𝑩𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅 𝑩𝒚 𝑩𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒅 | 𝘼 𝙍𝙚𝙨𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙀𝙫𝙞𝙡 𝙁𝙖𝙣𝙛𝙞𝙘

Ｃｈａｐｔｅｒ １

𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟔, 𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟓
𝐍𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐀𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐱
𝟓:𝟒𝟒 𝐚𝐦

Laura

    Tears brimmed in my electric blue eyes, trickling down my thin, pale cheeks. I wiped them away with the tips of fingers and pulled my comforter over my head, burying myself in a sea of blankets. My arms tightened around the plushy ensnared in my grip, clutching the toy close to my chest. I rolled onto my side for the hundredth time in bed, wide awake as ever.

    I couldn't fall asleep. I should've not been surprised; things hadn't been the same for a long time. Well...I'm not gonna sleep my troubles away any time soon. A weary groan escaped my lips, echoing throughout my bedroom. I freed myself from my cocoon of blankets and propped myself up in bed. Setting my plushy aside, I turned around and fished out a piece of paper that was safely tucked away within one of my pillows. I unfolded the two-year-old letter and perused through its wording once again, allowing my eyes to pore over my father's last words:

      Dear Laura,

      Guess what? Only seven days left and then I get to come back home! You have no idea how much I've been missing you and your mother lately. I can't wait to see you guys soon!

      Unfortunately, time isn't on my side today. We've received new orders for an upcoming mission, and now my team and I are currently getting ready to go. So this is gonna have to be short and sweet.

      I'm so sorry that I couldn't make it to your middle school graduation, kiddo. I want you to know how very proud I am of you and all of your hard-earned accomplishments.

      If there's anyone in this world that can reach high for the stars and accomplish the impossible, it's you, Laura.

      It won't be much longer until we'll be together as a family again. Love you, kiddo. See you soon!

Love,                    

                                              Dad           

    "I love you too, Dad..." I held the letter close to my chest before folding it up and slipping it back inside my pillow.

    My eyes landed back on my Dante plushy as I picked it back up with my hands. I caressed the younger son of Sparda's cheeks with my thumb, staring into his captivating, icy blue eyes. Oh Dante, just as handsome as ever. Aren't you? I combed my fingers through his fleecy head of hair, rearranging the messy, white strands—

    "Steal a soul for a second chance
      But you will never become a man
      My chosen torture makes me stronger
      In a life that craves the hunger
      A freedom and a quest for life
      Until the end the judgement night—"