Being

5 - Hatred

who loves short chapters? ha no one? its okay ill hopefully update later this week.

Hatred (n) - immense dislike or someone or something

Tanner stood before what he had been avoiding for a long time. He couldn't help but notice his hands shake as he reached ahead. His legs were about to collapse beneath him. Tucked under his waistband was a scribbled out note, and whenever he moved, he could feel its dishonest words clashing together.

He never thought he would be standing here, and afraid to be here. He was about to tell a lie he could never take back. His fingers graced the doorbell, while his heart beat out of his chest. Just do it, he thought.

He pressed it and the immediate shuffle of feet could be heard on the other side. The door opened, revealing who Tanner had been avoiding for an entire week.

"Hello Mrs. Baker." She showed a remarkable resemblance to her daughter. The auburn hair, the large eyes - and it felt like a bullet to his heart.

"Hello Tanner. Come inside." She gestured for him to enter the house which had certain stillness. Mrs. Baker's husband was sitting in the living room, with his head placed in his hands. He looked up to see Tanner and shook his head.

"I can't believe it," he breathed. His daughter was gone and it is his entire fault. If he had spoken to her and made her feel less alone, maybe she would be there.

Tanner looked at Fern's father and tried to smile, but couldn't find the strength. He was at more blame than her father was. Tanner took a seat across from him. Fern's mother sat next to her husband, grabbing his hand and rubbing her finger against his palm. He ripped his hand away, only to return it back to his head.

"What have you heard?" Fern's mother asked. Tanner was the least excited for this part.

He took in a large breath. "She left. She ran away." After he finished, Fern's mother began to wail. Tanner felt like apologizing, but not for the reason they thought. He put her in the simulation. He caused those missing papers. He hated seeing her face everywhere, only accompanied with a bold disheartening text above it. Missing, he had read over and over again. Every day he went to school, the children talked and talked carelessly. He hated them, and possibly understood Fern's hate for them too.

To make it even worse, Fern hadn't spoken a word for two weeks now. It almost felt like normal to her again. Almost. Nothing was ever how it was, and how it should've been. Tanner felt like she had been ripped out of his life completely. There was no communication and no visual.

"I have a letter she wrote to me," he stuttered, uncomfortable. He reached into his waistband to collect the false note.

She hadn't written it - of course she hadn't. She has been stuck in his computer for the past two weeks. He wrote with a shaky hand an outrageous apology to Fern's parents. She couldn't have written what he wrote on that piece of paper. She didn't care enough to continue a conversation with her parents, and what would be the point of informing her of her disappearance?

Tanner handed it over to Fern's mother, catching the look in her eyes. It was a feeling not even Tanner could place.

She opened the crumbled piece of paper, reading the words in silence. Mrs. Baker couldn't seem to come to terms that her little Fern was gone. Fern ran away because she felt she was treated unfairly. If Tanner had been a more protecting of her, maybe she wouldn't have let the bullies at school get to her.

Mrs. Baker lifted up her head as a tear streamed down her face, believing every word. She handed the note to her husband, who scanned it within a few seconds.