Eclipse (#Wattys2016)

Chapter 2

I would like to dedicate this chapter to winterashinggu for giving the 15th vote! Thank you so much!

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When it came to running away, I was no expert. Our family was a peaceful one, and even when we got into fights, I would never consider going on the run as an option. Never.

But here I was, clutching my belongings in a large backpack, and I knew that I'd never come back to my house. Not unless I had to. I wasn't running away temporarily, I was running away for life. Or rather, I was running away from my life.

Either way, I knew what I had signed up for. I just didn't expect it to be so draining. I didn't expect the nights to be so cold. I didn't expect the homesickness to set in so early.

I'd deal with it. I always had.

Knife in hand, I realized that I had no idea where I was going. To another state, maybe? For now, I made up my mind to keep walking north until I came up with a better idea.

There was no time to sleep. I needed to keep moving, or else they would find me, and who knew what would happen to then?

This plagued my thoughts, and kept me going until morning. By eight o'clock, I was starving, but I was well on my way-- I had probably distanced a good eight miles by myself, plus another twenty when I caught a ride from a trio of teenagers. I hoped that was good enough to hold me off for a while.

I was hot. The trip had taken the energy out of me. It only made sense that I splashed myself in the lake that stood right next to the trail I was following.

She was already there, sitting on the grass; her head held up high like an angel's, her eyes dark like a demon's.

"Mama?" I started.

"Marge," she greeted, but her voice was all formality and no warmth.

"How--" I began, the question gurgling out. I was so confused. What had happened to the family I once knew?

Her gaze softened, catching onto my confusion the way only moms can. "I don't know how much you know--"

I cut her off. "Mama! I've been through so much, you wouldn't believe. I've been walking for hours, and it's so hot. I thought it was supposed to be cooler today! Wasn't it supposed to be cooler today? The meteorologists are so--"

"Marge! Listen to me! I don't have much time!"

I shut my mouth. Was I seriously about to rant about the weather?

"You're different, Margaret," she told me. I knew she was serious; she never uses my full name. "Do you hear me? You're different; the whole family is."

"Yes, Mama."

"Earlier this morning, a crime happened in under our roof. Your father murdered your brother. He died a martyr."

I held my breath, tears sprouting. The image of his corpse, cold on the floor, was burned into my memory. "I witnessed that," I whispered.

Mama's eyes widened. "How much did you see?"

I held up my knife in reply.

She pursed her lips. "Tonight's scare wasn't even half the story."

That's what she called Alec's death? A scare?

"Some people," she sighed, "go too far when it comes to defending ones beliefs. Your father is one of them. Your sister is too."

Lucy. In the midst of all the action, I'd forgotten about my older sister. I gulped guilty.