In the Dark the Dead Linger

Chapter 1

First Wattpad story! :)

Title: In the Dark the Dead Linger

Fandom: X-Men Trilogy

Summary: After seeing her little sister die, 8-year-old Sinclair Meadows is damaged. Hurt, the psychologists say, scared and traumatized. Mutant, she whispers to herself when she figures it out. Soon enough, she's sent to Xavier's Institute for Gifted Youngsters, where she finds countless others like her. But she's so scared of herself that she doesn't let anybody in. "Of course I'm not okay, Bobby, I summon to dead and I kill people when I touch them."

***

Sinclair sat silently, hands clasped together in her lap. She was in the first row of the small church with the rest of her immediate family around her, while a small crowd of friends and extended family sat behind them. A smooth and shiny dark brown wood coffin stood at the front, before all of the benches.

"Today, we mourn the passing of Ella Maisey Meadows, beloved daughter, sister, and friend. She was taken from this world at such a young age, but we may all be comforted by the knowledge that she is now in a better place. The family has asked to say a few words, but first," the priest said gravely, "A moment of silence to remember Ella, and what a joy she was to us all."

The entire congregation in the church lowered their heads, utterly silent. Through one of Sinclair's tightly shut eyelids, a single tear slipped out, running down her cheek and dripping onto her skirt.

After what felt like an eternity, the priest raised his head. "If anyone would like to speak about Ella, share a few words, please, come up."

Sinclair hunched back into her seat, silent tears glistening on her cheeks. Her mother stood up shakily and went to stand in front of the coffin and started to stutter out words, but Sinclair didn't listen. They were just words. Meaningless words. Nothing was ever going to bring Ella back. Nothing could ever bring her back. Nothing could change the fact that her 4 year-old sister had been run over by a speeding car and killed. Sinclair closed her eyes and leaned her head against the back of the bench. Ella would've hated this. She would have hated her own funeral. "It's too boring!" she would have yelled with her lisp, caused by her missing her two front teeth.

Suddenly, the entire church gasped, snapping Sinclair out of her thoughts. She opened her eyes quickly, and they widened at the sight before her.

Ella was sitting on her own closed coffin, smiling adorably, showing the gap where her teeth were missing. She swung her feet back and forth innocently, running her fingers down the coffin's smooth wood. She appeared almost translucent, flickering and disappearing for a half a second before reappearing. She was pale and discolored, with almost a silver aura around her.

"Mamma, it'th too bowing!" she declared, pushing herself off of the coffin. She walked over to her mother, who backed away, eyes filled with fear. Ella's face fell, but brightened upon the sight of her sister.

"Claiwy!" she squealed, rushing over. "You tink it'th bowing, wight?" She sat down next to Sinclair, who nodded mutely, in shock. Ella slipped her hand into her sister's, squeezing it tightly. All Sinclair could feel in that hand was an eerie chill, like she was holding an ice cube wrapped in a paper towel.

"Tanks for bwinging me back, Claiwy." Ella whispered, hugging Sinclair and enveloping her in cold. "I weally wanted to thee you and Mommy and Daddy again, jutht one latht time." As suddenly as she had come, Ella disappeared, leaving behind only a wisp of silver smoke, which dissipated, too, quickly enough.