Waveland

Chapter 28

The Past 

Porcelain walls covered the whole house. Stretching from room to room. Rose felt like a little kid walking the endless space. Each step soft, she was hesitant to make a sound to disturb the silent house. Grand mirror windows lined the front of the living room leading to the beautiful large decorated kitchen. It felt like a completely different world. This house felt like it could be another time. The perfect furniture, the perfect rooms. Rose picked a picture frame still intact, not a single crack in the glass featuring a perfect family of four. The parents smiled each holding their youngest in their arms. A small tear rolled down Rose's cheek, connecting this family to her own. She gently sat the picture frame back on the perfect brown table. She was in a stranger's house. No sign of them anyone like half the population of the world when the aliens invaded.

Rose wanted to collapse. All of her emotions begging to crash her. She knew if she stopped moving, the feeling of abandonment from her own family would swallow her whole. She hoped wherever this family who owned the most beautiful house she had ever seen where somewhere safe together. Not only surviving the monster lurking not only during the dark but during the daylight. She hoped that the family had enough love to still enjoy the precious life they were granted. In Today's world, one more day was a miracle.

She scrounged the kitchen, dumping food cans into her backpack. It had been days since she had eaten anything. Lucky for her the sighting of the aliens pretty much killed any appetite she had.

Walking through the perfect white kitchen, not a single dish remained in the sink. Nothing was out of place. Everything was perfect unlike her own life. She tip toed to the last drawer in the row. Pulling it out trying to make the less amount of noise as possible. Every clank of metal against wood sent chills down her spine. She imagined one simple sound-wave would end in her death. Every second, every minute she felt terrified. She slowly opened a white drawer and picked up a gray polished steak knife. Every movement made her feel a great amount of guilt. This was stealing. She was taking one more thing from this picture perfect family.

One hand on the doorknob, she dared a glance behind her at the family picture. She hated everyday she woke up terrified that today was going to be her last day. The last thing her father said ran through her mind. She was weak. She was going to get them killed. That is why her own father abandoned her. That is why she has been on her own for months. She sprung open the door, for once not flinching at the brute sound of the door smacking across the cream polished wall. She was going to do something. She vowed to herself holding the knife close against her chest. She was sick of feeling afraid all of these months alone. It would end today. It wasn't smart, but she was sick of running and proving her dad right.