Weeks have passed, but the emptiness remains. The haunting echo of my mother's scream still reverberates in my mind, yet there is no trace of her. No body to bring closure, only the cruel uncertainty that gnaws at my soul.
"Ashton, please eat," Alex's voice breaks through my thoughts, his concern etched on his face. refusing to leave my side since that fateful day. We laid my sister to rest underneath the willow tree that she loved so much, a painful farewell. I appreciate his presence, truly, but I just simply don't wish to eat, it doesn't seem fair.
I glance over at him, my eyes filled with gratitude and fatigue.
"Hey Ash, please don't ignore me," his voice pleaded, a mix of sadness, anger, and sorrow. I could hear the tremor in his words, a sign that tears were streaming down his face. I couldn't bear to see him like this, so I decided to respond, even though I knew it wouldn't be the answer he wanted.
"I'm not hungry right now," I replied softly, hoping he would understand. But instead of understanding, his anger seemed to escalate as he struck the back of my head, a blow that caught me off guard. It was usually me who resorted to such actions, not him.
"You've said that for days now, you've got to eat or you'll die... please, don't waste your life, Ashton. Don't leave me alone in this," Alex's voice cracked, his plea wrapping around me like the wind in the hollow. "I know the pain is unbearable, but you can't give up. If you stop eating, you're going to die." Tears carved paths down his cheeks as he pulled me into a desperate embrace.
I had been yearning for my mother's hug, that familiar warmth that could make the coldest nights bearable. But Alex's hug, it enveloped me with a similar tenderness, a beacon of comfort amidst the storm of my grief. After a moment lost in thought, I returned the embrace, feeling him exhale in relief as I acknowledged his presence, his concern. It was a silent promise that I wouldn't retreat into the shadows, that I wouldn't leave him to face the darkness alone.
"Hey Ash, I need to ask you something really important," Alex said, his tone unusually serious. It caught me off guard since he was the one to bring lightness and laughter into our conversations. But whenever he did get serious, I knew it was something I needed to pay attention to.
I simply nodded, indicating that I was ready to listen to whatever he had to say. "Mom and I are planning to move to a different town, one that's more populated and bigger. It's also closer to the battle school... I was wondering... would you like to come with us? Leave this godforsaken town, just like you've always said?"
The memory of our shared struggles, the way he had once saved me, and the promise I made in the field came rushing back as I looked at the scar on his hand. It was a symbol of our past, a reminder of the vow I had taken to never leave his side. As I took his hand, I knew that no matter where life would take us, that promise would always remain. "I remember my promise, Alex," I said with a smile, "and I'm not going anywhere."
Firmly gripping Alex's hand, I rose to my feet, my resolve as unyielding as the grip we shared. Lifting my eyes to the sky, its unnatural bright blue hue stirred a memory of my mother's eyes, the same comforting color that once brought me solace. "Yeah, Al, I'll come with you," I affirmed, my voice laced with a mix of determination and nostalgia. "I can't leave what little family I have left."
Together, we moved toward the front door, stepping through the threshold of memories and the ghost of my sister's presence. It was a silent homage to the past, a nod to the memories that clung to the very air of the place. Yet, as we reached for the door, ready to step into a new chapter, Alex halted, his hand on the doorknob that refused to turn. The door stood obstinately closed, as if challenging our decision to leave the remnants of our old life behind.
"ash.....the door...its" before Alex could finish his words hung in the air, heavy with the weight of realization, I couldn't help but complete the sentence for him. "Jammed... the only way that could be is if someone from the outside jammed it, meaning..." My voice trailed off, a mix of anger and disbelief coloring my tone. Alex turned to face me, his eyes reflecting the same fire that burned within me.
"Someone purposefully did this," he said, his voice filled with a simmering rage that mirrored my own. The realization hit us like a tidal wave, crashing against the shores of our shattered reality. Someone had intentionally jammed the door, trapping us inside. The thought sent a surge of fury coursing through our veins, igniting a primal instinct within us both.
"Someone planned this," I muttered through gritted teeth, my voice laced with a newfound bloodlust. The flames of vengeance flickered to life within my heart, fueled by the injustice of it all. The door, once a symbol of escape and hope, now stood as a barrier between life and death. If it hadn't been jammed shut, my sister might still be alive.
The revelation that someone had deliberately trapped us, that the fire was no accident, it was a catalyst, igniting something deep within us. Alex's fury seemed to burn hotter than my own, a searing blaze that threatened to consume everything in its path. "I want to make them suffer," I whispered, the words tasting like blood on my tongue. Alex nodded, his eyes alight with a similar ferocity. "They'll burn for this," he agreed, his voice a low growl of vengeance, "just like they made our family burn."
It was in this crucible of rage and despair that our latent abilities stirred to life, a premature awakening brought on by tragedy and the thirst for retribution. Alex's was much hotter, while mine, mine was blood boiling.