Learning To Love Red

Chapter 9

Chanel's POV

Foul play? No. Who would do that? Who would kill my family? Anger filled my chest and my mind, I felt a hand on my shoulder not thinking I forcefully shook it off. For the moment -in my mind -I was the only one in the room, me and the news reporter on TV.

"It was a tragedy last week when a house fire took the life's of the entire Miller family last Sunday. Now police believe foul play was involved."

I felt the hot tears building up in my eyes, threatening to pour like rain.  This wasn't making sense, no one would want my family dead. Everyone loved them. No this is all a nightmare, one that I will never wake up from.  

"The remains of the family was burnt so severely that identify them was close to impossible. The police claim that based on their knowledge and eyewitness accounts that the remains recovered were those of..."

No, no please don't say their names please don't. I lowered my head, knowing that once he said there names I would lose it. I heard mumbling behind me but I ignored it. I lifted  my head when I heard the reporter began to speak.

"37 year old Nathan Miller, his wife 35 year old Bethany Miller. Along with their children..."

I watched as pictures of my parents flashed on the screen. I knew I was on the edge of breaking down, hot tears were rolling down my cheeks. I put my hand up to mouth to try and hold back my sobs.

"12 year old Mason Miller, 18 year Jasmine Miller, and 17 year old Chanel Miller."

I watched my picture flash up beside beside my brothers and my sisters. I couldn't handle it any more. My legs were suddenly jello, I fell to my knees sobbing as the tears poured. I couldn't hide it anymore. I had lost them forever.

Anger and brokenness consumed me as my tears and sobbing increased. I felt a pair of strong arms wrap around me, I knew it was Raph when I buried my face in his plastron I felt the crack at the top.

He held me tight as if he was trying to hold together my broken heart. He spoke softly in my ear, rubbing circles on my back doing his best to soothe me. I'm not for sure how long we stayed like that, after awhile exhaustion began to take over.

My  eyes were swollen and no longer able to produce tears. I let my eyes flutter shut as I listened to the steady beating of Raph's heart. Letting my mind drift into dreamless slumber.