EDEN'S KITCHEN - Carmen Berzatto

The Looming Phone Call

NOVEMBER 4TH 2009, 10:00 P.M. - SEATTLE, WA. 

The Iver Household. It had only been 6 months since Charlotte had graduated high school and started university, Elliot had moved out last year and Timothy was gone for the night. So, eleven year old Eli sits on the couch absentmindedly watching cartoons. Her homework long completed, dinner a peanut butter sandwich, sits half eaten on the coffee table. 

Her mother is sitting in the dining room, just sitting. Trying not to acknowledge her youngest daughter on the couch. 

Timothy was supposed to get home three hours ago, it was a school night. Eli was supposed to be in bed two hours ago. But nobody in the Iver household gave one flying fuck anymore. 

Eli had been feeling distanced from Timothy as of late. They had always been the most bonded out of all of the Iver children. They had been each other's light in the dark. When one of them couldn't see what was ahead. The other would brighten the path. Yet the flame was only temporary. 

The words from the tv screen were not fully processing through her brain at the moment. Her mind was filled with worry. Why Timothy was looking sicker by the week, why he would stay out later, why he would come stumbling through the day early in the morning? Why he would sneakily take money out of their parent's wallets. 

Eli wasn't clueless. But she wanted to be. So she pretended. She pretended as if she had no clue what was going on with her older brother. As if she didn't know why he had needles lying on the top of his dresser, or why he would randomly get bloody noses. She liked pretending, it made her think she still had a functional family. 

But the Iver's were far from functional. 

The only thing that snapped Eli out of her cartoon daze, was the telephone. She hadn't even realised she had started walking up the stairs. Unconsciously trying to make her way to bed before her father arrived home. The phone was ringing. Her father walks in and slams the door. 

"Eli what are you still doing awake? Ah not a word. Go straight to bed, I will get the phone." Her father already knew her response before she could get a single sound out. She continued walking up the steps only pausing at the top. To see her father walk towards the phone, before answering his mobile instead. He started yelling at somebody, she knew her father wouldn't make it in time to answer the landline. She had half a mind to go down and answer it herself. But again it was a school night and she didn't want to be around her parents any longer than she had too.

She knew whoever on the end of the line would be disappointed by the Iver household once again. The ringing finally stopped, and the Iver family home settled into a silence. One of discomfort and unknown truths. Her mute mother sat in the kitchen, trying to ignore her five children that were already gone in her mind. Attempting to get an ounce of attention from her husband.

Her father loud voice fluctuates as he tries to get his point across to whoever is on the other side.  Even when he is home, he never is really home. 

Eli continues down the hall and to her childhood bedroom. One that would be stripped and empty in the next coming months, leaving only memories and the feeling of grief behind. As she lays on her bed, trying to lull herself to sleep. Ophelia Iver is unaware this would be the last time her dreams wouldn't be plagued of nightmares. 

Across town, Timothy slides down the side of a wall. His hand slipping from the receiver on the pay phone. Unwillingly drawing in his last breath, his head hits against the ground. His whole body feels like its on fire for the last time. 

Halley's Comet

             comes around more than I do