Walk Through Thorns

Part 2 Chapter 6

Part 2: Endlessly I Fall, Tattered Feathers Rain

Chapter 6

The car rattles. Behemoths of diesel and steel roar by. Fat flakes of snow swirl, stirred in the frenzy of their wake.

I put my pale hand against the window, the fog on the glass creeps away from my heat. The snowflakes melt and run down like rain. It would be beautiful if not for the knot turning in my stomach.

"Mom?" The words come from my lips, but someone else speaks them.

I turn my head. Slow, like moving through oil. Greta is sitting in the seat beside me, her face contorting in silent agony. Thorn covered roots crawl beneath her skin and weave themselves between her bones.

"Celeste!"

I woke up to Auntie gently shaking me. I was in bed. I was screaming. I choked it off, but furious tears followed in its silence. Auntie hugged me, catching my tears in her shirt. She kept me close until I got myself together.

I said, "I feel like I am losing my mind."

Auntie hushed me..

I didn't say anything. The feeling of warmth from Auntie was all I needed in that moment, and I lingered there until she pulled away.

"Would visiting the hospital make you feel better?"

The suggestion was like immersing me in ice. I shook my head.

Auntie said, "Let me know when you are ready."

I nodded.

"And get caught up on your homework today. It's been piling up in the living room all week."

Come Saturday, Avery and Brandon were waiting for me at the intersection of sixth and eleventh. Dusk was seeping in from the treeline. Brandon was on a bicycle this time. If his dad had found out about the stolen motorcycle, Brandon had survived the consequences.

I asked, "What's up with the ambush?"

Avery was grimacing. "Greta can't make game today, we figured we would let you know before you rode across town."

"What happened?"

Avery asked, "Didn't you see the news?"

"Auntie doesn't have cable."

Brandon said, "Her older brother died in a farming accident. Reporters are stalking their farm. They're in total lockdown."

My heart sank. "Is she okay? We should go see her."

Avery scoffed and said, "Yeah, her family would be super excited to find out Greta's friends are the goth chick and the drop-out."

I said, "We should at least send her food!"

Brandon said, "Later, they need space. We're just going to hang out tonight instead. You in?"

I shrugged and nodded at the same time.

Avery turned to Brandon. "Meatbird?"

"Hell yeah," he said.

I blinked a few times trying to decipher what they were talking about. "What is a meatbird?"

Avery said, "Meatbird Lake. It's, like, closer to your house than the rest of town. You've never been?"

"Did you get the impression I got out a lot?"

"Fair," said Avery, "Can you bike fast?"

With my nod, she took to the front, down eleventh to cross to the other side of town. Mind you, the other side of town is only a few blocks away in Lively. That was something I was still getting used to.