Dust and Shadows

Chapter three: Julia

                                                           Three

                                                         ∂ Julia ∂

 

“So many questions on my mind, so many answers I can’t find.”

        I remember I woke up one day, without any memories and a woman besides me, claiming she was my mother.

“So many questions on my mind, so many answers I can’t find.”

        They said I was found in the ground, blood splattered around me, unconscious.

“So many questions on my mind, so many answers I can’t find.”

        I didn’t know anything but my name, I was now Julia, the girl who had been kidnapped and found half-dead in the ground.

“So many questions on my mind, so many answers I can’t find.”

           People said I changed. They said I was no longer the old Julia. But the old Julia was gone with my memories, and all was left was a girl… who was left with many empty spaces in life.

        

        For a few months I did not go to school. My parents, or so they claim, did their best to bring my memories back. Therapies were an obvious thing but no answers were found in any of the things my parents forced me into… Some people tried to see through my past, but all they were able to see was blank, pure darkness, nothing. I didn’t really care, I didn’t need those memories to live my future, all I needed was a few reviews of what I had learned in school, basic info of my supposed old life and that was it. I was able to continue my social life, though I was never able to stick close to my supposed friends. Nobody in my life could be trusted or loved, not to mention I was hard to like also.

 

        The loud banging against my doors woke me up with a snap. I turned too suddenly towards the door, black circles dancing in front of my eyes, the world spinning round and round. Once I regained my balance I opened my door, letting the person who was banging almost lose their balance as they attempted to bang the wall once more.

 

“What?” I said as I looked at my brother, Cato.

“Happy New Year, sis!” he said smiling brightly at me, the usual smile he held on his face when he was around me.

“Thanks.” I said. My voice cold and showing no happiness that it was the first day in the year.

“Uhmm… Mom and dad are waiting for you to come, whole family’s here.” He said as he smiled at me.

I rolled my eyes at the mention of family. That meant that annoying children would be running around the house and my room would turn out into a war.

“She says you should wear the black skirt she gave you the other day; with the white shirt that you bought with it.” He added as he turned around midway going down the stairs.

“But- but I hate that skirt! Not only the black skirt, I hate skirts overall.” I whined at the mention of wearing the skirt.

My brother just ignored me and kept walking down the stairs, which meant he wasn’t willing to hear my complaints.

“Fine… just today.” I muttered as I slammed my door close and stumped to my bathroom, taking a shower. Once I finished showering I dried my hair, a towel wrapped around from my chest all the way down to my knees. Soon after I dried my hair I got myself into the high waist, black skirt. It was made of leather and somewhat stuck right into my stomach, which made me feel exposed and really awkward. The white shirt was tucked inside, my brown, wavy hair looking even prettier thanks to the design it had.

 

Then I heard somebody knocking the door once more, I sheepishly walked towards the door and opened it, only peaking my face out of the door.

           “Oh my darling, come on let me see you wearing the skirt.” My mother exclaimed as she saw me.

          “Do I have to wear it? I feel weird…” I muttered as I opened the door.

           “But it’s so pretty! You look like a princess! I knew it would look perfect on you!” she said her voice reaching the highest pitch it could.

           “Okay fine, I will wear it for today…” I muttered angrily as I went downstairs, my loose hair swaying side to side as I jumped lightly from stair to stair.

           I stopped midway when I heard the loud voice talking to each other, each of the family members trying to talk over the other. I sighed in annoyance and took a deep breath, getting myself ready to jump into the battleground.

 

           Children were running up and down the house, I had to pretty much squish myself against the wall as they ran upstairs. Then I walked down the stairs just to see a huge table and an amazing amount of people sitting at the table or standing around it. I forced myself to sit down besides my brother, sitting in front of a guy who had curly, blond hair and hazel eyes. I smiled politely at him and then took a sip of the glass that I guessed would be clean, though I doubted anything in the house at this moment would be clean.

          

           The visitors in my house didn’t seem to have the smallest idea of leaving the house until it turned too late for them to stay any longer. When I reached my room I saw all my stuff thrown to the ground and my bed sheets hanging on my closet, all the pillows stacked into a wall, my clothes hanging here and there. Not to mention that the floor was wet, though I didn’t want to think what it would be. I sighed and slowly started to clean my room up and in about an hour or so my room was back to the way it used to be, clean and shiny.

 

           I checked the time, with the clock that was now half broken and somehow miraculously functioning; it was three A.M in the morning. I groaned angrily as I crawled into my bed, new bed sheets were replacing the old ones. I checked my phone, no missed calls, not that I expected to have any. Sleep overpowered me later in the night, my thoughts slowly getting distant and my dark room, barely lit by the moon light disappearing and everything turned pitch black… just like that night I was found almost dead in the streets.