Forgotten

Prologue

The rain fell in in a 'tap tap' rhythm on the car roof.The window was covered in many differently shaped droplets of water.
My father and I were driving home from church. We had attended the late evening mass, so it was now dark out. This night seemed so familiar and it brought back the same loneliness feeling that I had felt 2 years ago. When I was 12.
It had been a tragic night. A night just like this. Dark out, the rain falling. And in a car. I remember being in the backseat, talking to my mother about my day at school. She'd nod and laugh as I told her about the 'Oh so boring classwork.'
I remember seeing a stray dog run across,probably scared by the car's headlights. I remember hearing my mother's terrifying shriek as the car had swerved to the right and crashing into the bridge's stone wall.
I remember my world fading into complete darkness. I then found myself awoken, my father next to me with tears in his eyes. He had ruffled my hair back and I just stared, dumbfounded.
At that moment I had known. I had known my mother had gone to heaven and I would never see her again. Her funeral had been held a week later, and it was one of the hardest days of my life as well as the tragic night.
I had later learned she had died due to a large amount of blood loss. I had told them what had happened that night and the dog's fragile body was found not to far away from the accident.
Vet's explained the dog had died from a panic attack but my father didn't want to hear anything about the dog. From that day on, he didn't want to hear about any dog.
We had to get rid of our dog, Snickers. I felt brokenhearted that not only did I lose my mother, but my best friend too, my dog. Snickers went to one of my father's family friends which we rarely see anymore, and I honestly think it is because they have him.
My dad changed that night. I feel that not only did I lose my mother, my dog..but my father as well. I feel guilt because of what I think of my father now, but he's just not the same. He always seems occupied. We hardly spend time together. Its slowly killing me.
I was knocked out of my thoughts when the car screeched to a halt and I let out a small gasp. My dad honked angrily and cursed,ahead. "Are you okay, Avery." My father asked me. I nodded, my gaze turning to the road and noticing a dog running off the road. The dog was limping and its wet fur was all matted. It seemed frightened, for its eyes were widened. I soon saw it disappear into the shadows of the nearby small woods,as we turned the corner to our neighborhood.
I felt pain tug at my heart as I looked away from the dog. My father was now silent  but his face was hardened and he held a firm grip on the wheel.
We parked in our small house's driveway and I quickly ran inside after dad to keep from getting wet. The house was cold.. And lonely. We didn't get any greeting from a mother nor a happy dog jumping at our feet.Only silence filled the rooms.
I walked to my room, trying to keep my mind off the dog I had seen earlier. I looked at a picture of my mother, Snickers and I.My father had taken the picture. It was three weeks before the accident, and it felt strange how good your life may be going but turns for the worst.
Sighing, I hugged the picture close to me and drifted off to sleep,cradling it.