Aria woke with a start, her eyes stinging from the tears that had pooled overnight. She wiped them away, feeling the remnants of her dreams slip through her fingers like sand. The house felt heavy with silence as she dragged herself to the bathroom, splashing cold water on her face, hoping to wash away the lingering sadness. Staring into the mirror, she brushed her teeth mechanically, barely recognizing the girl looking back at her.
After a quick bath, she dressed in a simple hoodie and jeans—her most comfortable outfit, almost like armor against the world outside. Taking a deep breath, she headed downstairs.
As she entered the kitchen, the sight of her parents made her heart sink. Her dad wore a tight, forced smile, while her mom's lips curved similarly, both expressions lacking warmth. The atmosphere was thick with unspoken words.
"Oh, you're awake!" her mom said, her voice too bright. "I was just about to come to your room to call you down. Thank God you're here."
Her mother quickly set breakfast on the table, the clatter of plates breaking the heavy silence. "Sit with us, eat with us," she urged, her smile not quite reaching her eyes.
"Okay, Mom," Aria replied, trying to match her enthusiasm but feeling the weight of the moment. She took her place at the table, and they began to eat, the sound of clinking cutlery echoing in the quiet room.
With each bite, memories of happier breakfasts flooded her mind. There had been a time when laughter filled this space, when Cody made ridiculous faces, food smeared across his cheeks, prompting her to laugh and wipe his face clean. Now, there was only the sound of spoons scraping against plates and the awkwardness that hung in the air.
The silence pressed down on her, and Aria pushed her food around her plate, fighting back tears that threatened to spill. Finally, she set her fork down, unable to swallow any more of the emptiness surrounding her.
"I'll see you when I get back home. I have a project to submit today," she said, standing up and taking her dishes to the sink. She washed them quickly, her hands trembling as she scrubbed, trying to shake off the sadness that clung to her.
Her parents nodded, their expressions still masked by forced smiles, but she didn't linger. With a wave, she slipped out the door and into the crisp morning air, which hit her like a slap in the face.
As she walked down the street, memories of Cody flooded her mind—his laughter, his teasing, those moments that felt like a lifetime ago. Each snapshot was a painful reminder of what she had lost. She barely noticed where she was going, her feet carrying her forward while her thoughts spiraled back in time.
Her phone rang, jolting her from her reverie. Fumbling in her bag, she saw Josh's name flashing on the screen.
"Where are you? You're late! The professor is already asking us to present our projects, and we need yours to finalize everything!"
"No, I'm coming, I'm coming!" she replied, adrenaline surging as she picked up her pace, breaking into a run toward the bus stop.
She made it just in time, her breath coming in quick gasps as she boarded the bus, finding a seat and forcing herself to focus on the day ahead. But even during the bus ride and the presentations, her mind drifted back to Cody—his smile, his playful antics, the way he always knew how to cheer her up.
Hours passed, and when the school day finally ended, Aria stepped off the bus feeling drained. Her hair was pulled into a messy bun, exhaustion weighing heavily on her shoulders.
As she walked home, the quiet of the neighborhood felt suffocating. She noticed a child and her sibling playing in the park in the distance. A smile tugged at her lips, a fleeting moment of normalcy. But then it hit her—she pulled out her phone and took a snapshot of the child with the same filter she had used on her brother. Reviewing the photo, her eyes widened. Behind the younger child, that same eerie face loomed.
She ran toward the duo, her heart pounding. "TAKE YOUR SISTER AND GET OUT OF HERE NOW! Don't take your eyes off her! Do you understand?" she shouted at the elder sibling, who quickly scooped up his sister and fled. Aria pocketed her phone, breathless, and continued her walk home, adrenaline coursing through her.
Suddenly, her phone vibrated in her pocket. She pulled it out, glancing at the screen. A message from her mom read: "Aria, come home right now. It's about Cody."
A rush of hope surged through her chest, mixed with dread. Finally, news about Cody!
Without a second thought, she took off running, her feet pounding against the pavement as she raced home, her heart racing with every step. Bursting through the door, breathless, she called out, "Cody!"
But instead of her brother, she found her parents sitting at the dining table with a police officer. The air was thick with tension, her mother's eyes red and puffy, despair etched on her face.
"Aria, sit down," the officer said, his tone serious.
"What happened? Where's Cody?" she asked, fear creeping into her voice as she approached the table.
"Well, the good news is we found Cody," the officer began, but Aria could see it in his eyes—the reflection of her parents' anguish.
"But the bad news is…Cody's dead."
The words hung in the air, heavy and suffocating. Aria felt as if the ground had fallen away beneath her. "What? Cody's what?" she stammered, disbelief washing over her.
Her mother let out a choked sob, tears streaming down her face. "Cody? You found Cody? Where? Where is he?" she cried, her voice breaking.
"Calm down, we need you to stay calm," the officer urged, but Aria felt herself spiraling into panic.
"Where is he? Where is Cody?" She could barely breathe, desperation clawing at her throat.
"We found him this morning in the woods," the officer said gently. "He was burnt—badly burnt. We could only identify him by the pearl necklace he was wearing."
Aria's heart shattered, the weight of the officer's words crushing her. "No! That can't be Cody! It can't be!" she screamed, rage and sorrow mixing in her chest. "I want to see him! I want to see my brother!"
"Aria, please, you need to calm down," her mother said, wrapping her arms around her, trying to soothe the storm of emotions inside her.
The officer's gaze softened but remained firm. "If you want to see the body, you'll need to come to the station. We've taken photographs, but… it's not easy to see."
Aria shook her head, chest tightening with grief. She grabbed her bag, determination flooding her. "I'm going to the police station!"
Without waiting for a response, she dashed out the door, the world around her blurring as she ran toward the truth she dreaded to face.