The Graveyard Shift

1

"I will love the light for it shows me the way, yet I will endure the darkness because it shows me the stars. ..."

There's always something oddly terrifying about moving to a new place, especially when you're sixteen.

Kaylee didn't know whether or not it was the unusual smell of pine that did it, or the way the sunset sunk beneath the horizon two hours earlier than you had usually expect that made things weird. But the moment their vehicle left Seattle, things didn't feel the same.

Staring as the sun fades down the horizon was not new to her, however in this moment, it might as well had been. This trip was sudden, not planned. Kaylee didn't know how to feel about it all, having left so soon.

Her grandmother, Rose Patricia Westfall, decided she couldn't stand living with her boyfriend back at home anymore. If anything, Kaylee didn't see him around often due to the fact that he was almost always at the pub, or so she was told.

So if it did her any good, then yes, she could see why her grandmother wasn't so keen on staying back home either.

"Say, grandma, was Mr. Furglesander really spending all of his time at the pub downtown?"

Rose turned back towards her from the passenger's seat, her right eyebrow raised at her granddaughter's inquisition.

"Little one, you don't need to call that ol' paper vaccum sucker Mr. Furglesander no longer. 'Mr. Load of Shit' should suit the man better, eh," the blonde girl heard her grandmother say in her thick British accent.

She chuckled at her words. When it came to speaking whatever's on their mind, Kaylee could say she and her grandmother both shared that unique aspect to their personality.

"And no," the old woman pressed on. "That ol' gubbernuck did nothin' but gamble all the way in the corner of Chinatown"

Kaylee didn't know much about the origin of the man, nor did she know about how he had met her grandmother. However, just by looking at his physique, she understood exactly what had brought them together in the first place. The man was fit and upright like every man who worked far enough. If she had to guess, the man had probably served in the army years prior to his retirement.

As for her own father, Kaylee couldn't really decipher what she felt for him other than utter resent.

She was seven the night it happened. As rain fell down from the sky and onto the pavement, so did everything else.

They were arguing. Shouting was heard, items were thrown. There was something oddly distinct about how cracky their voices had been that day, how raw they sounded to her.

Her mother had left the apartment in a hurry, tears staining the edges of her eyes as her heels seemed to echo down the hallway. Soon after, her father had looked at his daughter intently before sighing, the creases in the edges of his eyes more apparent than they had ever been. There was a look of doubt filled with longingness there though Kaylee had chosen to ignore it completely, looking back at the moment with permanent disdain. He had made his choice.

Then, he left too.

Kaylee couldn't remember if her grandmother had been there too that night, or if she was left alone. But ever since then, she couldn't help it but feel sad at the memory. Her heart began to ache.

Hours followed and at last, her mother had returned. Her dad, however, was nowhere to be found. There was something jittery about the way she acted. The way she moved in such a shaky matter hadn't failed to make the blonde shudder whilst thinking of it.

Her mother said at least five words that night:

"I love you. I'm sorry"

Then she left. The day after, Kaylee looked for her mother.
For hours, she had been expectant that her mother would return.