A TALE OF A THOUSAND YEARS

Birthday Tradition

The cloud let down its tears with no remorse, people on the street scrambled for shelter. The sun peeped its head through the clouds but the cloud was relentless. They say whenever it rains and the sun made an entrance it means a wild animal is being born. At least that's what the girl behind the counter learnt from one of her books of random facts. She had always loved books, working in a bookstore was a dream come true for her. Today was a slow day, she is waiting for the rain to seize so she could go home, she does not want to miss her own twentieth birthday. "Happy birthday Justina" she whispered to herself. Her phone beeped signaling the entrance of a message. She clicked on it

"Happy birthday to us, mom is angry the food will get cold, should I come get you?"

She quickly typed a message back "no, I'm on my way".

Justina sighed as she brace herself for the run back to her parents house, she is grateful it was close by. She quickly locked up the store, no one wants to eat a cold birthday dinner so she must hurry.

By the time she got home, she was soaked to the core, she shivered as she tried to shove her key into the lock, her family wouldn't mind if she took a shower before the birthday dinner. They have never placed importance on birthdays, her dad always said "it's not the day you were born but just a celebration of the actual day so why make a fuss" so they always ended up eating the food prepared by her mom and attempt to have a family bonding time. At least her mom was a great cook.

Justina rejoiced when she finally put the key into the keyhole with her shaking hands but her jubilation didn't last for long when she noticed the door opened before she got a chance to turn the key. Her mom has always made sure the door was locked at all time, maybe her brother forgot to lock it. "Is his nerdy brain malfunctioning" chuckled Justina to herself as she walked into the house. She wasn't bothered by the unlock door. Her neighbourhood is a safe one.

She turned on the light as she screamed into the hallway "mom, dad, I'm home"

" I want to take a quick shower" she said as she hurried to her room

"Justin forgot to lock the door again!" she yelled before closing her door, she smiled wickedly, she knows Justin is about to get in trouble. They have always pranked and tease eachother. Having a twin isn't easy but having a nerdy twin brother who got into medical school while you wile away time in your family's bookstore, now that is a recipe for self loathing.

Justina let the hot water erase whatever thought she might have, today is her birthday, she is going to enjoy the cake her mom baked and eat herself into a food coma. She smiled as she turned off the shower, she wrapped a tower around her chest and walked towards her wardrobe, she put on a big grey tee shirt and her pyjamas bottom and that was went it hit her. The house was too quiet, her mom should be shouting at her twin brother and he should have barged into her room by now screaming bloody murder but there was none of that.

Justina slowly made her way through the house as she called out to her family "mom! dad! Justin!" And nothing. She looked through every room and ended up in the kitchen. On the dinning table were different varieties of foods and a red velvet cake. "Of course" she rolled her eyes. Red velvet was her brother's favourite but in her mom's defence Justina did tell her she was on a diet.

"Mom!" She yelled again hoping her Mother will appear out of nowhere and then she will guilt trip her into increasing her allowance because she only baked Justin's favourite cake and not Justina's, but still she got no answer back. She wondered if they went out without her, no that can't be true, birthday dinner is a family tradition and the Patricks always stick to family traditions. She took deep breath as she felt anxiety creeping into her. She quickly rushed to her room and picked up her phone dialling her parents but the operator said the number does not exist. She tried calling her brother and it was the same. She glared at her phone as the mechanical voice tells her that the number she is calling does not exist. Panic sets in, her hands couldn't hold her phone as it shook like an earthquake. Her mind raced looking for who to call, she has no relative from her father's side and her mother's relatives lives in another town, she quickly tap the call button, she didn't even know who she was calling as she got an hello from the other side.

"Hello"

"My family.... My parents.... Justin.... My family is gone"