Weeping Angel: Malvada (Book 1 of the Weeping Angel Series)

Chapter XXXIV

Mom and dad exchange nervous glances before looking at us with a solemn expression.

Mom takes a deep breath and starts, "I'm not the one who buys lifelike statues because I've always been uncomfortable around them since they're creepy."

For some reason, my body is shivering. She just started, and I'm already hating where the story is going.

Mom continues, "When Emma and Clarice came with me to Mason's garage sale, for some reason, I immediately noticed the angel statue and felt compelled to get closer to it and admire its beauty. It's weird to even feel attracted to it because it was unpolished and had a rumour going around of it being cursed, but that didn't bother me."

Mom's serious expression turns grim as she remembers the day of the garage sale. "I remember seeing something black; it was smoky or something. I remember I was surrounded by that black smoke, and after that, I felt different. It was like I had no control over my actions."

It felt like mom's words were wrapping around my throat, suffocating me as I remember the day mom bought the statue and the strange black smoke. Mom was in a complete daze at that time and didn't respond to whatever Clarice and I were telling her.

"What are you trying to say, mom?"

Mom glances at me, and her green eyes darken as she says in a low voice, "I don't remember buying the angel statue at all, Emma."

Everyone but dad gasps in horror, and my eyes widen in realization. Oh my god.

That's why she was staring at us like we lost our minds when we brought the statue home. She didn't remember buying it, let alone bringing it back with us.

How could she just forget something that would do so much harm?

Besides the black smoke, mom was in a complete daze, her eyes wide and bloodshot red, face pale as a ghost. But how did that relate to mom having no recollection of buying the statue?

"Even a drunk person would remember buying such a hideous thing." Josh voices my thoughts.Mom sighs, clearly unsure herself. "I really don't know, Josh. When I got home, it was like I snapped out of a trance and realized I bought the statue. I figured I forgot that I bought it, which is not like me, but I was stressed due to moving and buying new supplies."

Mom continues, "Clarice, Emma, and even Ashton thought I was behaving weird, but it didn't matter to me. I always felt uncomfortable around the statue; it was so creepy. After some time, I think I started to see things, like the statue changing its locations, but I ignored it, thinking Clarice or Ashton were messing around just to tease me."

I think back to whenever mom yelled at Clarice and me for talking nonsense about the statue, trying to convince us that a piece of stone does not just move around like that.

Mom's eyes flicker over to me. "When you and your sister would try to convince me to get rid of the statue, the familiar, daze-like feeling of not knowing what was happening came over me. I don't know what I said or did. But this didn't happen that often, especially that one time..."

I feel my heart shatter at the vivid memory of that day, and I push it deep inside me, choosing not to think about it and bring myself pain.

"Did you ever believe us?" I ask mom quietly but loud enough so everyone can hear.

Mom sighs, and I instantly realize she doesn't want to address or talk to me, but she has to if she doesn't want to make a scene. Either that, or she's not paying attention to our strained relationship. Mom looks me in the eyes with a blazing intensity and says, "I wanted to because deep inside, I knew you were telling the truth, but I felt the need to ignore you and whatever I experienced. It's weird, I know."