TraumaGenic: A Therian Awakening

Orion

I walked all night. There was no sign of her. Maybe one day I will see her again, my legs could carry me no further I had to eventually turn back. It was noon by the time I entered our drive way, I was beyond sweaty and famished. To my surprise Orion is on the door step, excitedly I rush over to her screaming her name with joy.
"Orion! Orion! Hey!" I shouted. I didn't even notice her signalling with her hands or her watery eyes or even the bullet as it entered my knee. I fell to the ground with a rolling thud against the gravel pathway, the small rocks sticking to my wound.
"Amelia, what were you thinking! Get up! Why would you just run into an open fire like that!" Jennifer screeched rummaging her pockets for another round of ammo.
"Why would you try to hurt her she's innocent!" I groan, struggling to stand but limping in front of Orion, feeling her heavy breath against my neck and heart thump along my back.
"That doesn't answer my question. My daughter is better than this. Why would you protest this vermin?"
"Because... because I love her!" I announce as I hold onto Orion's cheeks and pull her in for a kiss. As her lips touch mine I feel a sudden sense
Of security and will to keep fighting.
"Step aside, Amelia. You're not as smart as you think you are." Jennifer continued, gun loaded, aiming towards the girls. "Is there anything you're good for?"
I start to cry again, part of a never ending cycle. I turn to Orion still shielding her with my body, staring into her deep brown void-like eyes.
"I love you more than anything, I promise we'll meet again, but you have to go, you have to." I wailed, my eyes a waterfall of tears. As she stumbles as watching her struggle to stay on her feet disappearing into the forest. "At least we'll be looking into the same sky." I whisper collapsing to the ground, letting the blood trickle out of my leg.
"Ugh! That child is a danger to my neighbourhood. I'll dial the police again, they know where that rodent is staying." Jennifer growled throwing her gun to the ground, turning her back to me as she searched for her phone.
"Will you ever...listen to me? She's not going home. I need an ambulance!" I weep, trying yet again to stand properly, grasping the stair railing.
"Awe poor baby, you're fine." She mocked walking past me to get inside.

I stumble to the washing line using a stick and towel to create a makeshift tourniquet. Carefully waddling toward Orions den. It's build from sticks, leaves moss and any bed sheet or rubbish she had found lying around. There are many trinkets, collected over the years, various heeling remedies made from flowers and natural artefacts. I open up some lavender extract and drink a little bit, designed to reduce pain, sitting down to rest on the old log where we first met and one day will meet again when all this is over, maybe I can find where you're hiding now Orion, hopefully you're safe.

I notice a small note written with charcoal on tree bark. The handwriting is impossible to read, all I can recognise is the 'Au revior' listed at the bottom, its French, translating to 'till we meet again.' My heart sinks. She didn't find a safe place.

***

I make one final trip to my house while Jennifer's at work. I couldn't even call her 'mom' anymore, it was just 'Jen' there's not enough words or time to describe how she treated me, the scars upon my back, the reason I was so skinny, or even how I survived this long. Was any of this real? I packed my bags, bare essentials, some blankets, lighters, leaving my phone behind.

I exit the house for the very last time, feeling the weight slowly drop from my shoulders as I approach Orion's den, it is not a house, but it is a home. "Houseless" I chuckle to myself thinking back to our first conversation.

Down by the fallen log I burry a small note in memory of her;
"Dear Orion, it's hard to turn the page, knowing the next chapter does not contain you. I never did find your body, but I can still hear your laughter floating through the air. I can still see your bubbly smile and remember your jokes. The solace you gave me was everything, I just wish I could've given you something too. The world is quiet without you. I love you."

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