free, and we both toppled over in a heap of laughter.
As the sun dipped lower, the two of us sat together in comfortable silence. Grace leaned her head on my shoulder, clutching the little graphic book I had brought her, a story about adventurers traveling through distant lands.
"I want to be like them someday," Grace murmured.
"You will," I whispered. "You'll get to see it all. The world will one day be your oyster. Just not all at once, okay?"
The moment lingered, peaceful and quiet. Grace curled up on the couch later that evening, deeply engrossed in her book, while I watched her from the kitchen, a smile tugging at my lips.
"Amelia, what is this place?" she asked, pointing to a page in her book.
"That's... Mars, honey," I said with a laugh.
"But it's a big red ball! Isn't that dangerous?" she asked, wide-eyed, as I glanced away, unable to stifle my laughter.
"I love your imagination, Grace. Never change," I said, heading toward the phone that had begun ringing loudly.
"Hey, Mom!" I said as I picked up, a warmth spreading through me at the sound of her voice. She asked how Grace was doing and reminded me her school year would be starting soon, meaning Grace would have to return home.
"Does she really have to go?" I joked, knowing how much I would miss her.
"She's a shining star, Amelia, not just for you to keep to yourself," Mom replied, letting out a soft laugh.
We chatted for a bit before hanging up. It was always comforting to hear from her, like a grounding force in my life. The wind outside had begun to pick up, whistling through the cracks in the walls. The smell of rain grew stronger, and faint rumbles of thunder rolled in the distance.
Grace glanced outside, her fingers still clutching the book. The storm's energy seemed to stir something in her, as she shifted restlessly.
"We should stay in for the night," I said firmly. "Thunder is dangerous. Nothing for us humans to face alone." I tried to sound reassuring, though I knew my protectiveness bordered on overbearing.
"But Amelia, that sounds so fun!" Grace exclaimed, her face lighting up. My heart dropped.
"No," I said, my voice sharp. "That's final."
Grace's excitement shifted, but she grew fidgety, pacing around the room and staring out the window.
"How about we bake cookies? We used to do that for Mom's birthday, remember?" I offered, trying to distract her.
"The storm looks so cool, Amelia!" she said, ignoring me entirely.
As a last resort, I handed her the graphic book. "Let the adventurers explore the storm for now." Grace reluctantly agreed, retreating to the couch with a huff.
"I'm going to take a shower. If you so much as step outside while I'm in there, I will tell Mom," I said, half-joking but firm enough to make my point.
The hot water was a welcome escape, washing away the day's exhaustion. As I stood there, the sound of thunder cracked sharply, followed by a loud bang, the cabin door swinging open. My heart sank.
"Grace!" I shouted, my voice echoing over the sound of rushing water. No response.
I stumbled out of the shower, barely managing to grab a towel before fumbling for clothes. My mind raced as I grabbed my gun from its holster, adrenaline pumping through my veins.
The storm was relentless, the rain soaking through my hastily thrown-on clothes as I stepped outside. "Grace!" I yelled, my voice hoarse with panic. "Grace, the fun is over tonight!"
The wind howled, carrying my voice away. Shadows flickered in the distance, every shape and movement playing tricks on my mind. I spotted footprints in the mud but watched in despair as the rain quickly washed them away.
I ran toward the forest, my feet slipping in the slick grass. Branches fell around me, the storm tearing through the trees with violent force. My heart pounded in my chest as I stumbled over a root, scraping my knees. Pain shot through me, but I barely felt it. All that mattered was finding Grace.
"Grace!" I screamed again, my voice breaking. Minutes felt like hours as I searched every shadow, every crevice. I collapsed near the park where we had played earlier, the memory of her laughter haunting me. My gun slipped from my trembling hands as I sobbed, the storm drowning out my cries.
A noise behind the cabin caught my attention. Hope surged through me as I scrambled toward it, only to find rattling branches. The devastation hit me like a wave. I called for help, barely able to form coherent words through my panic.
