Cursed Melody

Chapter 4

Mia

Warmth from the sun caresses my skin as the bees hum a soft melody, harmonizing with the call of the birds. Ma guides us through the elegant garden maze decorated with glittering leaves, roses, lillies, wildflowers, lavenders, and hydrangeas that produced a minty sweet perfume in the breeze.

"The garden was remodeled last year. I chose most of the flowers myself while Merida picked the layout. She argued with Peter about the strategic layout of the plan- something about it being better in case of an attack, but then I said.." Mother rambled.

I listen to Ma's soulful voice as it mixes with the overall tune of the garden. The airy and weightless peace that it brings reminds me of my childhood home. My fingertips move gently over the smooth yet papery leaves of the large walled bushes.

Tears sprung to my eyes again as she handed my a small handkerchief. For the past thirty minutes, we'd been like this, walking in peace while she talked about everything that happened as I would slowly tear up and then I would tell her about my life in the city while she'd begin to tear. Luckily, I was grateful she took us to a private area of the garden with an opening that exposed the dense terrain of the forest.

I'd completely underestimated the amount of wolves here. There had to be at least a hundred, if not more.

Once I finish wiping my tears, impulse I slip up about that night I ran away. All the words tumbling out of like vomit and with the bitter aftertaste they'd left as I continued, it almost felt like it.

"Peter was there the whole time. He's the reason I can't control her. I can't forgive him." I finished, tears streaming from my eyes once again, but they were from relief. For so long, I'd been holding this in. It felt good to finally open myself up.

My mother looked at me with tear stained eyes and held me close. "Mia, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry."

I wish I could say her apology to my suffering freed me from the torture I'd endured over the last four years. I wish I could say all my anger and my pain vanished from inside me. And I wish her words took away this beast inside of me. But it didn't. Madness rose quickly, filled with a sudden rage, and I pushed Ma back on reflex.

"Mia, what's wrong?" She asked worried at the sight of me caging Madness in.

"Like I said before. I can't control her." I replied with a strained voice.

Her eyes softened. "Mia, would you allow me to help you?"

"I'll allow anything, as long as you can make her stop."

"Okay, but I need you to listen to me carefully. Take a few deep breaths." She begin and I complied. "Just listen for a moment. The night you left, Peter told me everything. Ever since then, I've spent years searching, crying, and angry. Not understanding why he would go against your wishes like that." I was beginning to see red but still I listened. "For a long time I hated him, however, if I were in his shoes and my daughter was dying before me, I would've made the same choice."

"What are you getting at?" Madness growled. I hugged myself tighter, torn between understanding and anger.

"What I'm getting at, is that while I may not understand Peter at times or why he makes the choices he does, I know Sorrow." She says this with her wolf behind her eyes. "And I know, that Sorrow can't force the change on any one unless even a small part of them wanted it. Or in your case wanted to live."

I shook my head once and then twice. But I couldn't shake the small feeling that creeped in my spine. I thought about it many times but I could never bring myself to acknowledge it.

"Ask yourself. The night of the accident. What were you thinking?"

I plummeted onto the cold earth, shearing pain ricocheted throughout my skin. Madness was pounding desperate to break out.