When the Sun Fell

Chapter 7 - Campfire Memories

Lauren

We'd managed to get Joel back to the camp, where she was now huddled in a pile of blankets near the fire, asleep with half an energy bar in her hand. Classy, as per usual. She'd given us the rundown of what had happened, and I had briefly explained how I had found Mason in the lobby of an old hotel while I was looking for provisions. She'd passed out just as I finished recounting my tale. Mason was out searching for Andersons Drug Mart, feeling responsible for what had happened to Joel. He told me before he left that he wanted to try and find her jacket.

So, it was just me alone at the camp with a sleeping girl. Shiska was off sniffing around the buildings nearby. I wasn't afraid for her sake, she was as smart as they came. I pondered as to why Mason would feel guilty, but my eyelids were heavy and whenever I closed, visions of my family flitted across my vision.

I was lonely, and when I got lonely, I couldn't help the flood of traumatic memories rushing through my head like a tsunami. Instead, I decided it would be best to embrace them. The crackling of the fire became distant as I strolled down tragic memory lane.

The cold air hit me like shattered glass as I walked through the frozen Calgary winter. My Uggs crunched on the crystallized snow, while waves of light reflected from the streetlamps illuminated my way. I pulled my arm from my pocket, checking my watch. 11:24. Unfortunately, the walk back to my house was more than just 6 minutes. My parents would not be happy, not that they ever were with me. I sighed, already defeated before my battle had even begun. But then a row of shivers made its way up my spine as I heard a sigh echo my own.

"Hello?" I said, sounding a lot less courageous than I would have liked. This was a sketchy neighbourhood at night. It wasn't unheard of for people to go missing, or get hurt or attacked. Heaven knows what could be hiding in the bushes.

"Please, whoever's there, I don't want any trouble." No answer. I kept walking, when all of a sudden I heard a branch snap in the bush behind me. I turned around, putting on a brave face. Thank god for the darkness, it was concealing the tears threatening to spill onto my cheeks, and the trembling of my lower lip in fear.

I caught a pair of shiny eyes in the dark, only a few feet from me. They blinked, and it was then that I realized they weren't human. Not recognizably at least. They were a pale, milky white like those of a blind man, but lacking that beautiful opalescent sheen. No, these were cold, dead, hungry eyes, and I didn't want to stick around to see what they belonged to.

My throat screamed with pain as I sprinted the seven blocks back to my house. The door was already open, but I was too terrified to think about why, or where my parents were gone. It wasn't until the next day that I realized how much happier I would have been even if I had come home to their constant yelling at me for not being good enough. It wasn't until the next day that I realized how much I would begin to miss trying to explain that it wasn't my fault they were left with me after my real parents died. Instead, when I rushed through the open door, all I could think to do was board up my own bedroom door, curl up in a pile of quilts and sorrow, and sleep.

But as I made my way up the carpeted stairs, I realized I wasnt alone. There was a rasping, screeching sound coming from behind my adopted sister's door, and something heavy kept flinging itself against the frail oak panel. Tears flooded my cheeks and my mouth curled into a distorted smile as I slowly opened the door.

"Paige?" I longed to feel her arms around me, comforting me, telling me everything is alright as she did every night. But fear still gripped my heart as I slowly pushed it open.

The same pale, lifeless eyes looked into my soul through the crack in the door. Her chest rose quickly with shallow, raspy breaths beneath her nightgown. I whimpered at the sight of the blood trickling from her cheek where fingernail scratches had pierced her pale skin, and the jagged crack of her broken neck.

"How are you still standing?" I whispered. Tears streaked violently over my cheeks.

She lunged at me, and I pulled the door against her grip on its side until it slammed shut

"What the hell is happening?" leaned my back against the door, the sweat on my shirt cold against the oak, and slid down to the ground. My head was buried in my knees, and I shuddered with sorrow and fear as Paige continued to ram her body against the door. My face was wet as I sobbed into my lap. What the hell was I supposed to do now?

I wiped the snot and tears away from my red, puffy face with my sleeve, and crawled across the floor into my room. I tried pathetically to push my dresser up against my door, but sobs kept escaping my mouth, and I felt too weak to do anything. I reached up to the landline on my dresser, dialing number after number, trying to get ahold of friends, family, anyone. But the line was dead. 

I kept dialing anyways.

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Yes I know this chapter is shorter than the others, I'm sorry. I just wanted to get Lauren's story rephrased and out in the open. There are still great things ahead! And of course, thank you all for sticking with me through editing :)