Red

Chapter 7

I remembered the fight. The screaming and the crunch of metal. My brother, my dad, and my... my mom. I remembered the beasts and blacking out. And now waking up here. I cut off my aunt and shook my head. "Wait. no, no, no. That's not right. My dad, he- he was alive. I saw him. He-he only had a broken arm. He was ok, the most ok out of all of us. I don't understand." Before I could continue my aunt wrapped her arms around me. She cried lightly and held me. I felt a little bad for her but I just wanted my answers. I needed to know where my dad was. My aunt pulled away and no one would look me in the eyes.

"What aren't you guys telling me. Where's my dad?" My aunt turned away as the doctor approached and gently grabbed my hand. "Well, your dad, he was found dead at the site of the car crash. He, along with your mom, were thrown out of the car. The smell of the blood attracted the- the wolves. And well they attacked and-" My aunt let out a gasped cry. "Stop. No more. Please no more. For gods sake, she's just a child. Spare her these gory details. I could barely handle this news and you think that she can. No. Brielle, let's just leave it at the fact that they did not survive the crash. No one did, you are the only survivor. And sweetheart we are so glad to at least have you."

I sat there in shock, to stunned to breathe. The grisly scene of my mother being ripped apart and eaten played before my eyes on loop. Imagining my father suffering that same fate was just to much for me. My eyes filled with tears that I struggled to keep in. A single self destructing thought blaring through my mind. This was all my fault. I'm the one who should be dead not them. We all sat there in silence. Everyone was too afraid the speak. My aunt and uncle knew that if they spoke they would tear up the last few stitches of my already unstable mind.

Not long after the doctor spoke to all of us about grief counseling and then a therapist came in. The entire time I kept quiet. After a while role from my dads job came to visit as well as teachers and some students from me and my brothers school. My self hate was growing with each "I'm sorry" or "you'll get through this" I received. Finally once they all left I was finally able to relax a bit. I curled up, on my side in the hospital bed despite the pain.

I heard someone approach the bed but I ignored them. "Brielle, sweetheart. I know you think that everything is lost now but- I. I want you to remember that you're not alone. You still have us. And we are family. I know it will be hard for a while. But I also know that we can get through this if we're together." I stopped listening. I knew she meant well and we were all hurting but I knew that it was my fault. I knew that they were dead because of me. My- my family's death was on me. And I knew that no matter what I did I could never make up for this.

The first couple of days in the hospital passed by fairly quickly. I couldn't stand being cooped up in that suffocating hospital room so I often went for walks. I refused to sit in a wheel chair and I couldn't use crutches so they put a boot over my cast so that I could walk. I was always walking outside. The sense of freedom I felt out there felt wrong. Like I didn't deserve it. I hated to think about the accident but one thing kept entering my head. They all said my dad and mom have been thrown out of the car in the accident and wolves attacked. But my dad was in the car with me. And the beasts that I saw where not wolves. Definitely not human but not animals either. I kept imagining my moms final minutes. How she tried to protect even though I had hurt her so much. Just thinking about it brought tears to my eyes.

I clenched my jaw and shut my eyes tight trying to stop these memories. I just had to push them down and then I knew I could somehow get through this. I pushed them down and locked them away. Once again becoming numb. Everyday here it was the same thing. Until one day I stopped thinking, I stopped feeling bad and crying and all I felt was numb. During my final days at the hospital my aunt and uncle talked to me about my new home in Maine. Like Maine, are you kidding me. A small town surrounded by trees, in the middle of freaking nowhere. Oh yeah, this was gonna be great.

Finally after what felt like forever I was released from the hospital. We drove in silence to my old home. I just stared at that big dark house that was once full of so much life and light. I saw glimpses of me and my brother playing in the yard, or my dad firing up the grill and burning all of our food. Us laughing as we spend the day together. I let out a dry bitter laugh as we continued into the home. All my memories of the past greeting me with each step. "Brielle why don't we just rest up today. I'll make us some dinner while your uncle finishes the funeral preparations. We'll explain the funeral, answer any of your questions and talk about your new school and home. And later if you want I can help you pack."

She gave me a small smile and I just nodded and went upstairs. I stopped in front of my brothers room. I could almost hear him playing video games with his friends. A single tear trickled down my face as I turned and went to my room. I saw that pretty much everything was the same except there were boxes and a black dress hung up in front of my closet with a note attached. My aunt had written: I know this isn't much but I hope you'd wear this for the funeral. If you're uncomfortable in the dress we also have another nice outfit picked out for you. Let me know what you think. Love you, your aunt Marisol and uncle Mike. <3. I sighed and put down the note. I moved some of the boxes off my bed and flopped on it groaning slightly. I let out a deep sigh and closed my eyes, letting sleep take over.