Family Undiscovered: A DDLC AU

Chapter 4: Act 1, Pt.3

               Looking out at the pile of cars in the driveway, Kathryn's anxiety increased again. Not sure what to do, she stepped with caution towards the porch stairs, making her way towards the door. Turning the knob, she opened the widescreen door that covered the front door. Leaving the screen door open, she turned the knob to the actual front door to the sight of strangers sitting around in a circle with her mother sitting near the north end of the room in a beige recliner. Emily noticed Kathryn enter the room, nervousness crept up her back pain. "Mother? Who are these people?" Kathryn asked, looking around the room while soothingly rubbing her arm. Emily took a deep breath and introduced everyone. "Kathryn, these are my cousins and your second cousins. Near the left are Winter and Summer Flare," Emily stated, "And to the right of me, is well, Scarlet, Ember, and Charlotte, your other second cousins," Emily stated right after, pointing to both pairs of women. On the left, a warm ivory woman with caramel brown hair, and eyes of forest green, sitting next to a pale ivory woman with golden blonde hair and eyes of baby blue, the both of them turned to Kathryn. The ladies across from had done the same, curious about what was going on. The ladies across from the other women were sitting with their legs crossed, their appearance consisted of three ways. The first lady on the right held a soda can in her hand, her chocolate brown eyes shifted to Kathryn, while she moved her bright red, wavy hair out of her face with her warm ivory hand. The second lady on the right flipped her dark brown hair out of the way as well with her fair tan hand, shifting her own eyes of cocoa brown towards Kathryn. Next to her, a lady with pale skin shifted her eyes of silver over Kathryn's anxiety-filled face as her dirty blonde hair swished over to the side a little.

         Hi Kathryn!!" Summer smiled, waving towards her with a smile filled with joy. Kathryn noticed and waved back as anxiety increased again through her back, causing pain on her spine. "Yes, hello Kathryn!! How old are you?" Scarlet asked in a fake voice, not interested in her at all. "I'm eighteen," Kathryn declared, her voice became quiet as her anxiety grew some more. Kathryn brought a chair over to the circle and sat down in the chair, masking her anxiety for the moment, or at least trying. Who are these people and why are they here? Did I do something? Kathryn thought as the strangers in front of her talked about their children.

    "Eighteen!! Wow!! I have a daughter named Amber, who's the same age!!!" Ember beamed, her eyes shut for a moment with a smile across her face, only to open her eyes again. Kathryn just made a smile towards her, not sure what to say at the moment to Ember. As the ladies talked until dark, leaving happier than before. Emily took a breath before talking to her daughter, Kathryn. "Sweetheart, you ok?" Emily asked, not sure if Kathryn would answer her. "I'm ok, it's just been a weird day," Kathryn answered, taking a seat on the couch after putting back the chairs.

"Oh, I see. Well, How was school?"

"It was ok, but this guy in a truck kept following me, he seemed mad, but I'm not sure,"

"Kathryn, next time you go to school...be careful, please,"

    "Wait, hold on, do you know something?" Kathryn asked, raising her eyebrow and rose from the couch. Emily, who grew nervous now, speed-walked to her room, shutting the door in Kathryn's face, "Hey, Mom!!! What's going on!!" she asked, her voice raised a little higher, but not at a shouting or yelling volume. Emily ignored Kathryn for the moment, building up the courage to tell her, yet in the meantime, Kathryn found a pile of letters on the table. She organized the mail, looking at each piece of mail and who it was for. Most of it was for Emily, it was bills and many letters from someone named Valentino Zareth. The name seemed familiar, Kathryn's mind went back to a flashback, during her childhood.

      Her mind flashed back to when she was five years old, laying down in what seemed to be a hospital room in an abandoned hospital. The area seemed like a dungeon with cells with only beds, and a little bathroom, and other cells. A grim shade-filled the hallway view in front of her, doctors surrounded her as she laid down. Looking around, she remembered a tan man standing above her, needles kept being injected into her with a sudden urge to go crazy. With an urge to use fire, she raised her hand, but the fire had ignited from her hands.

       As she ignited the fire in the flashback, a fire had ignited from her hand, only for it to die down, and somehow, she remembered the word, weapon. Coming back to the present, she took deep breaths, then her mind became filled with binary code and the files from the game came up for her. Kathryn closed it, repeating to herself over and over, "No, No", to help herself calm down.

     The next day, Kathryn strolled down the hallway to the Literature club, only to hear arguing in the club room. As Kathryn's anxiety intensified, she walked into the Literature club to see Natsuki and Yuri arguing while Sayori, Monika and Mc, were in shock, anxious, and unsure of what to do. Kathryn stood in the doorway, watching the whole argument go down as she froze in shock. Every detail in the room seemed anxiety-inducing as she entered the room with caution.

   "See?? just saying that proves my point! Most people learn to get over themselves after they graduate middle school ya know," Natsuki stated, standing in the room, folding her arms with eyebrows furrowed in frustration.

     "If you want to prove anything, then stop harassing others with your sickening attitude! Do you think you can counterbalance your toxic personality just by dressing and acting cute? The only cute thing is how you try!!" Yuri argued, standing in a bold pose with a clenched fist up to her chest. Kathryn covered her ears and closed her eyes until it was too much for her, due to her anxiety. Upset by the arguing and wasn't sure what to do, Kathryn, somehow by code, separated Natsuki and Yuri in different areas. Natsuki stood in the closet, upset still by Yuri's words while Yuri stood in the hallway confused by what just happened. Sayori's jaw dropped while Monika stood in shock, knowing full well what Kathryn just did. Kathryn opened her eyes and uncovered her ears while she rose to see what happened, her eyes widened at what she saw. "What just-" Sayori tried to ask, but was cut off while raising her index finger in the air. "Nothing, ok, Nothing!!!" Monika answered, covering for Kathryn while heading in her direction. As Monika moved towards Kathryn's direction, she turned her head in Kathryn's direction, leaning her head towards the door. Signaling Kathryn to go outside the classroom, Kathryn, of course, went as Natsuki and Yuri went back to reading for the moment. Heading out the door, Kathryn began to feel her anxiety increase to panic mode. Tears blurred her eyes, her heart started to have heart palpitations, she started to feel her own body shaking on its own. Kathryn grabbed her water bottle in her backpack, twisting the cap off, and walked in circles before she could take the most important step, deep breaths. Taking deep breaths, Kathryn became in a calm state again as she twisted the cap on and put her water bottle back in her backpack. After that, Kathryn tip-toed towards the door, exiting the classroom while shutting the door behind her in a cautious manner. Standing there, Kathryn rubbed her right hand against her left arm, looking down at the floor, awaiting Monika's response.