S T A L K E R | N.H

[ XI ]

Epilogue

12 years later

"Sadie! How many times do I have to tell you, don't dive into the shallow end!" Carson calls over to her 7 year old daughter after she resurfaces. Carson was sitting back on her lounge chair, a book in lap as the summer sun blazed down on them. She didn't have work today, so she took decided to relax at their pool in with her kids. (Well -- maybe not the 'relaxing' part since her children were trouble makers, she swears they will give her a heart attack and she's only 30, jesus christ.)

Sadie smiled sheepishly, her long dark red braid floating in the water while her were bright purple goggles present over her vibrant blue eyes. "Sorry mommy!" She says before going under, probably to collect more of those pool toys sunk to the bottom.

Carson sighs with a small smile, sliding her sunglasses back down over her eyes, directing her attention back to her book. She crosses her bare freckled legs that we're starting to grow a little pink, she had to reapply sunscreen again soon. Her finger tapped the page of her book, feeling sweat start to compile more between her breasts suppressed by her t-shirt, even in shorts she still felt like her body was suffocating from lack of skin in the heat.

She shifted in her seat, and contemplated on tugging off her t-shirt and just wear the tank she had on but remembered the scars from those years ago. She froze involuntarily, her fingers gripping the book willing those plaguing memories to just go away. Carson shut her eyes, and breathed in through her nose and out her mouth like her therapist used to tell her when she felt her anxiety start to rise. The panic squeezing her chest subsided and she sagged back into the chair, her fingers slowly retracting from the book into a gentle hold.

She missed the days where her biggest insecurity was the shape of her nose, not the look of her ugly scars. Ones that were just reminders of the pain in her life that will always be with her everyday that passes, but also a reminder that she is a survivor. Carson decided against taking off her shirt, like always, her kids did know of the scars but she never ever told them how she got them. Maybe she never would. That would be her burden, and hers only.

"Riley! Stop taking my fishes! Those are mine!" Sadie whines, and Carson looks up from her book shaking her of her thoughts seeing her 7 year old son, with a handful of plastic colorful fishes that Sadie was quite possessive of. She had an issue with sharing.

"They aren't yours! Mom got them for me too!" He whines back, his yellow goggles were moved up ontop of his trimmed brown hair. His own blue eyes glaring into his twin sister.

"I use them more than you, so they are mine, stupid head!"

Carson sighs sharply, placing her book down knowing a fight was about to follow with the siblings.

Riley splashes her, "You're the stupider head!"

Sadie gasps, and splashes him back and then before she knew it they were having a splashing fight.

Carson got up, "Enough! Both of you!" She scolds, and they both finally stop. She stands at the edge of the pool with her hands on her hips, a disapproving look on her face. "If you don't knock it off, you both are out of the pool and are going to end up helping mommy clean the house on this beautiful day. Do you want that?" She raises an eyebrow. They both quickly shook their heads desperately as an answer. "Didn't think so, Sadie you apologize for calling your brother a name and share the pool toys. They are not just yours, but your brothers too." Sadies shoulders slump in the water, a grumpy pout present. Riley makes a mocking 'I told you so' face at her and Carson the directs her attention at her son. "And you -- apologize as well for calling her a name and no splashing, I have told you that before and if I tell you again I'll have you're father take away your Xbox privileges." He frowns in defeat at that, and slumps in the water as well.