the devil wears ivy park

trials and tribulations pt. 3

dark doe eyes turned around the sharp corner of the one story home. 10 year old onika watched her older sister answer the old home phone that hung in their messy, small kitchen.

she could feel her chapped lips peeling as she bit her lip out of nervousness, she couldn't hear who was on the other side—and lauren's facial expressions never told much.

onikas wild curly hair blocked her view as she attempted to move it out of the way so she could get a better view—she could feel her bare feet on the hard wood floors—the cold hard wood floors.

the childhood home was always cold, harboring the most frigid memories known to man.

she listened to her lauren's attempt of a hushed tone. "yes, i am she." she murmured, she watched her grip on the phone tighten slightly. you would've missed the way the muscles in her hands stilled, or the fact that her lips folded inwards.

her eyes had shut tightly for a few seconds as she inhaled and exhaled.

onikas eyes widened with the way her sister was suddenly gripping the kitchen counter, her hair was casted downwards and her eyes were squeezed shut yet again. she mumbled out something else before hanging up the phone abruptly.

onika slowly stepped out of the shadows, which caused lauren to slowly lift her head.

onika watched her eyes gloss over.

lauren was strong. she was onika's older sister, and always kept her out of harms way.

to the best of ability,

but onika was smart.

she was advanced in her knowledge, her caregiving abilities—she knew too much of the real world for a girl her age.

and she could surely sense when something catastrophic occurred.

onika, voice to quivering—heart pounding in her chest and in her eyes—shakily asked—

"..is she dead?" the words felt like poison on her tastebuds.

lauren let out a shaky sigh before holding her arms open, onika didn't hesitate to run into them that night. their hearts crashed together, as they had lost a loved one that night.

her heart was pounding so hard it felt like it wanted to break free from its cage, she cried herself a ocean that night—and she gripped onto her only living sibling not knowing she too, was also slowly slipping away...

the dream felt too real each time.

sometime onika would wake up in a cold sweat, others, like today, she'd slowly open her eyes and instantly feel tears stream down her face.

she sat up immediately against her headboard to try and calm her breathing, her shaky hands clasped over her face. she took a deep breath in and out, she repeated this process till she could atleast stand up.

she stretched her body, ignoring the cracks and bops from her back. she glanced at her clock, reading a smooth 7am. she'd have to be at work with her boss within a few hours.

onika's routine lately has been, wake up at 7am from a nightmare and call her sister and make she's alright.

she brushed her teeth as she listened to the phone ring...

brr..

brrr..

br— "Oni!!" she heard that cheery voice and couldn't help but smile as she wiped her towel over her mouth. she glanced down at her facetime and was met with her dimpled sister.