These Shattered Remains (GE Series, Book One)

Two: Never Sαy Dιe.

Ryn

Ryn's hands were gripping the steering wheel so hard her knuckles were white and her fingers were sore. Tears streamed down her cheeks, collecting at the bottom of her chin, where she angrily wiped them away. The only reason she was crying like this was because Max was sleeping and she wouldn't cry any other time around him. She had to be strong around him or else his innocence would be spoiled.

Her head fell onto the wheel and her body was wracked with sobs. Sounds of distress left her lips as she found herself in a place that she didn't want to be. She knew she could have save her mother.

Why didn't I knock him out sooner?

Why did I have to freeze up like that...?

Couldn't I have just...

((AND THEN BAM SHE GETS IN A CAR WRECK BC SHE WASN'T LOOKING AT THE ROAD BWAHAHAHAA I LOVE YOU ALL THANKS FOR READING <3))

((Just kidding don't kill me-))

Ryn looked back up at the road, her eyes sore and her nose sniffling. She grumbled under her breath, making a sharp turn she almost missed, her eyes looking over to Max, who stirred in his sleep. He made a soft whimpering sound before he curled up slightly and continued sleeping.

The long drive to New York was exactly that: Long. Not to mention a long drive through nothing. Just a long drive, down a long road of nothingness. Ryn first started to wonder if the road would go on forever. Then she began to wonder if someone was trying to show her what her life was turning out to be: a long drive down a long road of nothingness. Then she began to wonder if she was going insane. Her mother's final moments kept flashing before her eyes.

Her mother looked so... disappointed in her... This sad look in her eyes like, "Ryn, you could have done so much better." And Ryn knew that that was true.

Her hands began to shake slightly, her bottom lip trembling in two emotions she never liked having together: fear and sadness. Those two together proved many, many times to create something she never wanted to have inside of her: weakness. She didn't want to be weak. She wanted to remain strong. For herself, for her brother, and now, she needed to be strong for her mother.

Abby didn't know they were coming, since Ryn didn't have a phone and she didn't remember (or have the stomach) to grab her mother's from her pocket. So, it was kind of like a surprise party, except it was more of a surprise funeral and there was a big chance that Abby wouldn't be pleasantly surprised. But, from what Ryn could remember, she was a nice woman who reminded her of those TV grandmas who pinched people's cheeks. 

But, there was one thing about Abby, a hamartia, if you will. Her son.

Oliver.

Ryn was positive that Oliver had some kind of grudge against her, considering how many times he tried to kill her as a child. A few cases came to mind:

1: When he was 5, he tried to tell her that the fireplace was like the wardrobe in the Narnia books and struggled to turn the gas on when she climbed in willingly.