Cherry

Chapter 21

Cherry

My sunset painting has finally come to a finish. As I look at it, I smile because of how proud I am of it. I used such vibrant colors; like an orange that reminds me of a creamsicle and a pink that reminds me of cotton candy. But, I feel my smile fading as my stomach growls, reminding me of how hungry I am. I don't think I've eaten since yesterday. 

I stand up and unlock my door to go ask Mom if she's ordered food for dinner yet. Whenever I walk into the living room, she's not there. I walk into the kitchen, but she's not there, either. Maybe she's in the bathroom.

I walk down a hallway that seems to be never-ending. It's dark and ominous, and I start to feel frightened. I'm scared something is going to jump out at me since I can't see anything. After all, I have always been afraid of the dark. 

Despite my fears, I continue walking and walking, and begin to see a bright light far in the distance. The more I walk, and the closer I get, I can see it's the bathroom door ajar.

Once I finally make it to the cracked-open door, I gulp and push the door open slowly, as I'm scared to find out what's on the other side. But, once I finally open it, I wish I never had.

"Mom?" I ask frantically as I find her on the bathroom floor. The color in her skin is gone completely, as she's pale as a ghost. Her eyes are open wide, and she isn't blinking whatsoever. She's... lifeless, and I notice she has one of her needles sticking out of her arm.

"Mom?" I shout this time and shake her leg to try and get her to respond to me.

My heart begins to pound rapidly as I realize she's never going to answer. I was too late. She's never going to wake up. 

I have to get out of here and call the police.

I run out of the bathroom and make my way back down the never-ending dark hallway. Tears fill my eyes, and my chest begins to heave as I try and make it back to the living room.

"You're useless!" I hear a voice yell behind me, almost like it's chasing after me. I look behind me, to see who would yell that at me, but I don't see anyone. I only see a void.

I turn back around and allow my feet to carry me down the hallway. It feels like I've been running for hours and going nowhere. The living room isn't in my view anymore; I'm just running into more darkness.

Behind me, I hear the voices screaming, "You killed your mother!"

"Your mom never loved you!"

"You are a horrible daughter!"

"Cherry!"

"Cherry!"

"Cherry!"

"Cherry!"

I sit up in bed rapidly and the first thing I notice is that my heavy breathing is uncontrollable. I put my hand up to my forehead and realize that I'm soaked from sweat. As my heart pounds, and I breathe heavily out of my mouth, I look over at Ethan, who is next to me in bed, looking at me with concern on his face. Well, concern doesn't even seem to be the right word; it's more of a sadness.

He feels pity for me.

This is exactly what I was afraid of. Someone seeing my true colors and feeling sorry for me.

Ethan puts his hand on my back and tells me, "I didn't mean to scare you, you were just breathing heavily and were mumbling something, and I-"

"Oh my God," my voice cracks as I put my head in my sweaty palms. I shake my head from side to side as I mumble, "I hate when you find me like this."