My Mother's Daughter, Book I.(Completed)

Chapter 2. First Night

Alina

I could hear him. I could hear him in the other room silently crying. Each of his soft sobs cracked the hard iron I encapsulated around my heart.

Did he mourn the brother he had abandoned? Did he mourn for the time they had lost? 

Why does this bother me so much?

I had never met my uncle before. He looked a lot like my father. His hair was longer, and his eyes were more tired, and his chin had scruff, whereas my father had a clean shaven face, but there was no mistaking the similarities. They were brothers. 

Listening to him speak with the police though, I knew it in my shielded heart that he wasn't anything like my father.

He was suspicious, and perhaps a bit grumpy, but hearing the deep soul retching sadness from his tears that he shed alone, I knew he was nothing like that monster.

Until I knew for sure that he wasn't anything like Father, I would keep my distance. 

Thinking of my father and the way I had found him- 

I'm sorry.

Tears of shame welled in my eyes that I refused to shed. I did not mourn for my father the way that I did for my mother. In fact I felt-relief.

Guilt welled up inside of me as I curled into a ball on top of the covers on the bed. I tucked my chin into my chest and wrapped my arms around my knees. 

What sort of monster does that make me?

A small rueful smile tugged at the corner of my lips. 

The sort of monster he always believed me to be, I suppose.

I closed my eyes and thought of my mother. How kind she was. How gentle she was. How weak she truly was, and it broke my heart.

She couldn't always protect me when I was growing up. We both knew it. She was always there to dry my tears, but she couldn't always stop them. I could see it in her golden eyes. Eyes so similar to my own.

Her's were warm, kind and trusting, but not mine. Mine were cold, hard, and afraid. 

I am afraid now. I didn't know what tomorrow would bring. I didn't know what was going to happen to me. I only knew I had to trust someone I didn't even know. I had to trust a man that reminded me of the very one who had broken me of such trivial things. Love, family, trust. It all meant nothing.

Humming an old lullaby my mother would sing to me as she ran her graceful fingers through my hair. I could almost see her behind my closed lids. Smell the expensive floral perfume she always wore. I could hear the beat of her heart as I rested my head on her chest. How she warmed me when she held me close. 

This time, the tears I did shed silently rolled down my cheeks, staining the pillow with little droplets. 

I would find who did this to her. I would find them, and kill them myself.

Aizawa

The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. I woke up feeling like someone was watching me. I jolted upright as I saw a figure with long dark hair standing over me. Brilliant, vibrant red eyes seemed to glow in the fading moonlight beneath long lashes.

"Alina! What are you doing? You gave me a heart attack." I clutched my shirt where my heart had begun to beat erratically.
"Did you need something? Is something wrong?" I asked as I calmed down a little. 

She didn't answer. I narrowed my eyes suspiciously. She seemed to be struggling to breathe.

"Alina?" I leaned closer in concern. I could hear her wheeze as if trying to catch her breath.