Evanesce

(Chapter 4) Been Through

When I awoke, the sun was still rising, embracing the flora in a honey glow. I slowly inhaled as my mind recalled the events from the previous night. My heart burned in my chest, all I wanted was to lay there and let the wolves finish me off and carry away my bones. But I lifted myself up and turned to face whatever was left of the only home I've ever known.

Sunji sat straight up in the weeds, staring at the smoldering embers, smoke still drifting from the site. I slowly stepped forward, sinking to sit with her as we processed everything that's happened. The black coals still cackled with heat, the breeze carried the ashes from the forest. I placed my hand on Sunji's, unable to do more.

"Did you find her..?" Sunji was the first to speak. I stayed silent for a moment, debating what to tell her. Do I lie and save her from the horrid truth or should I be honest and hope it brings more closure than sorrow? I decided honesty was the better option, it's her mother as well. I nodded my head, focused on my charred converse clad feet. I thought about the least traumatizing way to explain everything, but she spoke before I could come up with anything appropriate.

"What happened..? I-" She choked up, biting her lip to suppress the emotion. "She would never just get caught in a fire like that. With her powers she couldn't be caught off guard." I squeezed her hand and attempted to clear my throat to speak clearly.

"I don't know. Maybe she went back for something" My voice raspy and strained, "But there was nothing I could do, She was already on her way out when I found her." I told honestly. "I don't know if it was the fire that did it though, she was bleeding pretty bad when I found her." My voice caught at the end as I made my best effort to contain my suffering.

Sunji just scoffed. "How did the fire even start to begin with?" she balled up her fist under my hand. I shook my head and adjusted my voice again.

"I don't know that either, but it couldn't have been an accident. She told me not to trust –" Sunji suddenly burst with anger and hurt.

"You got to talk to her? She told YOU her last words? Of course the ungrateful one." She sneered at me. The insinuation in her tone was enough to offend me. It was my turn to scoff, shaking my head at her behavior, but ultimately deciding to ignore it. This wasn't the time nor place to have such petty disagreements, and I knew she was projecting her hurt at me. 

I shoved myself from the ground and warily approached the incinerated foundation. Some walls remained partially standing, acting as barriers to the holocaust. I toed through the rubble, kicking over obstacles, searching for anything salvageable from the wreckage. I found old crumbling pictures, tinctures, disintegrated furniture and old childhood toys and keepsakes. I sighed at the clutter, wishing so badly this was all some horrible dream.

Then I proceeded to the master bedroom, or what remained of it. I tried not to look but the intrusive need for confirmation overtook everything else. Instead of the lump of burnt flesh I was expecting, I was met with a previously white, now ashen, bedsheet covering the mound that was my mother's body. I flinched, slightly relieved I didn't have to witness the outcome.

"We figured you two have been through enough." An airy voice spoke up gently, spooking me from my mind. I whipped my head to the left, a young, pale man stood before me. His hair an unusual shade of silvery brown, styled up with a few strands resting on his forehead. His close-set, chocolate eyes were soft and sympathetic as he smiled at me. He was of shorter stature but still taller than myself, and he wore a lime green hoodie with black jeans and grey sneakers.

"We can move her, if you'd like? We want to help however we can" He said solemnly, I just nodded in confusion, still not comprehending the extra company.

"I'm sorry but, who are you?" I questioned, sheepishly. He smiled knowingly and beckoned me to follow.

"We knew your mother, let's call us acquaintances at best. Our father had an... interesting past with her, and they never lost touch. We were in the area.. somewhat, and saw the flames." He explained as he led me from the disaster zone, toward Sunji. He whistled loudly, alerting the remainder of his party to our location. "Obviously we were too little too late though," he finished guiltily. It helped to know I wasn't the only one blaming myself.

Men began emerging from the forest, joining their representative on the stoop. There weren't very many, but they didn't look like the type you should underestimate. One very tall man with black hair and dark eyes, Another slightly smaller man with obsidian hair, with much kinder eyes, a younger looking, auburn haired man with cat eyes and a white haired feminine looking man.

All of a sudden, a figure appeared behind us, striding over to stand with the group, momentarily stopping my heart. His blonde unruly hair in a messy center split, his heart shaped face and his bronze, almond- shaped eyes were enough to take someones breath away. His skin was a beige-olive tone, contrasting beautifully with the thin white T shirt he adorned. He was taller than the first man I met but not as tall as the angry looking man. 
I shook my head to clear the intrusive thoughts. Bad timing.

"I'm Suho," The first man introduced, then continued onto the rest of the crew. "The tall one is Sehun, he's the baby." The lanky, angry faced boy bowed politely and softened his features a bit. "The one that looks like the baby is Minseok, he's actually the eldest" The cat-eyed man stepped forward to bow, smiling gently at us individually. "The quiet one there is Yixing, he's our healer." Suho exclaimed proudly. Yixing smiled shyly and bowed quickly.

"I'm baekhyunnie!" The feminine boy stepped forward eagerly, grasping my shoulders. He smiled at me brightly and pulled me into an embrace. I didn't know how to respond so I stood there in awe. " Don't worry, we'll figure this all out and then you can join our family." He beamed. Suho stepped forward and yanked him back by his collar, giving him a warning look.

"Sorry about him, he was a spoiled child and never grasped the idea of boundaries. " Suho defended awkwardly. I just smiled in response, wanting to continue.

"Last but not least, that's Jongin our intel and muscle. We have more but I sent a majority of them home, no need for a crowd when people are suffering." Jongin stared deep into my eyes as he bowed elegantly. I was at a loss of words and frustrated that I was having that sort of reaction right now.

"I'm Minji, that's Sunji, my little sister." I stated plainly, not feeling comfortable enough to delve into details.

After the introduction, the boys helped wrap her body and carry it to the burial spot. We offered to help dig the grave but they mutually refused. As they dug I gathered her favorite flowers, I tried to convince Sunji to help but she saw no point. I found Rosemary, White lily and eventually even lotus flower, mother always believed they were God's way of sending a guide to assist in the afterlife.

The boys placed her into the dugout and I arranged the flora around her. Adding a partially singed picture of us that survived and a note I wrote while everyone was preparing for the burial.

"I would like to say something, if it's okay?" Suho announced, I nodded quickly, relieved that I didn't have to come up with the eulogy and speak it in front of so many strangers.

" Choi Suji(Sooji) was a great friend to my father and a lovely babysitter to some of my brothers and myself. An even more wonderful mother to two strong, beautiful girls. Suji was a vibrant, kind, and passionate woman and deserved better, I pray she is in a better place and at peace." Suho finished, all 5 boys nodding silently as he smiled sympathetically at me. I mirrored the action and thanked them as they departed.

Suho offered us a place to stay but we declined to clean up and find anything that might lead us to what happened. Jinyoung has an apartment in town that we can go to. The tall dark one, Jongin, offered to stay for protection and company, we assured them we'd catch up at some point. Baekhyun made sure to point us in the direction of their home before parting ways just in case.

As we stood in the dimming light of the small clearing where our house once stood, the fear and the understanding finally kicked in. I turned slowly to consult with Sunji when I heard her audibly gasp. I jumped and shot my head in the direction she was looking.

"DAD!" Sunji bellowed as she ran through the dark to her father. He looked pale and in shock, maybe he understood what happened sooner than we could. He shook the emotion off his face and enveloped her into a hug.

"Jinyoung-"