Chapter 4 CHAPTER 4
I walked the long journey home.
Crazy, I know, but something about Scott's glare had me panicking. The fear was irrational but after dealing with the weird men my mother was always entangling herself with, I knew it was better to listen to my instincts first.
Said instincts led me home to find everywhere quiet and the doors locked.
So I sat on the old sofa out on the ground out front and went through my books, doing my assignments until I heard a car driving in.
“Sera? Why are you outside? Where Tori and why didn't she give you the house keys?”
She was angry at her children because of me.
It felt weird being the center of attention in that way.
“It's fine Aunt Kelly, I don't mind the fresh air.”
“Don't do that,” she snapped, making me take a step back.
“Um..”
“Don't make yourself small because you don't want to inconvenience anyone else. I specifically told them to make sure you're taken care of, and that includes making sure you get home safely. What if something had happened to you?”
I was speechless, her anger radiating through her body.
“Honey,” her husband got to her after parking the car, “let's take ker inside rather than subjecting her to further discomfort.”
He was speaking reasonable words, sure, but it was magical how quickly she calmed down when his hands connected to hers.
Then he kissed her, and I heard a moan that brought redness to my cheeks.
“Ew,” I joked so I don't look a creep watching two people kiss openly in public.
“You'll get used to us,” she chuckled but walked to the door and opened it.
Then she pulled out one key and gave it to me.
“Thanks Aunt Kelly.”
“Don't thank me yet, I'm getting you your own car tomorrow. They won't force you to walk back from school again.”
“No you don't have to –”
“I don't remember asking for your opinions about it Ma'am,” she cut off my protests, “food is in the fridge. Eat as much as you can. Me and this one will be busy for a while.”
They went all googly eyed as they went off to their room.
‘Is that how true love looks like?’ I wondered before going to get the food I'll take to my room to eat.
I picked a plate of macaroni and cheese, and then my stomach growled for more.
Literally.
But I ignored it, I wasn't about to inconvenience people in their house more than I already did. Edgar and Tori would come back hungry and although there was so much more where that came from, I didn't want to shorten their ration.
That was my thoughts as I went to my room and it was what pulled at my throat as I went back downstairs again, feeling like I hadn't even eaten anything.
I was hungry beyond measure.
Aunt Kelly’s words were what helped my guilt as I packed three more Packs and went back upstairs.
To my surprise, I finished everything.
Maybe it was my body healing from the years of managing resources but even that made no sense, I ate the quantity of food meant for three grown adults.
Since I couldn't find any explanation for it except that Aunt Kelly cooks really well, I ignore the matter.
Instead, I shower and turn in early for the night, my body suddenly tired.
Must be all that food I swallowed like a maniac.
Blue eyes were all I saw, darkness shrouding every other part of the creature that chased me through the woods.
I tried to scream but a hand squeezed my neck and my body went faster than possible, as though I was transported by a flying vehicle.
But my pursuant was faster, and before I jumped off the cliff, it's hand stretched out from the darkness and scratched my arm.
Scratching an invisible wound from a nightmare I couldn't remember any other part of, I walked down the stairs, ready for breakfast.
“Sera,” Edgar waved at me from the dining room door, “we're really sorry about yesterday, we forgot to tell you about our second engagement for the day.”
“You take extra lessons? But you're doing well, you showed me.”
“They are not for grades,” Tori said as I walked into the room, “Mom will explain to you when you're old enough to be in it.”
“But I'm… older than you both.”
“We're not allowed to say anything okay?” Edgar sighed, as frustrated as I was. “Just don't bother waiting up for us anymore. Mom said she gave you your own key?”
“Yea,” I showed him, “I'll be off now.”
“You're not hungry?” Tori asked with concern.
I looked at the heap of pancakes and fried chicken spread across the table and my stomach made a begging sound.
“No, I'm good,” I shook my head, still not understanding whatever the hell was happening with me.
“You should eat, the time gap between the first lesson and lunch break is longer than you can imagine when you don't have breakfast.”
“Trust me, I've been there,” Tori chuckled.
My mother lost herself to things she couldn't control, I won't become like her. Today it's food driving me insane, next it'll be white powdery stuff that makes people abandon their own flesh and blood.
“I don't know what's happening to me but it's just hunger, I have dealt with worse,” I say as I head out, ready to start walking to school.
I don't.
Aunt Kelly had already brought the car to the house and at first, I couldn't stop screaming in excitement but everyone else spilled out of the house and I reined in myself.
“Mom?” Tori yelled, “You got her the car you promised me?”
“Don't be a spoilt brat Tori, you and your brother already have two cars and you barely use it. Sera doesn't need to be carpooling every time considering your timetables are different.”
“I'm not saying don't give her a car, I'm saying give her the old one and give me the new one you promised me!”
“What makes you think it's okay to talk to your mother like that?!” Their father boomed from inside the house, coming out with an angry red face.
Tori shrunk immediately and Edgar called her a selfish bitch before getting into his own car.
All because of me.