Hours later, the rescue team arrived. They confirmed what I already knew deep down. Grace's body had been found downstream, washed away by the storm.
My parents arrived shortly after, their faces etched with grief and anger. My mom shoved me, tears streaming down her face. "You were supposed to look after her, Amelia. She had a life to live!"
"I... I didn't..." I stammered, my voice cracking.
"Amelia, you were our pride and joy. But this? We can't defend you," Dad said, his words cutting deeper than any storm ever could.
The grief in their eyes turned to something colder. "We should've never trusted you," Mom whispered. "You just make things worse."
Their words echoed in my mind long after they left. I spent days wandering the cabin, every object a painful reminder of Grace. Her graphic book by the fireplace, her suitcase by the closet, each one broke me a little more.
I couldn't stay. The cabin, the storm, the memories, they consumed me. One day, I packed a bag and left, unsure where I was going. The storm lingered in my mind, a reflection of my soul: chaotic, relentless, and consuming.
The next few days blurred together, much like the rain and storm had that night. I'd walk aimlessly through the forest, my bag and Grace's graphic novel the only things keeping me tethered to something real. It felt like the world was spinning around me, but I was frozen in place, too numb to move forward.
I stumbled upon a town just on the other side of it all. Its sign, "Welcome to Everbrook," felt like a cruel joke. It was as if it were waiting for me, offering some semblance of peace. But I didn't feel peace. I felt like a ghost, walking through a world I didn't belong in. Still, I stepped in.
I wandered through Everbrook, not really seeing it, but only hearing the quiet hum of my own thoughts. The townspeople avoided me, and I was thankful for that. I didn't need their pity, nor did I want their sympathy. I just wanted to be left alone to wallow in my self-inflicted torment.
I noticed the way their eyes shifted when they passed by me, the way they whispered behind their hands. They could tell something was off, and they were probably right to. I didn't fit here. I hadn't fit anywhere since Grace had been taken by the storm. The memories of her—her laughter, her smile, the adventures we had together, those were just ghosts now. And what was I supposed to do with them?
I stopped by the record store once, hoping maybe it would distract me, though I knew it wouldn't. Audrey greeted me with that same warm smile she always had, but it felt alien to me. Like a kindness I didn't deserve.
"Are you okay?" she asked softly, her voice laced with concern, but too careful. Too afraid.
I barely nodded, forcing a smile that didn't reach my eyes. "I'm fine," I said. The words tasted wrong, but I said them anyway. I couldn't tell her the truth. I couldn't admit how far gone I really was.
Audrey didn't press, but I could see it in her eyes. She didn't believe me. I didn't believe me.
I made an excuse to leave quickly, feeling the weight of the town's stares, the silence following me out like a cloud I couldn't shake. I breathed in the air outside, but it felt like toxic poison in my lungs.
The storm never ended, never passed. It stayed with me. Inside me. A constant reminder of the wreckage I had made of everything I touched. The anger, the helplessness, the grief... all of it churned together in a never-ending storm that I couldn't escape.
One evening, the storm was especially fierce, the wind howling through the trees, the branches snapping like bones. I stood alone in the park where Grace and I had once played, watching the world tear itself apart as though nature was mourning with me. Alone. Just like I had been when Grace died.
I could feel the storm pressing against me, its energy radiating from my chest. It was a constant weight, suffocating me from the inside. "Why are you still here?" I muttered to the wind, though I already knew the answer. I wasn't going anywhere. The town could ignore me, pretend I didn't exist, but the truth was, I was broken, and I would never be whole again.
I screamed with frustration, the tears blurring my vision. The storm in my heart was too much. I couldn't outrun it. I couldn't escape it. I'd frantically pace around like a madman, and punching things that would get in my way.
I'd eventually see a shadow in the distance, a rather cold looking shadow. Just sitting there.
"Hey, you're disturbing the only peace I have right now." I'd say, frustrated and turned towards it further.
It wouldn't reply, oh well. It's time I'd take it into my own hands, but when I ran up to it, it turned towards me. It was her; it was Grace.
