Photographs and the People in Them

Hazel

Hazel delicately runs her fingers along a blade of grass before willing herself to get up. Feelings of despair coursed through her veins. She did not want to go home. Begrudgingly she trudged on the beaten path that led to her backyard but not before she quickened her pace as she passed by the rubble, without it you could hardly tell a house was ever built there. She cursed after a figure apperated behind a tree. The figure hunched over revealing a gaping hole in its head. This is exactly what she was trying to avoid. She felt nausea in the pit of her stomach and she made a mental note to herself. Never take this shortcut again. If this is what she saw in the woods she's afraid what kind of things she'll see in a hospital.

When arriving at her house all of the confidence Hazel had tried to build up while walking drained as she saw a familiar blonde stepping out of the sleek black Porsche. She cringed when her sister yelled out an ear piercing scream. Hazel's feet moved on their own accord and headed to where the screech emitted from.

"BUT MOM, Someone freaking hit my car! Look at it!"

Stephanie, their mother, steps out of the car and both Hazel and her mother did exactly just as she asked. Hazel scoffed and rolled her eyes. It was a minor fender bender.

"Enough Victoria!" Stephanie yells with a lot of hand gestures, "I'm so tired you whining! We already said we will get it repaired, just not right now! I am so tired of you kids!" At the last statement Stephanie scowled at both Hazel and Victoria.

Shock flashed across Victoria's face before being replaced by feelings of remorsefulness. Regret gnawed at the pit of her stomach. Their mother never snapped at them. She had high tolerance to Victoria's protests.

Hazel watched Victoria and Stephanie's retreating figure. Hazel was unfazed by her mother's words and actions. Ever since her supposed "suicide attempt" a week after the video incident, which happened last year, Stephanie changed. Her mother kept a watchful eye of her and in turn Hazel started resenting her mother for not listening to her. Hazel tried explaining to her mother that it wasn't a suicide attempt. That she doesn't even remember what happened that night but she knows deep inside her that she didn't try to commit suicide. It was the truth but it didn't help Hazel's case because weeks before the accident Hazel's counselor mentioned that Hazel was exhibiting symptoms of depression. Snapping out of her thoughts she entered the threshold of her home.

She spent the rest of the afternoon reading a book sitting by a bay window until only a sliver of sunlight is visible from the trees. Minutes past and a mix of red and orange hues paints the sky.

While stretching her limbs her stomach rumbles. Hazel makes her way into the kitchen and eats the meal Stephanie had prepared for Hazel. It became a normal habit after Hazel started refusing eating dinner with the family. She hated the awkward silence that flowed around the dinning room. She felt like she was constantly being judged. In reality it is her own demons haunting her. Her parents love her but refrain from reaching out which makes Hazel believe that they don't really care.

A slight figure under the table caught Hazels attention.

"What are you eating?" The small figure says as slowly crawls out from under the table.

"I'm eating steak, Lily. " Hazel whispers at the little girl.

She tries to poke the steak before huffing. "It's not fun, your always whispering. "

"I don't want to give my parents another reason to think I'm crazy. If anyone saw me they'd see me talking to myself. "

Lily's childish laughter fills the room, "I can already image someone seeing you talk to yourself."