Where the Wounds Bloom

Chapter Sixteen: Remembering

Kari and Skye sat together on the couch, the glow of the television casting flickering shadows around the room as a classic horror film played. The shriek of a ghostly figure echoed through the living room, making Skye jump and clutch a pillow, but Kari barely reacted. She forced a smile, trying to match Skye's laughter, but inside, her thoughts were heavy, tangled up in what had almost surfaced a few nights ago while she was journaling.

Kari had always looked forward to Halloween, especially when it was just the two of them, escaping into the comfort of childhood traditions. It had been their little ritual to stay up late watching scary movies, burying themselves in blankets, and trying to see who could last longer without getting spooked. But tonight, no matter how much she tried to focus on the movie, her mind kept drifting back to that memory, creeping up like a shadow she couldn't shake.

After another scene of suspense, Kari suddenly stood up, clutching her arms around herself. "I need to use the bathroom," she muttered, trying to sound casual, but she could hear the strain in her own voice.

Skye glanced at her, raising an eyebrow. "You okay? You've been acting kind of weird."

Kari forced a tight-lipped smile. "Yeah, just too much popcorn. I'll be right back."

She hurried down the hallway, slipping into the bathroom and locking the door behind her. The moment she turned the lock, she let out a shaky breath, her back pressed against the door as she tried to gather herself. She moved to the sink, turning on the cold water, splashing it onto her face in a desperate attempt to ground herself.

But it wasn't working. The water couldn't wash away the dark, heavy feeling that had settled in her chest. She gripped the edge of the sink, her knuckles white, and closed her eyes, trying to focus on the sensations, the way her wet hair clung to her cheeks, the coolness of the water. But the memory pushed harder, refusing to be ignored any longer.

Kari knew what she had to do. From all those sessions of Somatic Experiencing, she understood that suppressing it would only make it worse. She couldn't keep running from it.

The memory crashed over her, dragging her back to that time, to that place she had tried so hard to forget.

---

It was a warm night, but the air inside her mother's apartment was stifling. The space was filled with the thick scent of alcohol, sweat, and smoke. Laughter, loud and careless, rolled through the rooms as people crowded around the small table where cards and cash were tossed about. Kari remembered feeling small, barely nine years old, trying to keep out of the way in the chaos of her mother's latest party.

She had slipped into the bathroom for a few minutes of quiet, closing the door and sitting on the edge of the tub, listening to the muffled voices through the thin walls. She heard her mother's laughter, too high-pitched, too eager, mixing with the clinking of glasses and the low hum of music.

Suddenly, the doorknob rattled. Kari froze, her heart leaping in her chest as the door creaked open before she could react. A man-one of the strangers her mother had invited over-stood there, silhouetted against the dim hallway light. He had greasy hair, an unshaven face, and a grin that made her skin crawl.

"What're you doing in here, little one?" he slurred, taking a step into the bathroom, his hand still on the doorknob. The way he leaned in made her stomach twist with dread.

Kari's voice trembled as she tried to sound brave. "I-I'm using the bathroom. You're not supposed to be in here."

But the man didn't seem to care. He chuckled, the sound thick with something she couldn't quite place but knew instinctively to be dangerous. "It's just a bathroom, right? Ain't nothing to be shy about."

He stepped closer, and she felt her entire body tense, pressing herself against the cold tile wall, wishing she could disappear into it. "I'll tell my mom," she managed to whisper, but even as she said it, she knew no one would hear her over the noise, and she wasn't even sure her mother would care if she did.

The man's hand reached out, brushing against her arm, and she flinched, pulling away. His voice dropped, turning sharper. "Now, don't be difficult. Just be a good girl-"

But before he could say anything else, a loud crash came from the living room-one of the guests knocking over a glass bottle. The man paused, distracted, and Kari took her chance, slipping past him, running out into the chaotic din of the party.

She remembered the way she had pushed through the crowd of bodies, looking for her mother, but all she found was the blur of laughing, careless adults. The music drowned out her small voice, and her mother was lost in her game, oblivious to everything around her.

---

Kari snapped back to the present, gasping for breath, collapsing onto the bathroom floor as the weight of the memory hit her like a tidal wave. She hugged her knees to her chest, pressing her face against her arms, the sobs coming fast and raw, shaking her entire body. She had never let herself feel it like this before, had never allowed herself to remember it fully.

The sound of the bathroom door handle turning made her look up, her vision blurred with tears. Skye stood there, her face etched with concern. She took in the sight of Kari crumpled on the floor, and the worry deepened in her eyes.

"Kari, what's going on? What happened?" Skye asked, her voice shaky as she knelt down beside her sister, reaching out a hand but hesitating, unsure if she should touch her.

Kari tried to speak, but the words caught in her throat, tangled up in the grief she had been holding back for so long. She swallowed hard, knowing that this was the moment she had been avoiding for years-the moment she would have to finally confront the pain she'd buried so deeply.

"I-" she started, her voice breaking, her hands trembling as she reached for Skye's. Tears flowed freely down her face, mingling with the leftover droplets of water on her cheeks.

She knew she couldn't keep it in anymore. And she knew that Skye, her sister, deserved to know the truth she had kept locked away all these years.

But the words refused to come, and for a moment, they just sat there together on the cold tile floor, Skye holding Kari's hand as she trembled, the weight of the unspoken memory pressing heavily between them.