Saying Goodbye
The short, bronze haired hybrid picked her way through the rubble that had once been her house, her small dragon wings shaking.
“Mum? Mum?” She whimpered, her eyes roving over the cement strewn ground.
Only a few minutes ago, she and her mother had been sheltering in their house, waiting for night to fall, so they could sneak down to the convenience store down the street.
“E-Erin?” A choked voice answered, breaking through the still, dusty air.
“Mum!” Erin cried, racing towards a crumpled wall, catching sight of a pale hand sticking out from under a pile of bricks.
Puffing and panting, Erin tugged at the pile of bricks, scattering dust and rubble around her. After a few minutes, she uncovered the upper half of a blonde haired woman, a pool of blood oozing out around her.
“Mum! Mum!” Erin screamed, terror squeezing her heart in a vice-like grip.
When night had fallen, she and her mother had been preparing to leave, when a Darkling monster had come bursting out of the basement. Her mother had shoved her out the front door, and the house had collapsed a few minutes later.
“Mum, wake up! We need to go!” She cried, shaking her mother’s shoulder desperately.
Erin shuffled closer to her, wincing as her clothes dragged in the increasing pool of blood.
“Erin. Are...you alright?” Her mother croaked, raising her head slightly.
A large cut ran across her forehead, spilling blood into her eyes. Her eyes were half-closed and matted clumps of hair stuck to her face.
“I’m fine, but we need to get out of here! I don’t know where the Darkling monster went!” Erin explained, tugging at her mother’s hand.
Adrenaline curled through her veins, as she whipped her head from side to side, searching for possible dangers.
“No...Erin, you go. I doubt...I’ll be able to make it two steps.” She coughed, pushing Erin’s hand away.
“Then I’ll help you! There’s a house just down the street!” Erin yelped, tears beginning to sting her eyes.
“Erin, you need to head to the house down the street. Otherwise...you’ll attract a Darkling monster, and then...we’ll both be dead. Now go!” She ordered, a familiar note of authority entering her voice.
Erin paused for a moment, staring down at her mother’s familiar face. Tears began to slide down her face, and her shoulders began to shake.
“I love you, Erin. I always will. Now, go. Quickly.” She murmured, shooting her a quavering smile.
Erin nodded, before turning and racing down the street, her heart hammering. Tears ran down her cheeks, making her vision blurry. Her feet flew over the ground.
Guilt tore at her insides as she put more distance between her and her mother. She didn’t want to leave her. Her mother had always been the one who took care of her, who made sure she was safe. She was the one who’d protected her, who’d kept her alive.
And now she was alone.
Erin scrambled up the cement drive and shoved the door open, slamming it behind her. The minute the door was shut, Erin’s legs gave out and she dropped to the floor. Her entire body shook with misery and tears choked her sight. She dug her hands into the plush carpet, sobbing wretchedly. All she wanted to do was go back and save her mother. But she couldn’t. She knew her mother was right. But she didn’t want her to be.
*
Erin lay curled beside the door, the musty scent of the carpet filling her nostrils. Tears still ran down her face, but she had no more energy to give to her misery. She wrapped her arms around herself, but it didn’t offer any comfort.
Suddenly, the sound of rustling caught Erin’s attention. She raised her head slightly, and caught sight of a small figure kneeling in front of her. Fear fueling her movements, Erin scrambled into a sitting position.
“Hey there!” The figure cried, in a tinkling voice.
It was a very pale girl, her black plaits contrasting starkly with her pale skin. Petite black bat wings curled around her. A slightly torn black dress hung off her skinny frame.
“W-Who are you?” Erin yelped, curling her wings around herself defensively.
“I’m...your sister!” The girl laughed, bouncing on the spot.
“But...I don’t have any siblings.”
“Well, I don’t know! I don’t k ow how these things work!”
“Well, how about this. What’s your name?”
“What’s your name?”
“Erin. Now, what about you?”
“Um...Rina! I am now Rina!”
“That sounds like my name.”
“Yeah, so?”
Erin began to reply, before giving up. Whatever this young hybrids deal was, she wasn’t really interested.
“So, why are you in here?” Rina asked, flashing her a wide, cheerful grin.
“Because...my mum told me to hide in here.” Erin murmured, a kernel of sadness settling in her chest.
“Where’s your Mum? Did one of those Darkling monsters get her?” She chuckled, still grinning.
Tears began to fill Erin’s eyes again, as she thought about her mother and the Darkling monster.
“I-I’m sorry. I didn’t...I didn’t mean to upset you.” Rina backtracked, nervously.
“It’s fine. I’m fine. Don’t worry about it.”
“Do you want me to leave?”
“No...You’re not so bad.”
“Thanks.”
“No problem.”
“So...can we be sisters now?”
