6 years since it all started...
The sterile prison doors sighed open, spewing Eris back into a world that no longer felt familiar. Six years had bled into one another, a monotonous symphony of clanging cell doors and tepid meals. She'd been sentenced to ten, a punishment for a crime that felt both a lifetime and a stolen youth ago. Good behavior, however, had shaved four years off her sentence, a dubious reward for surviving the soul-crushing tedium of incarceration.
Eris blinked in the harsh sunlight, the world a kaleidoscope of forgotten colors. A young woman, a stranger with familiar eyes, stood waiting. Nora. Her little sister, barely a teenager when Eris was taken away, was now 21, a woman forged in the crucible of Eris' absence.
"Eris?" Nora's voice, a melody she'd almost forgotten, caught in her throat.
Eris offered a ghost of a smile, the unfamiliar sensation pulling at the corners of her unused lips. "Hey, kiddo. All grown up."
Nora rushed forward, engulfing her in a hug that spoke volumes of unspoken emotions. Eris, caught off guard, stiffened. Physical contact, once a weapon in her arsenal, now felt alien and unwelcome. Nora, sensing her withdrawal, pulled away, her smile strained.
"You look..." Nora trailed off, her gaze sweeping over Eris' thin frame and the institutional drab of her prison-issued clothes.
"Thriving?" Eris offered, the bitterness lingering at the back of her throat.
Nora pursed her lips, biting back whatever retort threatened to spill out. "Let's get you out of here," she said finally, a hint of steel in her voice.
Eris took a deep breath, the weight of the past and the uncertainty of the future pressing down on her. This was just the beginning, a new sentence handed down by life itself. With Nora by her side, maybe, just maybe, she could find redemption in this second chance. Eris offered a shaky smile, the first tendrils of hope blooming in her heart. "Yes," she whispered, "let's go before they change their mind." She attempted to lighten the mood.
Eris followed Nora to a beat-up Honda Civic, the faded paint a testament to time passing. The interior, however, held a single red rose in a chipped coffee mug – a small gesture that felt like a lifeline.
As they pulled out of the prison grounds, Eris stole a glance at her reflection in the rearview mirror. Gone was the fiery girl with a rebellious glint in her eyes. In her place was a weary woman, etched with the lines of hardship.
"Where are we going?" Eris asked, her voice rough from disuse.
Nora shot her a quick smile. "My apartment, first. Then, we'll figure things out. Together."
"Sounds good."
The world outside was a cacophony of sounds - honking horns, laughter, the rhythmic thrum of unseen music. Eris felt overwhelmed, the sensory overload threatening to pull her under. Nora, a pillar of quiet strength, navigated the bustling street, her hand a reassuring weight on Eris' arm.
They arrived at a modest apartment building. The interior, while small, was filled with warmth. Pictures on the wall, mismatched furniture, and a collection of well-worn books spoke of a life lived, of a space carved out without Eris.
Nora offered her a hesitant smile. "It's not much, but it's ours."
Six years had stolen her youth, her dreams, but they hadn't taken away her fierce determination. Eris had faced the darkness of prison, a darkness she'd entered to save Nora's light. Now, with her sister beside her, she was ready to step back into the world, a world that held both uncertainty and the fragile hope of a new beginning.
Eris sank onto the worn couch, the scratchy fabric a stark contrast to the stiff prison uniform she'd shed just moments ago. The weight of the past six years pressed down on her, a heavy cloak that threatened to suffocate. Yet, amidst the fear and uncertainty, a flicker of something else flickered within her – a spark of gratitude.
Nora bustled around the tiny kitchen, a symphony of clinking mugs and the murmur of the kettle filling the air. The normalcy of it all – the clatter of dishes, the comforting scent of brewing tea – felt alien yet strangely calming.
"You mentioned figuring things out," Eris said finally, her voice raspy from disuse. The words hung heavy in the air, a question mark echoing in the small space.
Nora placed a steaming mug in front of Eris, her gaze lingering on her sister's face. "There's time," she said softly. "First things first. You need rest, a chance to adjust."
Eris nodded, a silent understanding passing between them. Rest. The concept felt almost ludicrous. Sleep in prison had been a restless affair, haunted by memories and the constant threat of violence. Here, in this cramped apartment, with Nora by her side, a sliver of hope flickered. Maybe, just maybe, she could find peace here, a fragile peace built on the foundation of shared history and familial love.
...
The following days fell into a quiet rhythm. Eris slept, long stretches of unconsciousness that chased away the nightmares that had plagued her for years. Nora, with a patience honed by years of navigating a life without her sister, became Eris' anchor. They spoke in hushed tones, hesitant steps towards rebuilding a connection fractured by time and circumstance.
One afternoon, while sorting through a box of Eris' belongings, Nora unearthed a worn leather journal. Eris' breath hitched. It was the journal she'd kept before her imprisonment, filled with dreams and aspirations, a testament to a future stolen.
Nora placed the journal in Eris' lap, her eyes filled with a question. Eris hesitated, then slowly opened the cover. The faded ink swam before her eyes, each entry a window into a life she barely recognized.
As she read, a forgotten part of her stirred. The fiery girl with a rebellious spirit, the one who dreamt of changing the world, wasn't entirely gone. Buried beneath the layers of hardship and regret, a spark remained.
"I used to want to be a chef," Eris mumbled, surprised by the words leaving her lips.
Nora smiled, a genuine smile that reached her eyes. "You still can," she said, her voice firm with conviction. "It'll be hard, starting over, but you're strong, Eris. Stronger than you think."
Eris looked at her sister, the weight of the past and the hope of the future battling within her. The road ahead wouldn't be easy. Rebuilding trust, facing the consequences of her actions, and navigating a world that had moved on without her would be a constant struggle. But for the first time in six years, Eris felt a flicker of something other than fear. She felt a flicker of determination, a spark of defiance, a will to reclaim her life, one page at a time.
With a shaky hand, Eris picked up a pen and opened the journal to a blank page. The world outside the window hummed with life, and for the first time, Eris felt ready to step back into it, not as a shadow of her former self, but as a woman ready to write a new chapter, a chapter filled with redemption, hope, and the unwavering support of her sister by her side.
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(A/N:) Continuation of the story will be in Book 2 👍
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The Way To You - ENGLOT
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