Reminder:
Please be reminded that this chapter consists of some flashbacks that will cause you a little confusion that can lead to misunderstandings. Enjoy reading.
~
Third Person's POV
–Ring,ring–
The piercing sound of Astra's phone alarm shattered the peaceful silence of her room, dragging her reluctantly from the depths of sleep. With a sigh, she reached out from beneath her warm blankets, her fingers fumbling in the darkness until they found the source of the disturbance.
"Another Sunday," she muttered to herself, a heavy sense of weariness settling over her. It was the same routine, day in and day out—a never-ending cycle that offered little variation or excitement.
With a resigned gesture, she silenced the alarm and glanced at the time with half-hearted interest. What was the point of it all? she wondered, her mind drifting to the dreams that had plagued her since childhood—the glimpses of the future, the echoes of a past she struggled to recall.
"That dream again," she murmured, her voice devoid of emotion. It was a recurring nightmare, a haunting reminder of a life she could barely remember.
Astra, now twenty years old, remained haunted by memories of her childhood, which lingered like shadows in her mind, shrouded in darkness. The trauma she had endured had left her numb, disconnected from the world around her. She had little interest in the mundane details of life, focusing only on what directly affected her.
With a heavy heart, she lifted herself from the bed and crossed the room to gaze out the window, her stare distant and vacant. What was the point of her gift, she pondered, if it merely served as a constant reminder of her losses? As the burden of solitude pressed down upon her, the chilly darkness of the street below only reinforced her sense of impending isolation. She couldn't shake the haunting feeling that she was fated to traverse this path alone, forever haunted by the ghosts of her past.
-Flashback-
Tears streamed down her cheeks as she awoke from the nightmare, her heart pounding in her chest as fear gripped her like a vice. With trembling limbs, she scrambled out of bed, the cold floor biting at her feet as she raced towards her parents' room, praying silently that it was just a dream.
As she flung open the door, she was met with the sight of Aunt Morph embracing her mother, their figures bathed in the soft light of dawn. Her mother's sobs echoed through the room, a heart-wrenching chorus that tugged at her soul.
"Mom?" she called out, her voice quivering with uncertainty as she approached them. A thousand questions raced through her mind, but she held her tongue, afraid of what answers she might receive.
Her mother turned towards her, her eyes red-rimmed and swollen from crying. She attempted a smile, but it faltered, betraying the depths of her sorrow.
"Why are you here, sweetheart?" her mother asked, her voice thick with emotion. It pained her to see her mother like this, to witness the facade of strength she wore for her sake.
Trembling, she reached out to touch her mother's hand, her fingers trembling with a mixture of dread and longing. "Mom, where's dad?" she whispered, her voice barely above a hoarse whisper.
Her mother's confusion was evident as she looked back at her, uncertainty clouding her eyes. "What do you mean, dear? Your father... he's been gone for years," she replied, her words landing like a blow to her heart.
She stood frozen in place, disbelief coursing through her veins. No, it couldn't be true. She remembered... she remembered the warmth of his embrace, the sound of his laughter filling their home. But now, faced with her mother's words, those memories felt distant, like echoes from another life.
"B-but..." she stammered, her voice catching in her throat, but her mother silenced her with a gentle shush, enfolding her in a comforting embrace.
"Don't worry, baby," her mother whispered, her voice a soothing balm against the storm raging within her. "Mommy's okay. It was just a bad dream."
Numbly, she nodded, unable to articulate the tumult of emotions swirling inside her. Her mother's words offered a fleeting respite from the chaos, grounding her in the present moment.
With a gentle touch, her mother urged her to lie down beside her, and she complied, exhaustion weighing heavily upon her. Sleep eluded her, however, her mind consumed by the unsettling revelation of her father's absence.
As her mother drifted off into slumber, her breathing steady and rhythmic, she remained awake, her thoughts spiraling in a whirlwind of confusion and grief. She glanced around the room, her eyes falling upon the empty space where her father's belongings had once stood—a stark reminder of the void left in his wake.
"Did you really die a long time ago?" she whispered into the silence, the words hanging heavy in the air. Memories flickered like shadows in the recesses of her mind, fragments of a past that felt simultaneously distant and achingly real.
Tears threatened to spill from her eyes, but she fought to hold them back, unwilling to burden her mother further with her pain. For now, she would remain by her side, offering what little comfort she could in the face of their shared loss. The truth would have to wait, hidden beneath layers of grief and unanswered questions, until the time was right to confront it head-on.
-End of Flashback-
Astra felt a pang of sadness as she reminisced about the past. Taking a deep breath, she focused on calming her racing thoughts. "Focus," she whispered to herself, turning her attention to making her bed.
As a second-year college student with morning classes and a night job at a small convenience store, Sundays meant an early start at work, even without classes to attend.
Despite navigating through life's responsibilities with diligence, Astra remained haunted by relentless nightmares that intruded upon her sleep. Through the haze of her troubled dreams, she pieced together a harrowing revelation: her father's demise wasn't a distant memory but a recent sacrifice to protect her and her mother.
In a cruel twist, he had chosen to be forgotten by everyone but Astra, burdening her with the solitary remembrance of his existence. Neither her mother nor her aunt retained any recollection of him, leaving Astra isolated in her grief.
Every tangible connection to her father had vanished, wiped clean from the collective consciousness, leaving only Astra to bear the weight of his memory. While she had once forgotten him, the dreams persisted, offering fleeting glimpses of his presence, albeit shrouded in ambiguity.
