A DARKER SILVER LINING

BAILEY'S POV

The sky is gloomy. Heavy clouds hover over it, creating a tense atmosphere. I hear a roll of thunder. A storm's definitely coming.
Perfect mood for my feelings on that particular day.

06.06.2019

On such a day, a year before, mum had passed away. With a group of doctors, all running around panicking and a beep if the medical equipment, she breathed her last. Right in front of my eyes.

One year earlier.

Cough!

This was what eluded my sleep that night. Mum didn't seem okay. The cough felt off. Like someone struggling to breathe. With no clear reason, my heart thrummed like the pounding hooves of a thousand elk. I was scared. I could swear I almost heard her wheeze from that distance. I immediately woke up out of bed and throwing a robe on me, I walked out the door. I hit the switch in mum's room. Freya was not in bed. I heard a scrapping noise and I knew where she was. The bathroom door was a little ajar yet still. It made a little creak, causing a small chill to run down my spine. I shrug it off and walk towards it. In a whisper, I call out...

Mama! Mama!...

Nothing...

Mum...are you okay ?

Nothing...
And then...

Thud!

The door gave way to her limp body mass. I clutched my throat, breathing hard. Grasping her onto my knees, I cup her face into my hands. She was running down with a fever. Her skin was pale...more like she had jaundice.
I pulled myself up from the floor and rush up to the cellphone on the bed stand in mum's room. With shaky hands and my body covered in cold sweat I dial...

911

Ring....
Ring...

It had only been two beeps but it seemed like the one at the end of the line was taking forever to pick up. Finally a voice came through.

911, what's your emergency?

My mum...she's ...we need an ambulance... please help...

You need to calm down and tell me what exactly the problem is miss.

Please hurry!...she's dying...
Block 6...lane 2...

Without waiting for a definite reply. I hang up on the girl on the other end. I clutched my throat, breathing hard. Before long, they arrived. Paramedics rushed in. All this was playing in my head in slomo like a scene from a movie. The red lights from the ambulance illuminated the compound. There was a whole weird mood in the night's air. With a whole panicking mood...a call from one paramedic to another... confusion... and a final beep ...she breathed her last.

06:06:2020

I stood at my bedroom window staring at the gloomy sky. Heavy clouds hover over it, creating a tense atmosphere. I hear a roll of thunder, A storm's coming. It mumbles softly outside, causing a small chin to run down my spine. I shrug it off and make my way to the bathroom. The water seems to resemble a sad kind of mood. Everything was dull today. It was my doom day. The same sadness engulfed the skies.  Slipping into my black Hollister shirt, black ripped jeans, black ovoxo hoodie and black Toms, I left the house.

Deby and Jose weren't awake yet. I figured they'd know where I'd be as soon as they looked at today's date. Besides I didn't want to be accompanied.

HEX CEMETERY.

The words we're an embolism of death. With the M hanging out of place...it all looked like a sign. That life was a whole sad effort. That it would slip away whenever it felt right. Death must have the sleepest nights having to be sent to errands. The gate creaked as it opened. I felt a sudden chill of wind on my hair at the back of my neck. I had ordered daisies and roses the previous day. Normally I preferred to put roses on dad's grave and the latter on mum's.

Here lies
Cena Davidson.
1970 -2019
In loving memory.

Sweeping my hand through the dried leaves that had fallen onto the engraved words of the tombstone, I felt a tear drop from my eyes. Followed by bitter resentment. I replaced the wilted daisies with the fresh ones I had with me...

A few yards from there was another grave.

In loving memory of
Freya Davidson
1972-2019

Furiously I start to punch the ground. I wanted to feel the physical pain through my knuckles, seeping through my body. Physical pain replaces the emotional pain. Or so I thought. That's pure bullshit. I felt both. Raw and definite.

They had said it was liver cirrhosis due to too much drinking. But no... something had felt off about the autopsy report. Going through her stuff when moving out, I had found something.

It was taking a toll on me. I hadn't told anyone. Not even Jay.

I promise mum... I'll slay the dragon.

This was a promise I had made before leaving. The only thing hindering me was how I would get the box out without Nate's nor his parents knowledge. It was time. Time to act. And I had to lure him fast. I still didn't understand how this was connected to that family.

After the grave visit, I didn't want to see anyone. It was around noon and I figured Jay would be on his way from the AP Chemistry make up class. I didn't want to see him either. I was angry and I needed to bestow all my frustrations on something else.

A punch bag.