Hope

Chapter Two

The rest of the ride was quite. There's always thick tension between us that I choose to ignore. I look out the window as we approach our small house buried in an average suburban street.

I jumped out of the car as soon as he shut off the engine; avoided awkward car small-talks.

“Kathryn?” Jeff called as I mounted up the stone steps.

I paused when I reached the door, my hand on the handle. “What?”

“You know...” He paused, locking his car and slowly walking towards me. “I blame myself for what happened. I accept that it's partially my fault-”

“Partially?” I scoff, cutting him off.

“Yes, partially. I don't understand why you're acting like.... this.” He looked uncomfortable but there was another emotion: anger, I notice in disbelief.

“Are you kidding me?” I chuckle without humor. “I suggest you contact Dr. Seuss, though I wouldn't expect too much, since she, too, has a hard time understanding me.”

I open the door and walk in, dumping my bag on the kitchen table.

I sit down on a chair beside the table with a bottle of water in my hand. I fiddled for a moment with the lid before opening it and taking sip.

“Did you eat anything today?” Jeff asked, leaning against the counter table.

I shook my head,taking another sip.

“Do you want anything?”

I shook my head again, taking yet another sip.

“You have to eat, Kathryn.”

I opened my mouth to say something that may be considered harsh but I seized my actions when I saw his face.

He looked tired and worn-out, emotionally. So, “Yes, I do.” was all I said before I hastily got up and rushed to my room, shutting the door behind me.

I pulled my long black hair up in a ponytail and bent down on my knees. I rummaged through things before I found the pink box that held things that once were important to me.

It was initially my mothers, she gave it to me as a birthday present. I treasured it ever since, until early this year of course, until my life turned into a nightmare that I can't seem to wake up from.

I placed it on my lap once I sat down, opening it hesitantly and placing the lid on the lid on the wooden floor.

Everything inside was neatly placed- clearly not by my hands that shoved everything in any place suitable.

I take the picture of my parents first, admiring how happy they looked. Excitement glinted off their green eyes as both their hands were on my mother's swollen belly.

I bit my bottom lip as I blinked the tears away.

I put the picture aside-almost throwing it- and sighed as I turned my attention to the next item; a spherical pendant.

I placed it on my left palm, surveying it as I turned it around with my right hand. The gold pendant was decorated in diamonds that formed a weird pattern, they glinted off the late afternoon sun pouring through the large window on my right.

I opened it, revealing an oval shaped picture and a reddish-yellow gem inside.

This is new.

The picture was also of my parents but I was in the middle, grinning, showing a large gap where my top front teeth should have been. My black hair was up in two neat pigtails.

I quickly turned my attention to the gem as I felt the bile on my throat rise.

I blinked when I realized it pulsed, almost as if it was a heart with a steady beat.

I brought the pendant closer to my face, studying the gem. With each pulse, a low red light appeared in the middle and faded as quickly as it came. I furrowed my eyebrows when I noticed a word printed in a neat cursive above the gem:

“Annabell”- my mother's name.

I decided to ignore the gem and closed the pendant, placing it around my neck. The chain felt cold against my skin.

I pushed the photo album aside- I don't think I'll be able to handle anymore pictures- and picked up the item I was originally looking for- my mother's sketch pad; her diary.

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