Chapter 1: Beginning
“Granny, where is mommy?”
“She’s somewhere safe and happy now, dear.”
“Then why did she leave Elise alone? Does she not love me no more, Granny?”
She was quiet. She wanted to answer me, yet something was stopping her.
‘Too young’
_
The smell of fresh morning scattered throughout the whole air.
I clasped both of my hands together, offering a silent prayer in my family’s grave. The afternoon was windy and sunny at the same time; the breeze was lukewarm. Silence filled the cemetery with almost no one around.
“I’m doing great. Don’t worry” Managing a smile as I placed a hand to their grave before placing flowers on top of them and finally making my leave.
Not even realizing, I arrived at the small park, nesting myself under the big tree giving me a full view of the place.
I spent most of my time reading books and it never stopped fascinating me. The carefully placed words and a ride full of endless emotion in a very different world inside your mind. Not to mention every time the author touches your heart with every word.
Literature is indeed a beautiful thing.
For a second, I almost sounded like a proper lady which is really not true. My grandma used to hit me in the head for having unladylike manners and would often remind me that I won’t find a good husband.
Even though marriage wasn’t exactly one of the things I’m more worried about.
“Miss Elise” A childlike voice sprang, disrupting my thoughts. It was Lily. As soon as she gave me a big hug her round eyes lit up while looking up at me. She handed me a flower that is missing a petal. I giggled, softly thinking how sweet and careless a child would be.
“Where did you come from?” I asked carrying her to my lap. She had her blue and white dress with a red ribbon attached to her hair that matched her black hair and bright blue eyes.
“Ms. Molly is letting us play here along with my friends!” She answered pointing at Molly at the park where she was surrounded by kids playing. I assume she hasn’t seen me yet or she’s too focused on thinking about their safety since some of the kids were crying and some were laughing. One could simply laugh at the innocence of children.
“Why don’t you play with them?”
“But I want to play with Elise” She pouted.
“Now, you wouldn’t want Ms. Molly getting in trouble?” Her bright blue eyes looked down for a minute as if contemplating. But before she could think for another second, Molly was already in front of us.
“Lily! You almost gave me a heart attack!” Molly said in a panicked tone. We chatted for a while before parting ways since she has work to do and I had to go home to prepare dinner and clean the cabin.
I looked up at the sky and saw the beautiful colors painted. The sky gave a peach like color with the clouds beside it blending like a white paint smudged. It was a normal setting sky. But somehow, it felt ethereal. The world is vast and endless. So many things have not yet been discovered. There is always a feeling of being small as a human being whenever I looked up the sky.
I guess another day is about to end.
“Have you heard?” Murmurs started behind me belonging to a group of people gathered by the sidewalk.
" About what?”
“There was another murder inside Breeck woods.”
“Again?”
A series of murder and disappearance has been happening inside which struck terror for the nearby town to step foot the forest. Houses nearby started to move to a much closer to the village square.
Unfortunately, my grandmother’s cabin was a bit secluded from the village and takes exactly half an hour to walk to my cabin. It wasn’t a problem walking back then, since I always accompany my grandma, we would talk about things and the I would always tell her the books that I have read, and she would listen earnestly.
After she had passed, I never realized how lonely it can be to force yourself to change the routine you always look forward to and walk alone the path that used to be filled with noise and laughter.
When I arrived, I immediately sat down the couch. It may be small, but this cabin is very spacious. There wasn’t much furniture but there were many rooms.
The room was met with silence.
It was the silence that I couldn’t get used to. It hasn’t been long since this couch was occupied by another presence. It was already expected how much time she had left with her health slowly deteriorating.
However, no one can ever prepare themselves when death came by.
On the day, she passed away she apologized to me profusely. Was it guilt? Because the thought of leaving me alone in this world hurts her knowing she’s the only one I had left. Was it another reason? who knows.
Without even realizing, my feet went to her room. The room that once kept an old lady warm and cozy. Everything was when she left it. I never touched a single thing. or dare not even move even the chair.
I was still in denial. I couldn’t shed a single tear because it wouldn’t bring them back. Those tears would be useless. But somehow, it still flows.
