Whispers

Part I

The trees surrounding her path waved from side to side as the chilled air pushed their colored leaves. Her golden strands continued to toss in the wind as her head tilted towards the gravel pavement beneath her boots. Recurring laughter sounded from the nearby playground, she lived just across the park. It was her everyday walk home from high school, a common routine. After ways of kicking countless pebbles, her boots finally clicked against her front porch steps. Warmth suddenly had enveloped her red cheeks and her frozen hands. She snapped the door shut with a loud bang to hinder the cold from frosting over her fingers. Today was the day that Kate Crowley would get what was coming to her.

A woman's voice calls from the living room,"Who is that?"

"It's just me." She shouted back as she threw her backpack to the floor.

The recliner chair slammed closed and her mother's heels clacked the wooden floor. She came closer, "Ariel. I'm letting the family know that your father got fired this morning with a two week's notice. That means your therapy is going to have to pause for a little while- last session is tonight."

It seemed to Ariel as though she was always put last on the list of priorities and her mother had just confirmed it. Ariel bit down on her lip. A trickle of blood seeped its way from the bridge of her mouth as she swiped it away with her grey sleeve. She turned towards the stairs and held her tongue,"Okay."

A voice speaks in her head, of course he couldn't keep a job, like he was even able to comprehend the task of actually taking care of a family.

She scrunched her eyes and shook the thought. In her room, she stood at the foot of her full length mirror. After wiping off her smudged mascara and adjusting her fitted jeans, the swarming thoughts came back. You don't need therapy, you need me. Do you really want to get rid of me? You won't. You're little daddy just made sure of it.

A girl's voice whispered and the headaches began. She could be right, there may be no getting rid of her. After all, no one else believed that she existed. She was alone in this battle. 

She continued to stare at the mirror and held her face, "How could someone so awful be a part of me."

Another unheard whisper sounded, you're just as awful as me. I am you.

"I can't do it. I can't hurt anyone like you." Disgust had coated her insides at the thought.

You're going to do this and it's going to feel so much better. Things will be easier.

She shook her head and struggled to keep the emotion built in her throat. She was helpless, powerless, brought down to her knees by her own enemy.