A simple memory in the distance. I couldn’t reach it so I just sat down at my desk. “OH… What’s the use…?” I ask myself. “I can’t remember it anyway. I can’t remember what happened. I can’t remember what it looks like. I can barely even remember him. But that’s probably for the best...” I slump down in my chair lazily. “Alison!” Someone calls from downstairs. It was my mother. “Coming!” I say with a chill, slightly accusing tone.
Maybe she could have taken it. She did despise my father quite a lot. She told me it was because he wanted the dog more than he wanted me. I feel otherwise. Before his untimely demise, and his certain way of leaving people behind came in to play, he gave me a locket with a small image of the dog inside. Only when I removed the image to place one of my own did i notice a message on the back. But now it’s gone as is the locket.
I go downstairs calmly. “Mother, have you seen my locket?” I ask bitterly. “Why no, i haven’t. Have you checked Darcy’s crate? You might recall. she has a tendency of taking shiny things.” She says with a smile. If only. The dog doesn’t bother with anything like that anymore and mother knows such. She wasn’t telling me, yet I couldn’t sense what it was. “Okay.” I mutter. “Why did you call me down?” I ask, still holding my bitterness.
“O-oh… I called you down to see if you knew what happened to my glasses. I can’t live on contacts you know. I’ll run out.” She laughs, not sensing the darkness in my tone. “I last saw them on your dresser.” I say dully. That was a lie. But I felt the need to send her on a chase of some sort. Hopefully it will get her out of my hair while I look for what is important to me.
My brother used to say my family is similar to a weak tree. No matter how hard you try to maintain it, parts will fall and decay. Branches will fall and leaves will too. It’s life. But it’s only a matter of time before the entire thing falls. I’d always assumed that we held the tree up. Since dad left, any time mother got the chance, she’d grab some whiskey or a cigarette, so most of the time my brother and I are cooking and cleaning. But no matter what, we couldn’t get rid of the smell of charred whiskey. Disgusting.
I’d always hated this place. Especially since my brother is gone. I went back up to my room to search for the locket. Maybe it was under my bed? I look under the sheets that were draped over the rusted bars. Nothing but a few wrappers and glass shards. “Ugh, I really need to sweep under here..” I say, brushing off some dust. I continue my search, eventually finding it in the back of the closet. Probably the work of a mouse.
Taking out the image, i read what my father wrote to me. Dear alison, by the time you read this, you’ll most likely be all grown up. Or that is.. IF you read this. I just want you to know that you are stronger than she makes you feel. I’ve seen the pain and hatred in your eyes when she speaks to you. I’m proud of you for making it this far.
“What is this stupidity?” I ask dully before looking out the window to see glistening moonlight showing through a canvas of darkness and stars. I hadn’t noticed that the words had begun fading away. I quickly run downstairs to find my mother passed out on the couch with a cigarette in her mouth.
Pathetic. I think to myself, grabbing a small bag of chips and a cup of water and going back upstairs. I grab the note to find nothing on it. “Wh-what..?” I mutter to myself. I must’ve imagined it… I think to myself, slightly saddened. I sit and read before eventually falling asleep. I dream of my father grabbing my hand and taking me to a place where I’d have a better life. What did he want from me…?
Around 3AM, I wake up to cries of anguish and terror. Something that seems to happen more often than I’d like. I can’t go back to sleep… Removing the note which I’d used as a bookmark that night, I noticed that there were new words on it. I knew what he wanted me to do now. My mother lost my brother and smiled when she heard I lost my father. But I don’t want to do what he says… ‘Remember how you and your mother lost your brother? Join us and watch what happens to HER.’ But aren’t they dead…?
