The Holder Kyla's Transformation

Chapter Two: Favoring Guilt

Kyla jolted awake, heart pounding-sweat dripped down her forehead. Not again. She thought through uneven breaths. She lifted her hand and the soft moonlight streamed across trembling fingers. The nightmare returned as it had every night. A vicious cycle of unforgiving torture, never giving rest. Everyone she ever loved was murdered and living with the guilt of knowing she did nothing to prevent it was what she deserved.

A sudden unsteady beat sounded in the room. The beat was in rapid spurts like a knock at a door, but just as quick as the noise appeared, it halted. Peering through the dark, Kyla headed in the direction of the sound. The cotton material of her shirt clung to her back as she tiptoed through the dark room. Reaching out, she opened the window and the sound of motorbikes, honking horns, and laughter filled the night air. It's so busy here. Kyla thought sticking her head out, looking down a few stories to the concrete below. There was something unsettling in the air, and she wondered about the strange sound.

Sighing, Kyla slid the window shut, flicked on the light, leaned on the window sill and looked around solemnly. Everything in the room was pink. The room was spacious, but it was as if someone threw up Pepto over the entire place. There was a pink glass desk with a pink laptop in the sitting area separated by two large pillars, next to a pink entertainment dock and a pink love seat with purple and pink flower shaped jewels embedded along the ruffled trim. Two large pink dressers where situated next to the French doors, that had full length mirrors attached. All the place needed was oversized swirled pink lollipops and pink stuffed animals hanging from their necks, then it'd be a perfect setting for a Twilight Zone remake. Kyla walked over to the mirrors and her hazel eyes stared at an image she no longer recognized. Her cheekbones were much more pronounced. Most likely from being in a coma for three months. Examining her profile, she noticed how much more her petite nose and wide almond shaped eyes stood out while the caramel tone of her skin looked dull and pasty. The only thing that didn't change was her height. She stretched one arm over her head. Once 5'4 always 5'4. It's actually average for a girl, so she guessed there was something normal about her. As she stretched, a portion of her mother's golden chain draped over her brown hoodie's neckline, and she quickly stuffed it back.  She hated it. Kyla wanted to stomp on it, break it into a million pieces, melt it down, then pour the remains into the sea. The sight of it made her want to literally throw up, because it was the reason for everything. As much as she wanted to, she couldn't take it off because of a promise. When she was well enough to listen, Kata told her all she knew about her mother's family and the cursed necklace.

Kyla pulled her long unruly dark hair into a ponytail and smelled a musty odor. It was a long plane ride from Okinawa and she hadn't taken a shower. Actually, she just plopped on the bed after meeting the fosters and fell into a deep sleep. Jet lag is real and a shower was needed.  She went through the double doors and walked through a long corridor with metal hangers and cubicles for shoes. At the end there was another door. Opening it, she found the bathroom. If there was such as a unnecessarily big room, it was this one.

After showering, Kyla pulled on a pair of jeans, and covered her loose shirt with a hooded brown jacket. She decided to case out the area. She heard many stories about New York from her dad, so she wanted to see it. Popping a black hair band on her wrist, she quietly left the room and snuck out the house.

Kyla pulled out her phone as she stepped on the pavement. It was midnight. A time she would have never left before, but it's not before. She had no parents, no home, and no future. Flipping her hood up, Kyla shrugged. So, why not?