The Roots Beneath

Chapter 7: Between Shadows and Secrets

The sun was low in the sky by the time Seren emerged from the woods, her thoughts still tangled with the events of the afternoon. Elijah in her mind, looping back on themselves as she tried to decipher the spark that he ignited in her.

The chill of the evening air nipped at her skin, reminding her of how long she'd been out. She quickened her pace, eager to get home before the last light faded. Her house wasn't far from the edge of the woods, a modest two-story that had seen better days. The paint was peeling, and the front porch creaked ominously whenever someone walked across it, but it was home.

As she approached the front door, Seren noticed the lights were on inside. The warm glow spilling out of the windows usually brought her comfort, but tonight it only added to her unease. Her parents, Robert and Grace, weren't the arguing type, but lately, there had been an undercurrent of tension that even she couldn't ignore.

Seren hesitated at the door, hand hovering over the knob as she heard voices inside. Her mother's voice was sharp, uncharacteristically so, while her father's tone was more subdued but equally tense. The words were muffled by the walls, but the tone was unmistakable.

Taking a deep breath, Seren pushed the door open and stepped inside. The living room was warm and cozy, the familiar scent of her mother's cooking wafting from the kitchen, but the atmosphere was thick with unspoken words.

Her parents immediately stopped talking when they saw her. Grace, standing near the kitchen doorway, gave Seren a tight smile, her eyes betraying her worry. Robert, sitting in his favorite armchair, looked up with a weary expression, his hand gripping the armrest a little too tightly.

"You're home late, Seren," Grace said, her voice softer now but still strained. "We were starting to get worried."

"Sorry, I lost track of time," Seren replied, closing the door behind her. "I was in the woods."

Robert's gaze sharpened, and he leaned forward slightly. "The woods? By yourself?"

Seren nodded, trying to keep her tone light. "It's not like it's the first time."

Her parents exchanged a glance, something unspoken passing between them. It was a look Seren had seen more often lately, one that made her feel like they were keeping something from her.

"It's just... you need to be careful out there, Seren," Robert said, his voice gentle but firm. "Especially now, with everything going on."

"Everything going on?" Seren repeated, frowning. "What do you mean?"

Grace shot Robert a warning look, but he ignored it, his eyes still on Seren. "There've been reports of wild animals in the area. People have seen things—large, dangerous things. It's not safe."

Seren's heart skipped a beat. The way her father spoke, the intensity in his voice, reminded her so much of Elijah's warnings. "What kind of things?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Grace stepped in, her tone soothing but firm. "Just... stay out of the woods for now, okay? We don't want anything happening to you."

Seren stared at her parents, trying to read between the lines of their concern. There was something they weren't telling her, something that went beyond simple worry about wild animals. But the way they were looking at her, with a mixture of fear and protectiveness, made her swallow her questions.

"Okay," she said finally, though the word felt like a lie. "I'll be careful."

Her parents visibly relaxed, and Grace's smile became more genuine. "Thank you, sweetheart. Now, why don't you wash up for dinner? It's almost ready."

Seren nodded and headed upstairs, her mind still spinning. She knew her parents were hiding something. And whatever it was, it was big enough to make them all act strange, to make them worry in ways they never had before.

By the time she made her way back downstairs, the dining room table was set, the smells of roasted chicken and vegetables filling the small house. The normalcy of it all was almost disconcerting after the tension of the past hour. Her parents were already seated, her mother fussing with a napkin, her father staring at the steam rising from his plate.

Seren slid into her seat, forcing a smile onto her face. "It smells great, Mom."

Grace smiled back, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Thank you, dear. I made your favorite."

Robert cleared his throat, glancing at Seren with a look that was meant to be reassuring but came off more awkward than anything. "So, how's school been? Everything going okay?"

Seren knew he was trying to steer the conversation toward safer ground, but the question felt loaded. "It's fine. Just the usual, you know."

A silence settled over the table, the kind that had become more common in recent weeks. Seren could feel the questions bubbling up inside her, but the tension in the air made her hesitate to ask them.

Grace broke the silence first, her voice a little too bright. "I spoke to Josh today."

Seren's ears perked up at the mention of her brother. Josh had left for college two years ago, and though he called often enough, his absence had left a noticeable gap in the family dynamic. "Oh? How is he?"

"He's doing well," Grace said, her smile widening. "Busy, as always. He mentioned he might come home for the holidays if he can get time off work."

"That's great," Seren said, but there was a twinge of something bittersweet in her chest. Josh had always been the golden child—the one who seemed to glide through life without stumbling. Seren loved him, but she couldn't help feeling a little overshadowed by his success.

Robert's expression softened at the mention of Josh, but there was also a flicker of something else in his eyes—something Seren couldn't quite place. "He's working hard. You know how he is. Always pushing himself."

Grace nodded, her eyes distant as she spoke. "He was asking about you, Seren. Wanted to know how you're doing."

Seren shifted uncomfortably in her seat, not sure how to respond. "I'm doing okay. Just trying to keep up with school and everything."

There was another pause, and Seren could feel the weight of unspoken words hanging over the table. She knew her parents were proud of Josh—how could they not be? But sometimes, it felt like he was the one they truly worried about, the one they focused on, leaving Seren to navigate her own way through things.

Grace must have sensed the awkwardness because she quickly added, "He misses you, you know. He said he's proud of how you're handling everything."

Seren forced a smile, but it felt hollow. "Yeah, I miss him too."

Another silence fell over the table, and Seren focused on her food, not sure what else to say. The dinner continued in fits and starts, with Grace and Robert trying to keep the conversation light, but the underlying tension was impossible to ignore.

By the time the meal was over, Seren felt exhausted, both physically and emotionally. As she helped clear the table, she couldn't shake the feeling that her family was slowly unravelling, that the secrets and silences were pulling them apart in ways they didn't fully understand.