Shores of Truth

Ch. 18, After

The memory of the sirens, of rushing people, of voices... there were so many voices. Questions she couldn't answer. Questions she didn't want to answer. With blood coating her arms, she found herself at home. Nyxeria sat on the coach. Her eyes focused forward. Her mother was in the chair. The gun still in her lap. The dog sat whining between them. Although the sirens were long gone, she could still hear them. She could still feel the weak heart beat beneath her hands. The salty smell of blood and sand was permanently stuck in her head. Every movement she made was surreal. Each breath she took was a conscious effort. She looked down at her hands. There was so much blood. She went to the bathroom. Turning on the sink she let the water run before placing the sticky grime of her hands under it. The water ran red then turned pink. With mechanical precision she grabbed the soap and scrubbed herself clean. There was a salty taste in her mouth. Where had that come from? With dry hands she felt her face. She was crying. When had she began to cry? Why was she crying? She pushed the thought back into her head. Mrs. Page sat in her chair waiting for her to come back. Nyxeria kissed her mother's forehead. She took the gun from her mother's lap. Putting it on the table, she pulled out her cell phone. Glancing through her contacts, she chose one.

"Becky, I need you to come get my mom," She said into the receiver. "Okay, thanks."

"Where are we going?" Mrs. Page asked.

Nyxeria looked her mother straight in the eye. Her face stoic and dry from tears. "You're going someplace to get help."

"What are you going to do?" Mrs. Page asked as if nothing had happened.

"Deal with all this." She shook her head still trying to process everything.

"You didn't do anything wrong. I shot him because I wanted to. It was the right thing to do, honey. Don't you see I had to do it?"

"And that is the problem. I won't see you behind bars for the rest of your life."

"Let me take the fall. I deserve this. It isn't the first time I've done something like this."

"I know."

"You do?" Mrs. Page looked confused. She didn't understand her daughter's behavior, "I killed your father, and now the man that you loved. And you don't want any revenge for them? Why won't you hate me?"

"Because I can't. You're my mother."

Not long later Becky showed up. Nyxeria explained the situation to Becky. Mrs. Page had to be checked into a psychiatric hospital. It was best Becky stayed away as well for a while. Becky took Max as well. Nyxeria would not be around to take care of either of them anymore. That was the nice thing about Becky; she was self-obsessed, but could be counted on when it mattered. The darkness hit Nyxeria after Becky left. She felt selfish letting herself feel when there was work to be done. But she was alone now. She was always going to be alone. Happiness had eluded her forever. She could have really loved him. They could have been happy together. Now there was no happily ever after. There was simply after.