The Shattered Soul

Suspended

"How could you be so careless Amy? This is going to be on your permit record! The colleges you have applied for will see this, how could you be so stupid?" Amy's dad huffed out in frustration while gripping the steering wheel so tight it made his knuckles turn white.

"Ed." her mother whispered "Calm down."

Amy watched her mother reach for his arm and gently rubbing it, something she always does when she tries to calm him down. Her mother is the peace keeper of the family, she rarely raises her voice and is the one to always try and keep everyone happy, even when everything is going to shit.

"What the hell has gotten into you lately?" he continued.

Amy couldn't answer that question, she wished she could. She knew that something inside her had changed but she couldn't explain what it was, all she knew was that she hadn't been herself since her "gift" or whatever it was, started.

"Maybe she needs to pay Father Gordon a visit, he knows people who can help, right?" he asked her mother, causing Amy to roll her eyes.

"I don't need any help." Amy sighed.

She could feel herself getting angry at the thought of having to see someone, especially Father Gordon. Amy knew that once her parents and the church found out she had this so called "gift" that this would be it. They would make her go on cases, help at the church, and Amy couldn't handle or deal with that, at least not now.

As the car turned onto their street Amy noticed a woman standing at the side of the road. She was starring at the floor and Amy could see blood dripping down from the top of her head, running down her pale cheek.

"So many people have died on this road." Her mother sighed sadly, while her eyes drifted to the same spot Amy was seeing the woman.

Amy kept her eyes on the woman as her dad slowly drove past. Suddenly the woman sharply pulled her head up, locking her dark yellow eyes with Amy's. Amy let out a shallow gasp and quickly looked away.

Finally they pulled up to their driveway where Amy spots Judy playing with her grandmother on the front lawn.

"I just want you to do better Amy, stop making dumb choices, and start using your head."

Her dad throws at her before getting out of the car, slamming the door, leaving her and her mother in the car.

"He will calm down soon hun, he's just worried about you, we both are.." her mother says.

"I'm fine." Amy lied as she unbuckled her seat belt.

Just as she was about to open the car door, a strong wave of cold air came over her. Slowly she turned her head to look at the empty seat next to her and to her horror the woman that had been standing at the side of the road was now sat next to her.

"I'M COMING FOR YOU!" The woman screamed, causing Amy to flinch and she got herself out the car as fast as she could while her mother followed her.

"Amy, what's wrong?"

But Amy couldn't answer, this was the second time today that someone who wasn't alive anymore shouted at her and came that close to her. She tried to keep her breathing under control but failed, her heart was beating out of her chest and she was convinced she was going to end up having a heart attack.

"Amy?" her mother placed a hand on her arm.

"Leave me alone!" Amy pulled away.

"Hey! Don't talk to your mother like that!" her dad shouted from the front porch.

But Amy wasn't talking to her mother, her comment was meant for the dead woman who was still sitting in the car.

"Mommy!" Judy happily cried out as she ran up to her mother to give her a hug. "What's for dinner?"

It was moments like these that Amy was grateful for Judy and her perfect timing to interrupt.

At the dinner table Amy's grandmother started the conversation about a car crash that happened on their street that morning while everyone was out.

"A young woman it was, couldn't have been much older than 30, poor soul."

Amy kept her eyes on her plate, moving the food around with her fork, not interested in eating or the conversation.

"25" her mother replied "She was 25, but let's change the subject, Judy, what did you do at school today?" she continued while stabbing the last bits of chicken of her plate.

"Hopefully not getting suspended like her sister." her dad sneered.

Amy lifted her head up and looked at her mum.

"Ed, not now." her mum whispered.

"Suspended! good lord what did you do girl?" Her grandmother asks while still chewing on her food.

"Nothing." Amy bitterly replied

"Nothing?!" her dad spat out. "She pulled the fire alarm, which made the Fire Brigade have to come out and now the school is facing a huge fine for waisting their time!"

"Why on earth would you do that Amy?" her grandmother asked

"Because she is careless and makes stupid choices!" her dad answered.

"Oh, and you're so perfect?" Amy fired back.

All eyes at the table were now on her, but Amy didn't care, she felt so incredibly angry, but didn't know where all this anger was coming from. All she knew was that this wasn't her fault. It was the dead burned Priest's fault, if he hadn't had chased her down the corridor, screaming at her, she wouldn't have had to pull the fire alarm to get him to go away.

"Excuse me?!"

"You heard me." Amy spat back, both her and her dad's tone getting sharper.

Amy rarely fought with her parents. They had a few family rules, one of them being if someone had a problem they would talk it out, not shout it out. But not today, her dad was already disappointed in her and Amy was mad at everyone at this point.

"Ed, let it go" her mother said, a little louder this time.

"Mommy, today I told the class about your gift and how amazing it is!" Judy buts in.

"No Lorraine, she is being really disrespectful."

"Ed, this isn't the time," her mother now desperate to put an end to this arguing.

"Mommy, will I get your gift?"

"This is the perfect time, Lorraine. Amy's attitude stinks, and as long as she's living under my roof she going to live by the rules!"

"Well maybe I will just go pack my bags and leave then."

"Mommy?" Judy tries again.

"That wouldn't be such a bad idea!" her dad replies, raising his voice again.

"Fine!" Amy shouts back.

"Okay everyone just needs to calm down!" her mother reaches out to her husband placing her hand on his arm.

"Mommy, I really hope I get your gift!"

"OH MY GOD JUDY JUST SHUT UP!" Amy shouts, slamming her hands on the table.

"Amy!" her mother says sharply.

Then silence fills the room, nothing can be heard accept the sounds of passing cars outside. Her dad grabs his napkin from his lap and chucks it onto his plate.

"Amy Jane Warren, apologise to your sister and then go to your room!" he says in a calm and angry voice.

A few seconds pass before her dad shouts "NOW AMY!"

"Ugh." Amy groans before getting up and pushing her chair back.

"Sorry Judy." she huffs and she makes her way out of the room.

"I don't know what has gotten into her." Amy hears her mother say as she makes her way up the stairs, before slamming her bedroom door.