A Quiet Key

Chapter 10

"Come here Auralia." My brother and this time Shay too call out to me. Their arms opened, I wanted to run into them. I stop myself because I can see them slowly turning to mist. Daniel frowns and repeats, "Come here Auralia" louder this time. I shake my head and see Shay has already turned to mist. I close my eyes not wanting to see my brother's transformation into the mist. 

When I opened my eyes. I saw an unfamiliar ceiling.  At first, I thought I was in my room when I remembered what had happened yesterday. My parents had been in a gang planning treason until they were found and killed. But I still didn't understand why my brother and Shay had to be kidnapped. They weren't in that gang and didn't do anything. I then realized I had no idea if they were hurt. I had no idea if they were even still alive. I had no idea. Not knowing was scary and not knowing how to find out was even scarier. 

"Hey, are you alright?" August appeared at the doorway with a mug that I guessed held tea. He had dark circles under his eyes and looked like he had just woken up but, weirdly, still had his scarf on. 

I nodded, held out my hand to receive the warm cup, and said,"I'll get ready soon." 

"Muna put some clothes here." He pointed to a chair in the corner that had clothes draped over it. "How are you?" He then asked.

"I'm-" I was surprised that I couldn't bring myself to say I was fine. Physically I was tired and my head was pounding. Mentally I was confused and hurt. I was in no way "fine" and I was so tired I didn't even want to lie. When I couldn't think of a better answer I settled on the easiest: silence.

August just nodded at my lack of response. "Come out for breakfast when you're ready," he said and turned to walk away.

I sat there, in that bed until I snapped myself out of it. Doing nothing wouldn't help anyone. I went to the chair and changed. As I walked out,  I saw Muna and August sitting at the dining table with a very inviting plate of fruits and granola

"Jake left for home but we didn't want to force you up. How do you feel?" Muna asked genuinely concerned. She looked just as tired as her brother if not more so. Yet in a strange way, she seemed more composed than the rest of us. She sat up straight with her head up high and though her voice was weary her she exuded confidence and composure. I wished I could do that but to be honest I just wanted to sleep. To sleep and forget. Or maybe this has all been a dream and when I woke up everything would still be the same: my brother, mother, and father would all be sitting a the table waiting for me I thought but the logical part of my brain quickly shot down that thought.

Again I was at a loss for words. "I don't know," I said and found that those words pretty much summed up everything I was feeling.

The twins just nodded like they completely understood, like they had gone through the same thing. As they went on eating(even though the food looked delicious I didn't have an appetite) I believed them and felt a wave of relief fall over me but only for a second. Because there was no way they understood this feeling. This heavy, tiring, melancholic feeling. This feeling that couldn't be explained with one word. No way. Or was there?

Now I must stay I was not a very fast learner back then. After my previous experience with not knowing pretty much anything about my parents, I should've asked about how the twins were How their parents were, something, but no I didn't. I should've asked sooner but I was too wrapped up in my own thoughts to even think about them. 

Instead August told me- his reason he did so was to try to help me again-," Our parents are gone too. A month or so after we moved our Dad was diagnosed with head and neck cancer. Because of drinking and smoking or something. When it started getting worse our Mom left. Couldn't take the stress. ," He stopped talking when he saw Muna glaring at him," Oh, sorry that didn't make you feel better did it." He said apologetically

My eyes had filled with tears and I was disgusted with myself. For not caring to know or even thinking about their life. 

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, I'm sorry....." I repeated the phrase again and again as tears ran down my face. They both came over to me and murmured consoling words. They hugged me but I grabbed them more tightly. It was a rare moment of bliss. Until the familiar red door crashed onto the floor.