ROT WITH ME

viii - antebellum

CHAPTER EIGHT

Agony, it can reign over the entirety of someone. It hurts. And one's suffering can bring harm to others around them without meaning to. An hour ago, June had come to the hard realization that the philosophy her mother had once whispered when she was little and tucked away underneath warm, silk sheets would hold true.

Fathers death had hurt them all. Mothers pain had hurt June further. And June's pain had hurt Alara. Leading to reckless behavior. Luggage packed. Gone. She gnawed anxiously at her bottom lip, eyes watering. Wondering what had truly provoked her sister to run away. Glancing down at her phone almost every second as she turned the steering wheel once the traffic lights flashed a bright green.

Just then her phone started to ring in its usual vexing tune. She quickly answered, putting it on speaker before moving her eyes back onto the road. As a deep voice buzzed through her car. Crawling over her skin like little spiders.

'June?'

Rafe's voice. A ghost of a whisper.

A tinge of guilt clashed with thrill and disappointment in one perplexed fuse.

She sucked her teeth. 'I can't talk right now, Alara's missing.' The unsolicited brute strength of her words overcame her previous emotions, replacing it with pure misery.

Faint voices were muffled in the background of the call. As Rafe audibly sighed. 'Alara's fine. Theo's brought her to rehearsal.'

'What? Where are you?

'Alara said something about not being safe.'

June pulled over to the side of the road. Killing the engine. 'I don't understand.' Defeated.

'June, have you run away?'

She brought her hands down from the wheel, pressing the heel of her hands into her eyes. Great. Now he knew. 'I'm an adult, Rafe.'

'I know that, I just-'

Shuffling, mumbling and static entwine on the end of the call.

Then finally, 'hello?' Alara's voice.

June's eyes widened. 'Alara, what happened? Are you okay?'

Alara muttered something before seemingly stepping out of the crowded room, outside. Lowering her voice. 'Don't worry about me. You need to turn back around and pack your things quickly. I couldn't get into contact with you earlier, so I tried Camilla and Juliette but they didn't pick up either. But Theodore did. I don't think their landlord would've let you stay anyway, you'll have to stay with Rafe.'

'What are you talking about?'

'She's found us. I- I don't know how but she has.'

She. Mom.

'How do you know?' A sharp edge to the question.

'She showed up, shouting and banging at the door when you were out. I swear she was trying to kick the door in. And I was so scared, June. I kept thinking what if she got in. What would she do to me?' Dread trickling into her tone. June's heart tightened.

'I'm sorry, Alara. I'm sorry I wasn't there.'

Quiet.

'It's not your fault.'

Alara started again. 'When she stopped making noise, I gathered my things and peeked out the window. And when I was sure she'd left, I called a cab straight to Theo's. I didn't know when she'd be back and I didn't want to find out.'