The Shattered Soul

They Know

"How long Amy?" her dad asked in a tone she didn't like.

They hadn't spoken much since Amy got suspended and had the fight at the dinner table.

So Amy had kept quiet, not wanting to say anything and knowing her dad would be mad at her for keeping it a secret for so long.

"Ed." her mother whispered, shaking her head at him when she joined them at the dinner
table.

"How are you feeling hun?" she asked and Amy shrugged her shoulders as the room fell silent.

"Okay, so I just got off with the police on the phone and they found her body in the pond." her mother sadly let them know.

Amy kept her eyes down as she started to pick at her fingers under the table, something she did when she was feeling anxious. She knew she should thank her mother for calling the police, knowing she wouldn't have been able to. But her parents were known in their town so they would have believed her mother as she had helped the police before. Although some people thought her parents were amazing, helping people who had lost loved ones, keeping bad omens at bay, some thought they were just crazy and Amy didn't want anyone thinking she was too.

"Amy, how long?" he asked again, more firmly this time.

"Ed, please, not now."

Amy looked up at the both of the, realising she couldn't avoid them forever but desperately hoping that she could have this conversation another time.

"Can I be please excused?" she asked, knowing her dad would probably say no, but she was willing to take a chance.

"Damn it Amy, you need to talk to us!" her dad huffed, banging his fist on the table, causing Amy and her mother to jump.

"Edward!" her mother snapped at him, she barely ever called him by his full name.

"Sorry Lorraine, but she needs to talk, she can't keep pushing us away, this is important, if Amy has your gift, then we need to know."

Amy's mother gave her a gentle look "Amy, whatever it is, you can tell us, we want to help you."

Amy rushed to catch the tear that started running down her face, not wanting to cry in front of them.

She took a small breath in "I don't want it."

"Don't want what hun?" her mother asked calmly.

"Your gift" Amy sighed "I love you mum, but your gift, it sucks."

"Amy!" her dad let out angrily, hating it when anyone talked bad about his wife especially about her gift.

"Don't ever talk about your mother's gift like that, it's a blessing from God and you know that."

"Hers may be, but not mine!" Amy let out frustrated.

"You have no idea what it's been like"

"Then please tell us." her mother softly said, trying to keep things calm.

"I have had things watching me, scaring me, screaming in my face, in my head. It's hell and the reason I got suspended was because some fucking priest was chasing me down the corridor!"

"Hey! watch your language." her dad snapped.

"He was screaming at me dad, his face was burned and he had white eyes and it scared the crap out of me, so I had to pull the fire alarm to get rid of him." Amy explained trying to keep herself composed.

"That could've been Father John, he was there when I went to school, he's harmless." her mother replied, trying to reassure her.

"Oh, well, that makes me feel so much better." Amy replied sarcastically.

"I don't like this attitude of yours." her dad said.