The mont I breathed the air outside instantly sothing about it just hit different.
Thunderstorm had pretty much turned the entire front of the house into a cluttered, wet ss that even a full day's raking and scorching sun shining wouldn't solve - but that's not what was different about it.
Maybe it was the lack of ignorance, knowing what I know now, being made aware of what encircled my childhood ho all these years, but the surroundings felt… lighter, sohow more tranquil in a way… even with the rain still drizzling down from the porch roof.
"You really did take it down, huh?" Sammy remarked, keeping steady again down the rickety steps. "I don't know how impressive that is in terms of magical feats but if it really was Mom that placed it herself, and considering what she is… that's gotta be pretty impressive, right?"
"Mmm… maybe, I guess," I murmured, too invested just trying not to trip on my feet to care at the mont. "But next ti she ever wants to put sothing up around the house again - tell her to just build a fence."
It was a long, slow, and absolutely agonizing walk to the barn that I really wasn't looking forward to, but as excruciating as it'll be, waiting was even more so.
The cold howl of the wind and the patter of light rain accompanied us on our stroll through the muddy dirt, and with every step forward, Sammy's sighs grew louder and more frequent, almost as frequent as my grunting at that.
"Amanda's not calling," She muttered at one point out of the blue. "Five-ten minute intervals. It's been fifteen, already. That's strange of her."
"Probably sleeping," I suggested, my eyes steadily focusing on that large looming building growing closer in the distance. "Worried herself to slumber. Let her sleep, no doubt she needs it."
"She said you promised you'd call her back."
"I will, I want to, as soon as I'm done," I said. "Not done just yet."
"And you also promised dinner too…"
I paused for a mont. "I fainted."
"Excuses," She retorted, shaking her head in an overt display of cold disappointnt. "You suck at keeping promises."
Honestly, compared to what I've gone through as of late, slander was a nice change of pace, really… just a nice breath of fresh air.
Speaking of air… once again, there was just sothing peculiar about it. Here, drawing closer and closer to the barn's entrance, it felt distinctly different. I could just sense it - darkness, a bleakness, an invisible cloud of negativity swirling, perating… denser, thicker… with every inch closer, the most unsettlingly thing was that it also felt strongly familiar, as it should… because of course, it reminded of .
And just who else in this whole wide vastness of the universe could remind of ? Take a lucky guess, I guarantee you won't be wrong…
"I'm regretting this…" the suddenly timid blur beside whispered. "Besides, with what's about to happen, is this really the perfect ti?"
"Then when will it be ever?" I asked her. "I'm not telling you to forgive her. But if you really want to go back now, I won't stop you."
She looked up at , throwing an annoyed look that I couldn't see. "And if I stay - then what? What do I even need to be here for?"
"That's up to you, Sammy, not ," I said, taking the first steps forward. "But if you really can't figure out a reason to be here, then you can just tell yourself you're only here just to keep an eye on . That works for you, right?"
For quite so ti, behind , I heard only a long silence, before eventually, faintly, footsteps stamped out that quiet, trailing closely along after .
There you go, Sammy.
The barn wasn't bolted shut like it was every other night. A simple tug, and both doors slowly swung open, and then… and then… y'know, I thought it was a little peculiar how distractingly silent it was outside the premises… no ambiance, not even a single creak… now I wish I could have properly appreciated that quiet when I had…
Beastly. That harsh, screeching scream piercing through the night the mont I parted the doors open, then ca the crashing, the shuffling, the sounds of objects being tossed and hurled about - yet all beyond deafened but one frantic demand.
"KILL !"
Harry was up on his feet and pressing himself backed against a wall, his usual kind, mild-mannered expressions grotesquely contorted by blind rage that even I could see, the ground around him a ss of scattered silverware, spoilt food, and tools. A gleaming silver tray ca hurtling towards only to land inches away in another deafening clatter.
"THAT'S ALL YOU KNOW TO DO, DON'T YOU?!" He shouted, his scratchy voice resounding in a coarse echo. "SO DO IT! SPARE US BOTH THE HASSLE!"
Harry had his wide, wild stare permanently affixed to sothing, to soone - a figure in dark standing a short distance away, and I felt it again, that presence, that sight… that reminder of … and yet at the sa ti, it felt so different.
Mom looked different.
I guess we barged in the middle of sothing.
Clad in a pitch-black that was even darker than the darkness itself. I recognized it almost imdiately. I've seen that sa blackness covering every inch of her before… in an old mory from a long, long ti ago… from soone else… soone far older than I - Ria's.
That gown - almost slithering, almost alive, it's dark furled edges gliding across the ground as she began to slowly pace about.
"Once again, I'd appreciate it if you would lower your tone when speaking," sounded her voice, contrasting his, ever as gentle and calm as can be. "Loud noises… it tends to be quite a bother to , you see."
He breathed out in a growl, hurling a fork directly at her which suddenly veered away in a completely different direction.
"Bitch…"
"And mind your tongue, please," Mom said sharply, her gaze slightly tilting backwards. "I don't appreciate that language, especially when my daughter is around to hear it."
Suddenly, it was as if Harry had been gagged. In an instant - silence. No longer growling or shouting, like he's lips has been forcibly sealed shut.
Beside , I heard Sammy hold her breath. I could feel her body tensing. A million questions probably already running a thousand laps in her head by the ti she even breathed out again.
Taking advantage of her silence, Mom did a quick turn, facing us fully with her usual sweet smile and on a face paler than white.
"Curiosity, hm?" She said, leaning her head at an angle. "Wondering what dear ol' Mom could be up to? Should have known erecting a silencing ward around was a waste..."
Sammy maintained her quiet, facing her with a glare that didn't have any weight in it. Mom saw it, saw her, and bead a small earnest smile.
"You're the last person I ever expect to see now, or even ever.... I've missed seeing your face," She said, and for a brief mont, she just stared. "Your eyes... trouble sleeping, hm?"
In the corner of my eyes, Sammy dropped her head. "Yeah..."
Mom gave a sigh, her smile fading slightly.
"I'm sorry."
Then quickly, her gaze drifted, slowly eting mine.
"Speaking of which, you should still be asleep," Mom said, and there, I noticed her black eyes exuding a darkness that I've never seen before. "Getting more and more rebellious by the second, aren't you?"
A familiar darkness.
"It's as if you don't even trust anymore," She chuckled, a familiar chuckle, yet different. "Do you?"
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