The Others

Chapter 2

The next chapter, as promised!

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I take a deep breath, and gather my thoughts. Why was I telling this stranger my story? I don't really like my answer, so I push the thought from my mind.

"It started," I begin, "On a night in December. A few days until the holidays." I glance over at her - she is intent on her make-do fishing rod, but I can tell she is listening.

"It was winter. I was 10 at the time. My mother was reading to my sister and I. My sister's name is -was- Autumn. She was 7."

Shella looks up at me now. Her fishing rod is still in her hand, but she seems less focused on it and more focused on me now.

"My father was upstairs, working, and my older brother, Alstarn, was out hunting deer. It was a completely normal evening. But then we heard a knock on the door. We thought it was someone visiting, or maybe someone trying to sell us something, they came by all the time."

Her eyes rise a fraction of an inch.

"My mother opened the door." I close my eyes, and I can see the scene clearly in my head. My mother, standing up, putting a slip of red silk in the book to mark her page, her hand on the doorknob, the frigid gust of winter swirling into the room, Autumn and I peeking out from behind the green sofa, curious as to who was calling at this time of night, my father at the top of the stairs.

"It was a man. I did not see his face. I saw only the gun in his hand." I see his hand tighten around the trigger, as mine tightened around my sister's small fingers.

"He killed her," I whisper, looking down at my ragged brown pants. "Then my Father. I tried to run with Autumn. We got separated. I didn't know where she was. I haven't seen her since. I think - I think he must've k-killed her." My eyes squeeze shut, and water spills down my cheeks. I try to stifle a sob, but it doesn't work.

Suddenly Shella's arms are around me, her fishing abandoned, apparently. I am grateful for the sympathy, and cry harder because she is so kind.

"There, there," she says. "It's alright. You just cry."

And I cry.

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Sorry this is a really sad chapter, but I promise it is important later!

This chapter is dedicated to @ColetteRose for introducing me to Wattpad!

Stay tuned for more, and please comment, vote and share (especially comment, it helps encourage me to update faster ;D)!