Shadows&Secrets

Chapter 1 - Year 1

The past will always catch up

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"AHHHH" as I scream I try to grab after my necklace but I am to slow and with a numb "Thing" the gemstone splits in two and the chain lays on the ground in a tangled mess.

"Is everything alright, Aurora?" I say nothing and only stare at my necklace. The first teardroop runs down my cheek and soon a few more join her.

"Aurora?" Foot steps approach and come to a sudden halt. I sob "My-My necklace, the-the gem is split in half..." I cry out loud.

"Oh dear.." my father kneels down and hugs me from the side. "But look at the necklace..", he pets my head,"... you can still wear it."

"But-but it is not whole anymore" I keep on sobbing.

"Aurora tell me, do you really think it is worthless only because it is halfed? Does it now only have half the meaning it had before?"

Slowly I raise my head and look into my fathers blue eyes. I rest there for a second and look at the necklace again.

"No-no of course not... The meaning is still the same..."

"Thats right Aurora, do not forget that... the only value things have is the value we give them"

He places a kiss on my head and stands up. "You can make a second pendant out of the other half and gift it to someone important. Someone important as me or your mother."

I grab after the loose stone half and the necklace. Nobody will ever be able to replace my mother...

-

My eyes spring open and I see my dark room.

It was a dream.

I grab after my necklace that is hanging around my neck.

Or to be percise. It was a memory.

The gem is still split in half.

That can only be a bad omen... it is my 11th birthday and I dream of this very situation...

It was the moment 5 years ago when my six year old me broke the pandant. The only possesion I have from my mother....

I caress the broken gem and look at the time. It is 05:00 AM and the first of June 1991. Grrr... I can not believe it... it is saturday! I should be sleeping!

I close my eyes and attempt to sleep again.

I turn right. Then left. Then right again. Maybe the stomach will work.

"Ahhhh" No use I am wide awake. Lazily I get up and go to my closet.

What am I going to wear?

Hmmm... maybe I will go for a black skirt and a rosa shirt... yeah that will do...

I sit back on my bed and look at my necklace. Why of all days did I need to remember this memory now?

I felt so bad... my mother who died in a car accident before I was able to think, wore it all the time. It was the only thing I have from her...

I play a little with the gem and start to read a book.

After a while I again take a look at my watch. It is 07:00 AM. Just as I close the book I smell a very familiar smell: Waffels!!

With high speed I run down the stairs. "Aurora... I told you not to run.. what if you fall..." My dad turns around slowly and sees me smiling from ear to ear.

"I know, I know, but todays my birthday!"

My father chuckles but as he turns around I can see for a split second a bit of concern in his facial expression.

"Dad.. is everything alrighty?"

"Yes my dear. For a moment I wasn't sure if I put the eggs in or not"

I laugh and sit down. "Wouldn't be the first time."

My father nods and begins to take out plates and glasses. He gets chocolate souce and orange juice.

As I observe him I notice the black eyebags... Is really everything okay..? I almost ask but kept it to myself.

"So thats it. Breakfast alla daddy for my dearest princess!"

I giggle "Thank you dad!!"

We start to eat and as always it tastes amazing.

I put an extra portion of chocolate souce on my waffels and cut a piece out and eat it happily.

"Do you want to watch the basketball play tomorrow?"

My eyes widen "Yes! Absolutly yes! I love the cheerleaders from this group! Maybe I can learn something from them!" My eyes grow bigger.

I beam at my father and take another bite of my waffle. "Hahah thats what I thought. I got two tickets."

"Amazing! I can not wait."

He grabs after his glass but with one motion it falls down. The loud "KRR" catches us both off guard. First we look at each other before we both get down to the floor to pick the broken glass up.

As I collect the shattered pieces I feel an akward tension in the air. I think of a way on how to loosen up the situation and the only thing which came to my mind is my dream from today.

"Do you know what is funny dad? Today I dreamed of the memory when I broke my necklace exactly like you did with this glass."

I laugh as I look at the broken glass. "KRRR" I scrunch my eyebrows and look at my father.

His eyes are wide open and the shard he just picked up was on the floor again. "You did what?!"

Okay maybe when I think about it again my comment wasn't as funny as I thought...

Before I can answer him I hear a loud "Thud" and a howling of an owl.

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