United The Fallen

Chapter Six

Chapter Six

November 5th, 2006

The car ride home was silent. I noticed my mother occasionally wipe a tear from her cheek, and I decided not to bring it up because that would be awkward, and because I was stewing in my own guilt. I know I needed to apologize to her, but I didn't have the courage to do it.

When we pulled into the driveway, I hopped out of the car, my legs still shaking from lack of food, and from everything that happened in the doctor's office.

My mother slammed the truck door close and walked into the house. My father noticed us back and walked over to us from the fields. When he saw my mother enter the house without a word, a frown formed on his face.

He glanced at me, and I just stared back at him because I didn't know what else to do. Then he narrowed his eyes and followed my mother into the house.

I walked over to the porch and sat on the step. The front door was open slightly ajar, and I could hear my parents arguing.

"I'm telling you, Shaun, her fucking veins turned black!" I cringed at my mother's use of the f-word. She never cusses. She hates it. "And her eyes, completely black, both of them, it was like she was possessed."

"That's impossible."

"Yeah? Are you calling me a liar? I know what I saw."

"But-" My father paused, I could hear how confused he sounded, "How?"

"That alien she keeps talking about. Icah, or whatever she calls him, God, I think he's real."

They were quiet for a moment, before my father spoke up again, "Do you hear yourself? You think our daughter is housing an alien in her body? Do you realize how batshit insane that sounds?"

"You don't think I know that?" My mother shouted, I could hear the terror in her tone, "There is something in our daughter, Shaun, whatever it is, she's not making it up."

I stop listening. My chest feels heavy with guilt, and I wish I hadn't agreed to Icah's help in the doctor's office.

"We made a mistake." I say out loud, but it was directed towards Icah. He didn't respond.

I stand up, and slowly walk up the porch steps into the house. My parents are standing in the kitchen, and both their eyes turn to me as I approach them.

I look up at my mother, who stares back at me with a hurtful expression of fear, "I'm sorry we scared you earlier." Unable to see the look in my mother's face, my gaze drops to the floor, "Icah told me he didn't want to be seen by anyone, and now I get why." I hated agreeing with Icah, because really, this was kind of all his fault, but it was true, Icah was right. I should have kept him a secret.

"What else does Icah say to you?" My father asks, and I get even more anxious because he's staring down at me like I did something terribly bad, and I didn't mean to do it.

I shrug, "Lots of things."

"Like?"

I shrug again.

My parents share a glance, and I hate it that they are communicating with each other without words. I swallow hard, and pretend that I don't notice, "I'm tired." I lie, "Can I go to sleep?"

My mother leans against the kitchen counter, defeated, and my father wipes the sweat from his brow, "Just go." He says, and I gladly do.

I go all the way up to my bedroom and shut the door behind me. Immediately Icah appears, and he's staring at me with a questionable glare, "You parents did not understand."