Norah & Daniel

Chapter-14

Hello!

So here's the new chapter. It's probably the longest one I've ever written. I hope you like it.

And just to avoid any confusion, the part written in the present tense narrative is the flash back part.

Enjoy =)

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In the silence of my room I can feel chaos outside. It's past midnight but no one in the house has any sleep in their eyes. It has been like this since the past two months. We all are just wide awake forever.

I take out another pill on my hand and gulping it down, I hide the small container under my mattress again even though I know I don't need to. Mom and Dad already know of my habit but are just clueless what to do about it. It's not like I take the pills for fun or to gain attention. No, I just can't allow myself to sleep again. The nightmares are getting to me and I prefer the sleepless nights over the haunting images that my brain cooks up.

I hear the opening and violent closing of a door but I'm just too exhausted to care. I crawl over to the side of my bed and rest my head on it, staring at the picture that is getting illuminated by the lamp placed above it.

It's a picture of my family. Or rather what we used to be. Only happiness shines in their eyes as we posed for the camera in my grand dad's backyard.

I look down, not having any more tears to shed.

Loud rolling of wheels harshly against the floor piques my interest and make me to leave darkness of my room.

Not going down the stairs, I hide behind the wall and tilt my head to look at my parents who are standing by the front door.

My mom frantically moves her hands and says, "I can't do this any more, Roy. Please let me go."

She has a tight grip over the handle of her roller duffel bag. Her hair is flying everywhere and her eyes are red and puffy. She looks tired.

"Please Ella, you can't leave," my dad begs. "I need you, Norah needs you."

I feel like crying again hearing my dad's vulnerable voice. It has so much sadness in it.

"I have to. The past two months have been a complete hell and I thought I could somehow get through this but-" her voice breaks- "but I can't. If I stay here anymore, I think I might end up killing myself."

I want to run down to her and tell her that I don't want her to leave but my legs don't allow me to do that so I just keep standing there like an invisible spectator.

"What about Norah?" Dad asks with more strength this time. "What am I gonna tell her when she asks why her mom left, huh?"

"Tell her that I love her but every time I look at her, all I can see is my other daughter that I am never going to get back!" Mom's words feel like knives to my skin and for a moment I feel like I am dead, which I'm hoping I were.

With her last words spoken, Mom opens the door and storms out, the duffel bag following her like a rag doll.

I watch still as my dad falls on his knees and breaks down crying.

Like an emotionless freak, I drag myself back to my room and lock the door. Reaching the corner of the mattress, I pull the Adderall bottle back to my hands.