Start of Time ▷ Seth Clearwater

ZERO

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ZERO; LAST GOODBYE

     "JAS, I'LL ONLY BE GONE for two weeks. No need to be so dramatic."

     Jasmine pulled away from her father, glaring up at him. "Is it so bad that I'll miss you? Christ, you're acting as if I should just ignore you."

     Maddox Jones chuckled at his daughter's humor, pointing to his youngest girl, who was standing a few feet away. "Amelie's done exactly that. Now, tell your mother I love her and I'll see you guys again in a while."

     Jasmine's face twisted in confusion. "You haven't said goodbye to mom? She's just inside — I can run and get her."

     Maddox frowned, peering into the screen door of his home. His wife, Madeline, was happily sipping on a glass of red wine. She was clearly thrilled her husband was leaving after the enormous fight they had. Maddox could remember the words they exchanged, and none of them were to be taken lightly.

     "No, it's better to leave her be. I'll see you two later, alright? Keep out of trouble, Jas."

     Amelie rolled her eyes, stepping towards her sister and father. "Relax, dad. I'll watch her."

     Jasmine could remember the way her father smiled, as if he was assuring them it would all be fine. He never left for longer than two days, but when the company requested him to take care of business in Idaho, it wasn't a task he could refuse.

     She remembered the police telling her how they found his body — blood drained from a vicious serial killer who targeted multiple parts of the city. The funeral was quick, and Jasmine couldn't even remember giving her eulogy, only focusing on the scars her sister covered up from the night before.

     She remembered the first night afterwards; her mother was uncontrollably screaming at herself and Jasmine had to call Sue Clearwater over to calm Madeline down. Amelie weaved her way through the front door to meet her boyfriend, whose anger always got the best of him. It was the night Jasmine lost everything good in her life, and the night she began covering up her pain with a smile.

     Because, as all the strong fighters say, no one should ever see you at your most vulnerable. And Jasmine Jones was determined to make kindness her greatest strength.

jas, that definitely wasn't a serial killer who drained your dad of his blood