Demon Soul (1)

III

The sound of my truck engine shutting off made me sigh, and I wasn't exactly happy to be home. I just grew tired as I opened the door and jumped out, my feet crunching in the gravel as I walked inside. My mother and father were both home, but Ronin wasn't. That was a weight off of my shoulders.

"Hey Delia," Mom smiled. "Dad wants to talk to you."

"Oh, uh, what about?" I felt my eyebrows furrow. I hadn't done anything wrong.

"I think it's about your grades."

"Oh." I smiled. Finally some recognition around here.

I walked into the living room, finding my dad sitting in his leather chair. Both of my parents were well put together people and liked a clean house, and they were stern when they needed to be. I could respect that, but there wasn't a whole lot more that I could.

"Hi dad." I smiled, taking a seat on the sofa. "Mom said you wanted me?"

"Yeah, I was just looking over your grades." He said. "I see you have a B- in English and a C in P.E."

"U-Uh, yeah." I felt my eyebrows furrow yet again. "But I have an A in everything else."

"Look, I want you to succeed." He leaned forward on his elbows. "Finals week starts tomorrow, right? Do you think you can get those up to an A?"

"Probably, I mean-"

"I'm just worried about you sweetheart." He sighed. "You barely ever go out anymore, you don't do anything social. Your brother is doing wonderful in football, I just think that you might benefit from some social contact. Your grades are suffering-"

I stood up, effectively cutting him off. My face was burning red, and all the pent up rage in my system was about to burst. "I can't believe you. I've done nothing but work my ass off to make you guys proud of me. I don't have a social life because I'm busy studying and doing extra credit projects so that I can ace my classes, and you want me to be more like him?!"

"Delia-!"

"No, fuck you!" I screamed. "Ronin is barely passing every single one of his classes, and you want me to be more like HIM?! What is wrong with you!"

"Adelia May Roberts, you apologize right now!" My dad stood up, only a few inches taller than I. It didn't phase me.

"No." I snarled. "I'm leaving. You want me to go be social? Fine. I'll see you tomorrow."

I left through the front door, slamming it shut behind me. The edges of my sight were ringed with black as my head pounded, and I didn't even see Ronin pull into the driveway. He must have sped up, thinking it'd be funny if he scared me. I whipped around and slammed my hands into his hood, causing him to honk his horn at me. My head throbbed and I let out a growl, deciding it wasn't worth it to pick a fight with him today. Instead I just got into my truck and gassed it in reverse, backing all the way out onto the road. I put it in drive and slammed on the gas pedal, taking off towards town.

I hated him. I hated that family. The thought just kept repeating itself over and over again in my mind as I drove, finally deciding that enough was enough. I searched for a spot to park and left my truck, slamming the door shut while I walked along the sidewalks. It wouldn't be dark here until ten and it was only five now. The downside to living in Alaska: being a night owl means glaring at the sunlight at three in the morning. I just wanted to see the stars shining in the sky with the Aurora Borealis beside them.

A small chill crawled up my spine and I remembered how cold it got out here. Suddenly I was wanting to go back home, but the anger set in again and I huffed while I continued to walk. I was all the way on the other side of town, where the houses were beginning to become more sparse. Eventually I was walking beside nothing but trees, and I knew I'd been walking for an hour at least. A set of gates ahead pulled me out of my thoughts, and I saw the Lumen estate looming beside me. I paused before the gates, looking up the driveway at the house.

The Lumen family were the ones that founded this town. They had family members through the generations, until one day the last one of the family disappeared. Gabriel Lumen was speculated to have had an illegitimate son and left for his safety, but said they'd return some time in the near future. This was all before I was born, but as I stared up at that house, I could see lights on inside. There were no vehicles in the driveway, but someone was there for sure. It was technically trespassing, unless the family had returned. I guess I'd find out eventually.

My curiosity soon faded, and I was on my way. I shoved my hands in my pockets and buried my nose in my scarf, attempting to chase away the cold that was settling inside my body. Eventually I was back in the trees again, and the sidewalk had long faded from the tread of my feet. The road was nothing but gravel and I wasn't sure where I was going, but as long as it was away from here I didn't care.

The trees tapered off and I could see between them, spotting something shining off in the distance. Just as I did I found a gravel path that diverged from the original, and my mind changed its map course while I took a detour. The last of the sunlight was poking through the trees while I walked, illuminating parts of the path. It felt good to step into the shade, then back into the light, and repeating time after time as I walked. I was wishing I had a jacket by this point but I'd just have to deal with it for now. My anger was subsiding finally and I was starting to feel the pain etch itself into my bones. It wasn't physical pain, it was the burden I carried all the way down this winding road. It grew heavier and heavier, and when I finally reached the end, I collapsed into the snow.

There was a lake here. Not a big one, but it was glassed over with shining ice. I curled up beside it, hugging my knees to my chest and burying my face away from the world. The tears welled up and overflowed down my cheeks, wetting my leggings with little drops. I just wanted someone to stop looking at me like I was a failure and start realizing that I wasn't...I wasn't a monster. I'm not. I didn't know why everyone looked at me like I was.

It took a while for me to finally lift my head up and take the time to look around. The sun was starting to set and I hadn't realized how late it actually was. I'd go home, but all they'd do is ground me and take my car keys. And Ronin would laugh and laugh about how cute little Adelia finally blew a gasket and ran away. I gripped my legs harder until I finally noticed something in my lap. My camera had been around my neck this entire time and I hadn't felt it. I grabbed it and held it in my hands before lifting it up to my face, taking a glance through the lens. I snapped a photo of the lake and another of the sky, and yet another of the trees painted in orange and pink. My sigh echoed in the clearing and I let the camera fall, once more curling up into my protective shell.

"I don't know what's wrong with me..." I finally let go, releasing my sobs. I was choking and gasping for air, but it was so cold it burned the back of my throat. "Why won't anyone listen...!"

I coughed, my lips trembling and quivering. My skin felt cold, especially under the trails of my tears. Eventually I just gave in and collapsed into the snow, curling in on myself while I sniffled like a small child. This wasn't home, this place was hell on earth. I just wanted to go home, wherever that may be. Somewhere warm and welcoming, with a brother who actually cares and parents who didn't shoot down everything I took pride in. Is that too much to ask?