𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗿𝘂𝘀 𝗳𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘀, luke castellan

ᴛʜɪʀᴛʏ-ᴏɴᴇ

A Mother's Warmth.

🌎

    NOTHING HAS CHANGED SINCE THE LAST TIME SHE HAD BEEN HERE, FOUR YEARS AGO. Everything was right where she had left it, preserved like a snapshot of a moment in time. The walls burst with splashes of color from posters of all sizes and hues, each one a vibrant piece of her past. She remembered with a pang of nostalgia the day she had proudly declared to her father that her favorite color was rainbow, having been particularly influenced by Valentine. The memory brought a bittersweet smile to her lips, a reminder of simpler times when her biggest worries were which poster to put up next.

    In one corner, a stack of stuffed animals stood sentinel, their worn fur and threadbare seams a testament to the countless adventures they had shared. Rory's gaze lingered on each one in turn—the loyal dog with its floppy ears and warm, button eyes; the mischievous fox with its sly grin and russet fur; the gentle elephant with its soft, gray trunk and large, soulful eyes. Each one was more than a mere toy; they were silent companions, steadfast friends who had been with her through thick and thin.

    On the other side of the room, shelves adorned with trinkets and treasures lay shrouded in a layer of dust, a silent testament to the passage of time. Yet, despite the neglect that had befallen them, each item held a special place in Rory's heart—a reminder of the joys and sorrows of days gone by. There was the small, delicate music box her grandmother had given her, its tune now barely audible but still capable of evoking memories of bedtime stories and warm hugs. The collection of sea shells she had painstakingly gathered during family vacations, each one a memento of sun-kissed days and the sound of the ocean’s waves crashing against the shore.

    She reached out and gently picked up a framed photo of herself with her father, taken during a happier time when the world seemed full of promise and endless possibilities. Her father's arm was wrapped protectively around her shoulders, his smile wide and genuine. Rory felt a lump form in her throat as she stared at his face.

    There were other mementos too—tiny trophies from elementary school contests and science fairs, certificates of participation in various sports, a blue ribbon from a school art contest. These were the tokens of a life lived before the gods, before Kronos, before the monsters. Before her world had been turned upside down by the revelations of her heritage and the battles she had been thrust into. Each item was a relic of a simpler time, when her biggest worries were getting good grades and making it home before dark.

    As Rory pulled the covers off of her, she noticed with a pang of surprise that they were adorned with little yellow suns and pastel pink and blue clouds. She remembered picking out the fabric with her dad, insisting on the cheerful pattern despite his gentle teasing. The covers had been a source of comfort on many a night, their bright colors a small shield against the dark. She shivered slightly as her bare feet made contact with the cool floor, a stark contrast to the warmth of the bed she had awoken in. The sensation was jarring, pulling her fully into the present and away from the comforting embrace of her memories.

    She stood and looked around the room, taking in the familiar yet distant surroundings. The desk where she had spent countless hours doing homework and drawing was still cluttered with old notebooks and art supplies. Pages filled with doodles and half-finished stories lay scattered across the surface, remnants of a time when her imagination had been her greatest escape.

    And then, as if on cue, the door creaked open once more, and Rory's heart skipped a beat as she recognized the figure standing before her—Anya Rogers, her stepmother. Anya's presence filled the room with an air of both familiarity and uncertainty. She stood hesitantly in the doorway, her expression a mixture of relief and concern. There was a hesitance in Anya's movements, a flicker of uncertainty in her eyes as she approached Rory, as though unsure of how to bridge the gap between them.