Shy Eyes

9

When I said adventure, I wasn't lying. We pulled his car up to an abandoned sewer enterage. It wasn't smelly or anything. We went deep into the tunnels. There were lightbulbs on the walls with metal plate strips around them for protection, but it looked as if they were all abandoned and burnt out. Asher carried a flashlight to light the way. Our destination was dried up and the cement walls were decorated in different art designs. In huge, bold, and colorful letters was 'Asher & Emily'. There were weird swirly designs coming out of the words, some were creepy, and some were happy. It was abstract and displayed many thoughts and emotions.

"What is this place?" I asked astounded by what I saw before me.

"This was the place where Emily and I hung out." He said looking at his feet.

There were quotes from songs, books, poems, movies, etc. Random drawings that representing each sibling. I could tell which ones were Asher's. They were bright and usually pretty happy. Emily's were unique. Not all were creepy but they were different, like something you've never seen before. The way she used all the different types of line, and the elements and principals of art. She used deeper tones of all the colors to express the mood. If she did a work with a darker color like blue, the picture would remind me of sadness or emptyness. But if she used deep pinks or yellows for example, I would think that they were happy but unique in its own way. You can't really decide how the emotion is.

A certain few caught my eye. They were paintings that were heavy with curved lines, droopy lines, dull and lifeless colors, or deep, dark shades that expressed sadness. A sadness so powerful that it can't be explained. Like a heart breaking within someone that no one else can feel but themselves. The downward curves of the lines reminding me of life falling out of balance, or not being able to stand up any more, or deteriorating. Dying. It was so sorrowful.

"These are.. sad.." I finally spoke, pointing to the ones that caught my eye.

"I did those." He rubbed the back of his neck.

"You did these?" I asked, he nodded.

"You, Asher Waters made such a sad work of art?!" I asked again.

" Those were after she died.." He almost whispered. I took a step closer so I could hear him better, and honestly these tunnels were dark and scary.

"How did you survive?" I asked, mostly for myself. I had to prepare myself for if Jonny died. I know its bad to think that way but I needed to. Otherwise I'll be avoiding it and when I loose him it'll be too late to correct my mistakes. If he died I'd have no strength left to continue, and I know that isn't what he wants.

"I almost didn't." He said.
"Mom sent me to therapy, which made me feel worse. My grades dropped. I lost most of my friends. I hated doing anything. I was so depressed. I almost committed suicide but I was stopped by my mom. After that I realized that my sister still loved me even though I couldn't see her anymore. She wanted me to be happy too. I would think of happy memories with her, go back to places the two of us went and talked to her in a prayer. I healed. Its not something that someone can do for you. You just have to realize that life is beautiful all on your own. I know you can do it Paisley. I've seen the strength that you have. I think you'll turn out quite all right." He smiled down at me.

"Thanks. That's a beautiful story. You could right a book you know. It's a good way of expressing your emotions and thoughts and stuff." I said.

"I would probably make it through page 5 and give up. That's how it is in school." He sighed.

"But if you write about something important to you or something you enjoy, then you can get lost in your work like you get lost in a book. You won't wanna stop." I explained.