Burn Me Right

Chapter 80

A bright morning woke the country while Autumn was nestled under the sheets, refusing to wake up. The remnants of last night's troubling dream lingered in her mind, disrupting her sleep until the early morning hours.

"Atty," April entered the room, holding a steaming cup of coffee. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee wafted through the air, stirring Autumn from her sleep. Groggily, Autumn shifted, attempting to evade the intrusion.

Amused, April reverted to an old childhood tactic. Setting the coffee cup aside, she leaned down to Autumn's level and let out a playful scream in her ears, startling Autumn awake.

"The hell," Autumn exclaimed, throwing off the sheets and leaping out of bed to chase after April, her bare feet padding softly against the floor.

"Oops," April let out a playful squeal and ran outside, yelling, "Sorry, Atty," but Autumn wouldn't let go. April giggled mischievously, her laughter tinkling like wind chimes as she darted out of the room. With a playful grin, she glanced over her shoulder, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

"April, stop." Autumn ran after April until they reached the door. April stood on the other side of the door. Breathless, Autumn tried reaching April when the girl bolted outside.

"Catch me if you can," she screamed for the world to hear. Autumn couldn't; she tried, but the girl was tired. Their laughter mingled in a symphony of joy and excitement as they raced through the house. They darted around corners, dodging furniture with practiced ease, the thrill of the chase propelling them forward.

Finally, they burst out onto the porch, the warm rays of the morning sun bathing them in golden light. Their laughter mingled with the sounds of birdsong and rustling leaves.

"My god," Autumn panted as she tried to gain control over her breath. She looked to the side to April getting up and walking away, and before she could ask for more, she saw April walking towards her with the same coffee cup. "You are losing your strength; look at you, panting like Peaches," as a cue, the little boy ran towards April and sat in her lap.

"Food betrayer," Autumn pouted. Peaches has taken like to April. He wouldn't leave April's side ever since April recovered.

"I used to run a lot, you know?" She did run a lot. Zyler chased her every chance she got. He would mock her for it, taunting her that she liked the chase. Maybe she did like the chase, or perhaps she loved being chased by him. Was it the thrill or him? She didn't know.

"So," April began while sipping her coffee. "What's the deal with Zyler?"

Autumn almost spat her coffee. April saw how her sister was reacting. "I see," she smiled.

"You couldn't get him out of your mind, can you?" April could tell the signs, whoever this guy was. He rooted himself deep in her sister's soul, and her sister might not know it, but she did.

"Do you love him?" There was no beating around the bush. Autumn whipped her head in April's direction.

"I don't, I just........." there was nothing else she could say. What would she say? Does she love him? Can she love him? Is she capable of loving him despite everything he did?

"Was he nice to you?" April wanted to know more about this man that plagued her sister's thoughts. "Is he a good man? Does he keep you happy? Is he kind?"

Autumn wanted to laugh. Kindness? Gentleness? She scoffed at the mere thought, suppressing the urge with a harsh bite of her lip, tasting the metallic tang of blood as a grim reminder of the darkness within.

Zyler, a name synonymous with chaos and malevolence, was not merely a storm but an explosive force, a living embodiment of destruction that shattered the fragile peace of her existence. He invaded her life like a festering wound, spreading his tendrils of chaos through her once-serene world. Where there had been tranquility like a still pond on a summer's day, now is the wreckage of her former peace, torn apart by Zyler's relentless onslaught.