Together Fallen [#Wattys2015]

2) Part One

2) Part One

After finishing off my pancakes, I rested my head against the wooden table feeling more than satisfied. "Mmm, they were delicious, thank you!" I tried to hold in my tired yawn. Feeling stuffed with food had always made me ready for sleep.

My aunt laughed quietly and pulled off her oven gloves before engulfing me in her arms. She smelled of pancakes and cinnamon which was comforting. It reminded me of my childhood. "You're welcome."

We stayed like that for a while, surrounded by the cosy heat of the kitchen; bathed in the soft glow of the light. When she finally let go, she took a seat across from me and placed both hands on the table, looking suddenly anxious. "There was something that I wanted to ask you." I suddenly become very interested in her jumper. It was obvious that she was going to ask something important. I hated lying to her.

She prepared herself. "How has everything been at home? Is everything OK?" Her large eyes watched me intently as if waiting for me to slip up. I needed to think on my feet and fast.

Truthfully, there was nowhere that I could begin. Three years had passed since the accident, but to the rest of the town it was like it had all been yesterday. At college I was still the girl who had badly fractured her spine and 'had lived to tell the tale', and I was honestly getting sick of it.

My parents had advised me to go to another college at the time but I wasn't some wimp. I was stronger than that; - if anything life had taught me above others that in order to be successful you couldn't just run away from your problems, you had to face them. Granted, some things scared me more than others and took a lot of balls to face up to, but I wasn't one to let on my weaknesses. I just got on with it.

Swallowing, I blew out a deep breath of air and tucked my jumper sleeves into my hands. Everyone who knew me also knew that this was a nervous habit of mine - including my aunt, and I could only hope that she hadn't noticed.

"It's... OK." I had to say something else or she'd just know that I was lying. I put my thinking cap on.
"College is hard work but I'm getting there." That hadn't been a lie. Due to certain difficulties, I'd had to resit a year which had been no fun so far but I was over it. Almost. I decided to take a risk and be a bit more honest. "I'm just looking forward to university and moving on, really. I think I need to get out of my hometown and somewhere bigger. Somewhere... Far away."

She nodded in understanding.

I wanted to get out of town for more reasons than one, but first I needed to get my qualifications. If possible, I wanted to go somewhere that I could be shrouded in complete anonymity instead of being known as the girl who'd suffered a near-death experience.

It could be a chance to start afresh and it would also ensure that all negative attention would be diverted away from me, which was all I'd ever wanted. For this reason, the south of England seemed like a good enough place to settle down simply because it was miles away from where I lived.

My aunt's close scrutiny and the sound of the grandfather clock  ticking loudly next door, was enough to bring me out of my thoughts. As the ticking sound persisted, I tried not to shift uncomfortably. The sound was a dreadful reminder of the clock in my nightmare, and as pathetic as it was it causing me to sweat. Yeah, I definitely had some issues.

Thankfully my aunt seemed not to have noticed and at last she spoke.

"These past few years can't have been easy for you, April; I know we've all told you this before. I just want you to know that I'll always be here for you no matter what and your parents will be too. Nothing will ever change, OK? " I nodded.

As her hand reached over to clasp mine, the warmth seemed to remove the sudden chill that had settled over me like a cold blanket. For a second I felt OK again.

I smiled at her. "I'm glad I can talk to you - it means a lot to me. My parents too."  The relieved look she  gave me filled me with a bitter self-loathing. I knew she thought I was opening up to her, but I couldn't bring myself to tell her otherwise. Before I could let my guilt get to me and allow me to say something stupid, I abruptly stood up. She stood with me.

I cleared my throat. "I think I'm going to have an early night if you don't mind." I tried and failed to meet her eyes. She didn't say anything.

As I made to turn away, she suddenly placed a warm hand on my cheek and leaned forward so that our faces were inches away. I felt safer in her presence, like nothing could hurt me. 

"I'm sorry for what happened to you, April. All I know is that you're a strong girl and you'll get through this, I promise."

I don't know why, but it was at that moment that I subconsciously chose to fully comprehend exactly what it was that I was going through. Warm tears pricked at my eyes, blurring my vision as I faced the cruel reality. Either my mind was playing tricks on me or I really was in danger. I blinked but I could no longer see my aunt's sweet smiling face. Maybe it was a sign.

Sniffing and nodding once, I stepped away from her and out in the dark abyss that was the hallway.

As I trudged up the stairs, something within me told me to dread falling asleep tonight more than ever.

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