Sun steadied her eyes on the warm mahogany ceiling, moonlight hitting her eye. Her eyes roamed around her room, landing on the empty open doorway. Everything was quiet, save for the light rustling of the curtains.
She stood up on shaky legs, the coldness of the house seeping into her skin. All the lights were turned off, letting the moon cast its silver glow across the living room. An unsettling feeling buried itself in the pits of her gut.
Where was Miyo?
Her clammy hands sought for the back door's frame, hastily turning the knob. The empty garden met her terrified eyes.
Taking a shaky step forward, her bare feet stepped over grass and rocks. Sun's muscles were spasming with an anticipation she didn't understand. She just needed to find him.
She begged her mouth to open, to speak, to shout, but it wouldn't obey. Sun remained quiet as she searched the garden, under the trees and behind the bushes.
A familiar hole on the garden's fence caught her eye. It was overrun by leaves, swirling vines and a bush of yellow roses blocking her path. Without a second thought, she struck her hand to tear down the roses. It pricked her hand, drawing blood. Sun didn't wince. She continued forward.
The thorns bit down on her wrist; the vines wrapped around her forearm. She didn't flinch once, only continuing to claw her way through the fence. Blood caught on leaves and stones as she crawled her way through.
Her hands clasped the outside of the fence, and with a single push, pulled herself out to the other side.
Sun stood up, not bothering to dust herself off. Miyo's backyard was as unkempt as she had once seen it. Vines and overgrown bushes shadowed over each other, forming a dark, grim canopy over the house.
She walked forward, coldness seeping into her bones. The house had none of its lights on, rendering it almost hidden beneath the trees. Wrapping her arms around herself, she managed to find the back door, unhinged with the slightest bit of light peeking through.
Sun's feet slapped against the cold pavement and approached the door. With held breath, she peeked through the gaps.
The hallway was dark, a single flashlight laying haphazardly across the kitchen counter. Even outside, she could hear the faintest shouts. Her heart raced. Gulping, she steeled herself and opened the door. It made a loud creak, resonating through the kitchen.
Sun paused, gut turning, her feet poised to run.
The shouting only grew louder, unintelligible words of an argument echoing from upstairs.
Her feet passed through empty water bottles, plastic food wrappers. Strange goo stuck to her feet. Sun inhaled but went on, grabbing the flashlight from the counter.
The kitchen was a mess, the kitchen tap leaking and broken. Unwashed dishes and pans lay discarded on the sink or stashed lazily on the doorless cupboards. The pantry overflowed with empty chips and plastic pockets. The kitchen counters were sprinkled with flour. The floor, cluttered with clothes and hangers and broken toasters.
Sun held her breath, pointing her flashlight to the arc that led to the living room. She dropped the flashlight with a loud clang.
Sun gasped, backing away to the kitchen. Right above her, the screaming stopped. Sun wanted to leave. She wanted to run.
The couch in front of her was tattered, thrown to its side. Doused in blood, bright red blood.
Footsteps boomed down the stairs, shouting profanities that spurred her on her feet. Stumbling through clothes, Sun burst through the door and ran. She crawled through the fence, wood splintering her sides, vines dragging through her skin.
YOU ARE READING
Counter Clockwise
General Fiction"I wish...time would just stop." Sleeping has always been Xandra's getaway, but an impending vacation back to her hometown forces her to fully succumb into her mind. She has just been exhausted, working to the bone. And all she really wants is for t...
