Forlot: A Girl Who Needs Her Space - Book Thirty-Two

Chapter Eight

"Close the box! Close the music box!" Karma begged, covering her ears.

I also had my ears covered. "Why can you not shut it, Karma?" I yelled. "You are the person who wanted to open it."

"I cannot hear you, Carmen. I have my ears covered. And they are bleeding thanks to your music box."

"What?"

You readers might think that we were exaggerating - but if only you knew our pain. If only you guys were with us and listening to the dreaded music box. But I am relieved that you are not because your ears would have fallen off! I am sure that your wonderful friends and family do not want to see you without your ears.

To give you an idea what the music box sounded like - oh my gosh! I do not want to explain it to you! I do not! I cannot! I am sorry. I know that you want me to describe the music so you will understand the pain - but I refuse. I am still having nightmares about it. It is that bad. So you need to take my word for it.

Although that the music sounded like a banshee, the music box was pretty. Karma was right. It was soooo beautiful. So beautiful that you can be hypnotized by such a box. My eyes were glued on the music box as I reached out and shut the lid. Karma and I uncovered our ears and relaxed. I scooped up the box and laid it in my lap and stroked the lid as if it were my baby.

"You have to get that thing fixed if you want to use it, Carmen," Karma said. "And if I were you, I definitely would not play it around your brothers. They will be ticked off by the music - if you want to call it music - and give you the time of your life."

"'Time,'" I repeated the word.

My eyes darted to the other object - the wristwatch - that was still lying on the coffee table. I set the music box on the table and picked up the watch. I studied it and realized that it was not made of real gold.

"That stinks," I said.

"What?" Karma asked.

I held up my new watch. "This watch."

"What about the watch?"

"Do you not see it?"

"See what? What am I supposed to see?"

I handed her the watch. "It is not made from gold."

She dangled it and swayed it left and right. "Hmm..."

"If you are trying to hypnotize me, Karma, it will not work because I have a strong will."

"So do I, Carmen. So do I. And I was not trying at all to hypnotize you. If I was, I would be trying harder."

I could not help but smile. "Then you should."

"I should what?"

"You should try harder."

She lowered the wristwatch. "You seriously want me to hypnotize you?"

"I am only teasing."

"Girls," a female voice said.

Karma and I almost leaped off the couch and looked up. It was my mom. She stood behind the couch and had her hands resting on it. She looked terrible. Like a train wreck. This, of course, concerned us. Her skin that glows was now as pale as toothpaste that I use. I do not know why she had pale skin, considering that she is black. Her eyes were not any better. Bags were under them, and her eyelids were lowered halfway.

"Mom," I said. "You scared us."

"I am sorry," she apologized. "I did not mean to."

"We know that you did not mean to, Mom."

She massaged one of her temples. "Gosh. I have been having the worst morning."

"I see that. It seems to me that you did not get much sleep last night."

She reached out and started stroking my hair. "I did get plenty of sleep last night, honey. It was one of the best sleeps that I have gotten since the passing of my parents. Your grandparents."

A tear streamed down her cheek before she burst out crying and buried her face in her hands. Karma and I glanced at each other, and then back up at her.

What else could we do besides comfort her?

Karma patted her arm. "It will be okay, ma'am. This will pass, and you will move on with your life."

My mother pulled her face away from her palms and wiped her tears. "How do you know?"

"I have grieved for my family."

"You...you have?"

Karma nodded. "They were the worst moments that I have ever dealt with. I was devastated. Just like you and Carmen and the boys. I cried for days. Weeks."

Mom sniffed. "Did you ever get over the grief?"

"To be honest, ma'am...it is impossible to get over it. Believe me. I have tried. But it is still there. It lingers in your brain. In your heart. No matter how hard you try, you can never get rid of the grief, especially if the person whom you are grieving for was close to you."

"Karma?"

"Yes?"

"How do you move on with your life when your loved ones are just...gone?"

I got off the couch and gathered the watch and music box. "I will leave you to talk," I said. "Be back soon."

I put on the wristwatch and cradled the music box as I walked out of the room and scurried up the stairs. I was on the last step - when I tripped and fell.

I let out a cry as I fell forward and made contact with the floor. The music box tumbled out of my grip and skidded across the floor. As I was getting up, I heard a male voice.

"Going back in time."

My eyes darted all around. "Who said that?" I asked. "Aztec? Are you playing a prank on me?"

The next thing that I knew, I was at my old school.

Why was I here?