The Magnificent Disaster

The thrill of doing something wrong made everything look brighter. The grass was greener once I walked through the barrier that confined me. The trees were larger and the sky was clearer. My toes curled into the mud as a chilly breeze fell against my body. Taking in a deep breath I felt my body relax. I felt as if I was part of the earth, as if I belonged here. My chest was rising and falling as I looked down the green mossy hill, finding the tall sulking figure ahead. A smile filled my face as I raced towards a large mossy rock. I ran as fast as I could until I jumped.

A giggle escaped me, causing my prey to look back at me. My cousin’s face filled with shock and then fear as my body fell on top of his. Knocking Krist over we both fell backwards and started to roll down the hill. One moment we were together the next, I was alone. My fingers dug into the mossy vines under me as I looked up. Now standing tall my cousin was glaring down at me.

“Really Mora?” Krist hissed towards me as he pushed his knife back into his holder. Slowly I stood up and stared up at him.

“Where are you going?” I asked with a wide grin on my face as I started to walk up the hill. But Krist didn’t wait for me, he only walked past me ignoring me completely, “Hey!” I shouted loudly.

“I’m going for a walk.” Krist said under his breath.

“Then I’ll come with you.” I said as I started to follow him, but as soon as I caught up with him he stopped walking and turned back to me.

“No.” He said in a stern voice. I crossed my arms as I stared up at him, “Go home Mora.”

“Krist-”

“I’m not kidding!” Krist shouted loudly as he stared at me for a moment. Then he turned away from me and started to walk away, again. After a few steps I started to follow after him, loudly he sighed, “You are so annoying.”

“So are you.” I shot back as I caught up with him. Looking up to Krist I offered a small small smile, “Where are we going?” I asked. Krist looked over to me with sad purple eyes as he shrugged his shoulders.

“I’m just going for a walk.” He said as he placed his hands in his pockets, “You’re just an annoying tag along.”

“You went through the barrier.” I pointed out quickly, “I saw you. You never go through the barrier unless you're having a bad.”

“What are you going to tell on me?” He softly mocked as he chuckled to himself, “As if I care.”

“I also went through the barrier.” I said as I looked towards him, “Did my mom talk to you today? Is that why you're out here?” I asked.

With that question, his body tightened up. His back straightened, and his limbs turned to stones. I watched as his nostrils flared. His face didn’t show how uncomfortable the question made him, but everything else screamed it. My hand reached out to his shirt as I frowned, “She doesn’t know what she is saying.” I whispered as I looked at him, “You know she is crazy, she lost her mind.”

“No she isn’t.” Krist said quickly as he moved away from my hand, “She isn’t crazy, and she hasn’t lost her mind.” He said as he glared towards me, “It is still there, it is just .... broken.” He licked his chapped lips with his lie. Then he shook his head and he sighed, “Whose wouldn’t be?” My lips stayed closed as I stared at him, then I frowned.

“She only talks to you. So I guess you would know.” I whispered as I looked at him, “She doesn’t talk to me. Not since the accident of course.”

It happened when we were children, one day my mother just snapped. I remembered the day so vividly, my mother was in the kitchen making lunch while Krist and I were playing in the living room. Dad was reading a book lounging on the couch as he made sure Krist and I wouldn’t hurt each other. Our crayons and markers were scattered around the house, a mess my mom had told us to clean up multiple times. I finally knocked Krist down when mother walked through the door.

One moment she was smiling, then she looked at the mess in the room and her smile dropped. And when she took a step forward, she slipped on a yellow marker and fell backwards. The soup she had made and sandwiches fell back on her as she stared straight ahead. Right at me.

Dad of course, jumped up to help her, but she didn’t look at him. Her eyes were wide, and her once beautiful light purple eyes was hard and dark. I watched as they grew darker consuming the lightness, maybe I had gasped. Maybe I made a sound, that is why she was looking towards me. And once she saw me, her gaze actually see then staring. She started to scream. Shouting horrible words towards me. Dad yelled at me to leave, but I couldn’t move. I was frozen in fear as I watched my mom turn into someone I didn’t recognize. Krist had lifted me up and walked me away.