The weight of guilt intensified with the passing of each year, culminating in tragedy on her birthday as her mother succumbed to fate's merciless hand. Astra grappled with overwhelming remorse, convinced that her actions—or inactions—had sealed her mother's fate.
Haunted by the specters of her past and the weight of her perceived failures, Astra struggled to navigate a world devoid of emotion and fragmented memories, forever tethered to a past she could neither fully recall nor forget.
-Flashback-
"MOMMY!" Astra's voice broke with tears as her mother's coffin was lowered into the ground. "Mommy, please! I promise I won't stay up late at night anymore, I'll eat my veggies, and I'll clean my room. Please, wake up!" She pleaded, clinging to the hope of an impossible miracle.
"Astra, honey, please stand up. You'll catch a cold in the rain. Please!" Aunt Morph's concerned voice tried to pull her away from her grief, but Astra remained inconsolable.
Uncle Mark knelt beside Astra, his eyes brimming with sadness as he gently lifted her into his arms. "She's just sleeping, sweetheart," he murmured, his voice cracking with emotion. "Mommy's just taking a long nap."
Astra looked up at him with tear-filled eyes, her small face twisted with confusion. "But why won't she wake up, Uncle Mark? I promised to be good. I promised to eat my veggies and clean my room," she sniffled, her innocence tugging at the heartstrings of everyone around her.
Aunt Morph brushed a tear from her eye as she knelt beside them, wrapping her arms around Astra in a comforting embrace. "Oh, sweetheart, it's not your fault," she said softly, her voice choked with emotion. "Mommy's just resting, that's all. She's in a better place now."
Astra nodded, her understanding limited by her tender years. "Can't I be with her too? I promise to be good," she whispered, burying her face in her uncle's shoulder as she tried to make sense of the incomprehensible loss.
People around her have eyes filled with tears, but they held back their sobs, not wanting to cause more pain to Astra. Each one felt the weight of the moment, aching with the desire to protect the innocence of the young girl who couldn't comprehend the finality of her mother's absence.
Later that day, Astra retreated to her room, seeking solace in the darkness beneath her blanket as she wept, unable to fathom the cruel twist of fate that had torn her world apart. "We were just laughing together the other day, but now, they're gone sob. Why did you both have to leave me at the same time? Who will play with me now?" Her heartache consumed her, leaving her drowning in a sea of sorrow.
A gentle knock on her door and Aunt Morph's voice broke through the silence, offering a beacon of comfort amidst the storm of Astra's despair. "Astra, honey? Can I come in?" Despite her reluctance, Astra remained silent, her tears soaking the fabric of her blanket.
As Aunt Morph entered the room and sat beside her, Astra's curiosity stirred, prompting her to peek out from beneath her cover. "I wouldn't ask you to stop crying if it's the only way to ease your pain, but remember this - don't allow yourself to be trapped in your darkest moments. Every experience holds a lesson that will guide you through life," Aunt Morph's gentle words washed over Astra, offering a glimmer of hope amidst the darkness.
"You're not to blame, baby. Your mother wouldn't want you to carry this burden," Aunt Morph's reassurance brought a fleeting sense of comfort to Astra's troubled heart, her tears subsiding as she listened to her aunt's soothing words.
"You're a remarkable girl, just like your mother. From now on, I'll be here for you, Astra. I'll take care of you, just as your real mom would have wanted," Aunt Morph's kiss upon her forehead and warm embrace offered Astra a sense of security in the midst of her grief.
-End of Flashback-
The fortunate thing was Aunt Morph's intervention. She had been Astra's savior, nurturing her like her own daughter during her formative years.
"Honey? Breakfast is ready!" Aunt Morph's voice echoed from the kitchen, prompting Astra to respond.
"I'm coming!" Astra called back, emerging from her room and making her way to the kitchen.
Upon entering, Astra beheld a vision of domesticity: Aunt Morph, a beautiful woman adorned in a cute pink apron, stood by the stove, wielding a ladle with practiced grace. "Good morning, Aunt Morph!" Astra greeted her with a little smile, moving to assist in setting the table.
"Good morning, my dear," Aunt Morph replied warmly. "No need to help me, honey. I'm almost done. Just sit, and I'll bring the pancakes over."
"Okay," Astra acquiesced, recognizing the futility of arguing with her aunt's maternal instincts.
As Aunt Morph served up the food, she expressed her concern. "Here's the soup. Make sure you eat plenty. I don't want you going hungry while you're out working."
"Thank you. Don't worry, I'll be fine," Astra reassured her, reaching for the maple syrup.
"But what if you encounter trouble? What if someone tries to harm you?" Aunt Morph's worry was palpable, a trait typical of her scientific mind, always anticipating potential problems.
'Where did that idea come from?' Astra wondered to herself, rolling her eyes at her aunt's constant worry. Since her parents' passing, Aunt Morph had become increasingly protective, insisting that Astra concentrate solely on her studies and avoid employment. Yet, Astra's recurring nightmares drove her to seek solace in work, even if it meant sacrificing sleep.
After much pleading, Aunt Morph relented, allowing Astra to work nearby. It was a compromise that allowed Astra to contribute to their expenses while still getting adequate rest.
"I'll be fine, Auntie. Besides, I won't be alone for today's shift. Bryan will be there with me," Astra reassured her.
"Bryan? Is he your new friend? I'm glad to hear you've made a friend. Bring him over sometime; I'd like to meet him," Aunt Morph said eagerly, but Astra's demeanor shifted at the mention of the word 'friend.'
Her heart quickened, and a sense of unease washed over her. Like scenes from a forgotten movie, fragments of her childhood memories flickered in her mind, elusive and intangible.
~ To be Continued ~