"Grace, I.." I'd say before I stopped in my tracks. "I didn't mean to..." I'd stutter, as the shadow quickly faded as I blinked. I'd stare in that direction for a moment in shock, utter disbelief. Hoping it was her, but life can be cruel, and so can I. Being the reckless person I am. I'd fall to the ground, right on my knees and contemplated everything. If it was worth moving forward.
The next thing I knew, I was marching through the town, in one sweep of determination in my steps. I didn't know what I was going to do, but I couldn't keep pretending. The facade of being okay, the act of playing the part of someone everyone expected me to be, was suffocating. I had to do something.
I burst into the local bar, and the conversations stopped immediately. The bartender's eyes locked onto mine, but I didn't care. I didn't care about what anyone thought of me anymore. I was too tired for that.
"Don't look at me like you've seen a ghost now, turn your attention away from me, and back onto your... lovely... activities!" I'd say, gradually shifting my tone from angry to an unpleasant happiness.
It of course, didn't work as I weaved my way through the room, forcing myself to hold a conversation with people who had no idea what was really going on inside me. I put on the mask, pretended to be someone else, anything to keep them at bay. They'd never know the storm inside me, the one that had taken everything I cared about.
I felt the need to puke every time I opened my mouth to speak, the positivity exhausting me. But when the mask slipped, when it was time to rest, I found solace in the negativity. It was the only thing that felt real anymore.
Talking to people didn't seem so bad for the person in front of the mask. But I felt more isolated than ever. Everbrook was just another place to bury the storm that raged inside me, and I couldn't seem to escape it.
The bar was more quiet now, with the buzz of conversation replaced by soft murmurs. I sat at the corner table, all alone. My glad of whiskey long since emptied, my mind too full to care. The storm outside had calmed, the sky now a bruised purple with the promise of another downpour. But the storm inside me? It was still raging.
I could feel it, pulsing beneath my skin, churning in my chest. I'd look all control and shout out loud in the bar. That's when everyone turned their attention to me.
I'd look around the bar, seeing empty faces, faces of confusion. "Stop staring at me please." I'd say, with the softest tone, although broken.
They'd grow quiet and turn back around. That's when a figure walked right through the door,
Audrey.
She'd walk up and sit beside me, gazing into the distance with an earbud in one ear. "You're not fine," she said quietly, her voice gentle. "I see through you, you know, the way you're hiding behind that mask."
I let out a short laugh, filled of pain. "You're not the first to state the obvious."
"Maybe not," she replied, "but I think you know it, too. And I think you need to stop pretending. You're obviously drowning, Amelia. And you can't keep holding your breath forever."
Her words hit me harder then I anticipated. My breath caught, my throat tightening as the storm inside me threatened to break free. I stared into my empty glass, trying to force the tears back. But it was too late. I'd let the tears flow. She would be the first and only person to let this side of me out.
She'd comfort me, putting her arm around me as I'd sob away, using her as a means to escape reality for a few moments. A few restless moments.
"You don't know what it's like," I whispered, barely able to get the words out.
"I don't," she agreed softly. "But I'm here. I'm here and you don't need to face this alone."
And for the first time in what felt like years, I let myself believe her. For just a fleeting moment. I allowed myself to feel something other than the storm inside me, It wasn't peace, not exactly. But it felt euphoric for that moment.
I looked up at Audrey, meeting her gaze for the first time without the mask, without pretending to be someone I wasn't.
"Why do you stay?" I asked, my voice cracked.
She smiled, a soft, understanding smile. "Because sometimes, we need someone to help us find our path through the darkness."
I nodded, a tear running down my cheek. The weight of everything was still there, still pressing against me. I wasn't healed. The storm was still raging inside me, just as fierce and unrelenting as it had been the night Grace died. But for a moment, with Audrey beside me, I didn't feel so alone.
I still didn't have the answers. I still didn't know how to stop the storm. But maybe, just maybe, there was a way through it. Not today, not tomorrow. But someday.11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaOltwAWuSZ
