Retreat into Darkness

Chapter 3

Taking my house key out of my bag, I stick it into the door and walk in.

My first step in, i'm met with the smell of chicken. My favourite.

I shrug out of my wet hoodie as I take off my shoes and socks. Leaving me in a cold tank top and damp jeans. I throws my backpack near the door, making sure I don't drag any extra water into the house.

I walk towards the smell of chicken and i'm met with Elowen, my mother, making Chicken Alfredo.

"Hey mama." I greet while kissing her cheek,

"Hey baby, how was school?"

"It was okay, just as boring as any other day. We also have a field trip coming up, am I able to go?" I ask carefully.

"Oh yeah of course, where will you be going?" Elowen asks as she continues to stir the pasta.

"It's a museum, the teachers want us to stay overnight so we can attend two of them."

"Hm, that sounds great. Which teacher is in charge of it?"

I smirk, "My very handsome history teacher."

Elowen replies with a chuckle and a head shake. "That man surely is handsome. To bad i'm not single Aura."

"I'm sorry mom-"

"No no, it's okay sweetie. I only say that because I still love your father dearly." Elowen replies with a sad smile.

My father, Elowen's husband, Gabriel Aislinn.

He absolutely loved going hunting and adventuring. He went missing 9 months ago, while going on a hunt into the forest. Both my mother and I tried to stop him but he was to stubborn and hard-headed. He didn't believe what they said on the news about the disappearances. He never once cared for it.

It was near nightfall when he decided to leave. He said it was the time deers usually came out of hiding. My mom and I waited all night for him to return.

He never came home that night.

We both had prayed that he set camp for the night because of how late it had gotten. We both stayed to that conclusion and tried to get some sleep.

I didn't get a wink of sleep that night. I tossed and turned every minute. My thoughts were racing.

Hours passed and I finally saw the sun starting to peek through the trees. I threw the blanket off my legs and made my way down into the kitchen.

Elowen was sat at the kitchen table with a warm cup of coffee, with tear stained eyes. I slowly made my way over to her. neither of us spoke a word. We both knew what happened. We both knew he wasn't coming back.

I wrapped my arms around my mother, pulling her close to my warmth, and it was then that Elowen decided to break down. I tried my hardest to keep my tears at bay. Elowen was mumbling, blaming herself for what had happened. She said it was her fault that he left, her fault that he was gone.

I rubbed her back in a soothing manner. Each word her mother spoke was tearing a hole in my heart. It was as if her words were a hammer, and each new sentence she formed was a nail being pierced into my own heart.

I quickly wiped my face of any tears that escaped. Putting my hands onto her mother's shoulder, I pushed her back until we were able to see each-other. She looked absolutely devastated, completely and utterly alone. She loved my father with everything she had. But I will not sit here and watch my own mom allow herself to think she was alone. Because she was not.

She had me, she will always have me.

I quickly put on a strong mask. Made myself look determined.