House of Compassion Volume 2

Chapter 28: Shadows of the past

Luna with a worried look stared at Marney, as Marney started nervously shaking a bit

Luna: Aunt Marney... Did you stay up all night again?

Marney looks to the side and sweats a little as she answers

Marney: Of course not! I-I'm perfectly fine!

Charlotte: That's what you say every day Marn, but yet we all know how late you like to stay up watching those videos you never let us watch!

Marney nervously and very hesitantly responds

Marney: You girls are still not ready to see those videos... S-so please do not pester me... Anyway, le-lets go inside, it's kinda cold out here

Luna looked at Marney as she turned around and welcomed them in, Luna knew something was different but played it off as "staying up all night" Luna could feel the difference in Marney's attitude and way of speaking, in Marney's shadow Luna saw a glimpse of the Marney from 10 years ago, recording a clip of something, it wasn't very clear, but the happiness in her eyes was seen even through a blurry shadow

Nelly: What are we waiting for guys!? Let's go!!!

Nelly quickly walked to the door and Alexandria and Charlotte followed, as they did Luna looked at the sky and asked to herself

Luna: Mom... Are you really gone?

A whisper in the wind made her look back at her friends, this whisper turned into a scream

Alexandria: LUNA!!! Are you there or in space!? Come on man! You're going to freeze out here!

Luna snapped back into reality as she started walking towards them

Luna: Yeah yeah, I'll be there! I just saw something!

Luna and everyone walked inside and as they did they saw a couple of tables with paper and a lot of things to draw and color

Charlotte: Oh? Is there something happening here today?

Marney looked deeply at those tables and answered

Marney: They where one of the last things we did as a team with Lorena, so every now and then we take our time to draw as a team again, us 4, the founding members of HoC

Luna looked at the table, and again saw blurry shadows of Rayne, Clarice, Marney and Lorena...

Virna: Your mother, she was very creative, at times too creative, but what always stopped her, was her insecurities, she made the uniform designs and everything else especially tailored to the tastes and liking of her team members, she was very happy when it came to creating, I mean she created everything here in this exact building, and during the months she would take the time to draw with her friends

Luna saw these blurry shadows draw and laugh together, she saw them show off their creations and their visions for the future...

Clarice: Look! I made my very own dress and make up!

Rayne: Fantastic Clare! I made a car that can take us anywhere we want!

Marney: Th-that's cool Rayne! I made us all as one big family!

Lorena: Those are all lovely guys! I made...

The shadows vanished, as the memory of what happened that day caused too much pain to the person projecting them

Nelly: Aunt Marney! Are you okay!?

Marney was crying as she looked at the tables

Marney: The family I always wanted...