Later that day my dad told us my mom would be okay. That everything was going to be fine, she just needed some time. Krist and I had to start going down stairs only when she was in her room. And as time passed, she never got better. And the mom I once knew was gone.

Years passed and later we learned that my mom had a mental breakdown, and one day her mind just snapped. And ever since then she hasn’t been the same. She completely stopped talking to me. She refused to utter a single word to me. As I got older, I started to accept it. And it didn't bother me as much as it had when I was younger. When I was younger, every changed. My Uncle Ryan used to visit us often. But, he hasn't been back since my mom's meltdown.

It's been 12 years since then. And a few months ago, she started to speak, with Krist.

Every morning for the past 4 months Krist would sit down and speak with my mom. Talking to her until my dad would shoo him away. Krist refused to tell me what she talked to him about, and ignored me when I asked. And slowly I watched as he started to shut me out as well. It was him who told me that we were cousins, when all these years I had believed he was my brother. My parents never led on that we weren't siblings. Then again, my dad was never around. He was always taking care of mom. And mom wouldn't speak to anyone besides dad. Well, that wasn't true. There was a few time my dad forced us all together, and she would speak, but she didn’t make sense.

“It is not fair.” I said quickly as I looked at Krist, “She is my mom.” I said and touched my chest as I took in a deep breath, “I am her daughter and she refuses to speak to me. So does dad, he ignores me. But I saw him talking to you last night.” Krist’s eyes widened as he looked at me, “I'm not jealous of you. I'm angry with them. Kristopher, you are the only one who talks to me. Without you, I have no one." I whispered, my voice laced with emotions I didn't want to share.

“Mora, honestly.” Krist said and sighed, his hand reached out and cupped the back of my head. The motion should be gentle, but his nails cut into my flesh as he roughly pulled me into his chest, “You big dummy, I’d never leave you.” He said as he hugged me, “Your parents love you. They are watching you. I don’t tell you what we talk about, because there is nothing to tell. Your mom doesn’t make sense most of the time. And your dad was just thanking me for talking to her.” He said as he released his hold and touched my face, “I promise. Now come on, let’s go home.” He said and grabbed my hand.

Krist's hands clamped against mine in a painful way as he started to yank up the hill. A sick feeling settled in my stomach. His words didn’t bring me comfort, because laced deep in those words was a lie. HIs hold, was as strong and painful as always. I'm not sure he knew how to not hurt me.

Krist didn’t speak to me as we walked back towards the barrier. Wrapped around our house were large spikes covered in bob wire. There was a very wide opening, but it was covered in chain and was never used. Dad told me there was no one else but us on this land. I always found what he said to be funny. When I was younger my Uncle Ryan used to stay with us, he would always visit until he stopped. If it was was just us, where did Uncle Ryan go?

When I asked my dad why Uncle Ryan didn’t visit anymore, he told me that he was dead and to never speak about him. No one comes, and no one leaves. His voice was tensed and hard when he spoke it.

But, two months ago I found the damaged spike, loose enough to move forward and backwards. And, one day I slipped out of it. I could see the spike now, the ground around it turning muddy from it being used. Krist let go of my hand as he gestured towards the wooden spike. Taking in a deep breath, I pushed the spike forward, watching as the wood scraped against the ground. And carefully I squeezed my body through the thin space.

Krist followed the action, then pushed the spike back into place before placing the large rock in front of the wooden spike. The rock covered the muddy ground the spike was creating. Sooner or later dad will find out the spike was damaged, I just hope he doesn’t catch us before then. Krist placed his hand on my shoulder and started to shove. With a sigh I followed, walking around the large home that was covered in moss and vines.

We were heading to the very back of the barrier, where a large white building was built, and inside were all sorts of plants. It was our chore to make sure all the vegetables were picked, and the plants were watered every day. Grabbing a small till bucket I walked towards the green peas and started to pull the vegetable from it’s vine. I didn’t mind this place, but I hated the name. Dad called it a greenhouse, but I couldn’t understand why he made it white if he was going to call it green. When I asked him he only chuckled and patted my head.

He never answered any of my questions, when I was younger it was always a chuckle or a sound in the back of his throat. Now, he ignored me or got irritated. Dad couldn’t answer my questions but he could ask me questions, he could tell me what to do. Our conversations were always short now, perhaps once a year there was more. A question of how I was feeling and nothing more. The only one who showed me attention was Krist. The only one who answered my questions was Krist. Of course his answers never made sense, but it was nice to hear his thoughts.

“Krist, if you’re my cousin does that mean Uncle Ryan is your dad?” I asked and looked over my shoulder to see Krist standing with his back to me. Slowly he shook his head.

“No.” He said.

“Are you sure you are my cousin? Dad never told us-”

“I am. He is not my dad.” Krist said and looked back at me with squinted purple eyes. My mouth closed and slowly I looked away from him. My face felt hot as I tried to control my emotions. Did he know who his parents were?

The door to the greenhouse opened and interrupted my thoughts. Slowly I looked over to my dad standing in the doorway. He wasn’t looking towards me, as usual his focus was on Krist. My shoulders slouched as he walked towards Krist and whispered something. When I looked back up, Krist was walking out of the green house. Krist paused once he got to the door. He looked towards me and once I caught his stare he walked out of the door.

Quickly I turned back to my task and started to yank on the vines. The humidity seemed to get more dense as I felt as if I needed to rush. I didn’t want to be alone with my dad. How could my parents tell Krist he wasn’t my brother, and not tell me? Why did they speak with him and not me? Ever since Krist has told me I’ve been trying to avoid my parents, always sneaking away when I could.

Behind me I could hear the watering hose loudly squeak as it was being shut off. I kept my eyes down to the plant I was touching, trying to calm my racing heart. My dad was a yeller, he enjoyed yelling sometimes. And only a few times did he hurt me. Dad would always yell at me on days I would try to speak with my mom. Every time I tried to speak to her, she grew irritated and got worse. I was causing her to get worse he would tell me. That I was killing my mother, and I needed to stay away, “Morana, what are you doing?” Dad asked. Slowly I looked back at him and plucked a green bean from its vine.

“Just picking the green bean.” I said in a small voice. Dad looked at me and then nodded as he walked towards me. Krist, dad, and mom all had purple eyes. I had one purple eye and the other was a hazel green color. That is why when Krist told me he wasn’t my brother I felt a little relieved. Maybe my mom and dad weren’t my parents, that is why they preferred Krist over me. But, Krist quickly told me that wasn’t the case. Slowly I placed the green bean in the tin as I frowned, my chest felt heavy. As if I couldn’t breathe as I felt my dad get closer to me.

“Were you by the barrier today?” He asked, slowly I looked up at his purple eyes, watching as they lightened up.

“Yes.” I answered truthfully, there was no reason to lie to him. More than likely he already knew. He just wanted a reason to call me a liar and yell. But, my Dad seemed pleased with my response as he nodded his head.

“Dinner will be ready soon.” He said as he then walked out of the green house. As the door closed my knees started to shake, and slowly I fell to the ground and hung my head.

Authors Note. 12/06/2023

Thank you for reading The Magnificent Disaster, as you may have seen this book is unedited, and will be uploaded while I write.

This story is part of the Luna universe, but it can be read alone. This is the last book I will be writing in this universe and if you find yourself more intrigued please check out the Abused Luna (Luna Series) and The Alpha King (Alpha King Series)

I can't wait to finish this story and I hope you all find it as a good read! Please let me know by leaving a comment, like, and review. Thank you for reading this! More will come soon!