It's finally here!
Chapter 7: Healing and Agony
Miraj stared blankly at the stone. “Victor Joseph Alvi: 1998 – 2014” it read. He found himself hypnotized by the patterns of marble on the block, blotches of gray, black, and dark blue smashed together to form a painting. He sat down, faced the stone, and said in one breath;
“I miss you.”
He lowered his head, his eyesight focusing on the tall grass, obviously a bit too overgrown for a graveyard. It pricked at his legs, giving him an itchy feeling. He ignored it.
“Miraj, it’s time to go,” His father’s voice said behind him.
“Ok,” Miraj slowly got up, took one last look at his brother, and walked to the car with his dad without looking back.
--
Zelda pulled up to the house, it was in a state of disarray. It had been approximately two months since her sister was pronounced to be in a coma. She had just gotten back from the hospital; she had dropped Kaylynn and Parker at the school before.
She sighed and took out a candy bar that she bought at the hospital and started eating. It was stale, probably past it’s expiration date, but she paid no attention. She had to check on Dustin to see if his depression was improving.
She walked into the house, it was fairly clean, and Kaylynn and Dustin had been doing the housework since the accident. That was the only time Dustin was out of bed, to cook and clean.
Zelda saw him open the fridge, and then scrunch his nose from the smell. He took out some cleaning tools and starting cleaning the inside.
“Hi,” Zelda sad faintly. Dustin turned his head slowly and his lips formed a faint smile.
“Hello,” He replied, he continued cleaning at once.
“I was thinking..” Zelda began, “About that spaceship. You still want to see Arthur right?”
Dustin stopped cleaning, and exhaled at the ground. “Yes, I still want to go, the kids are on board too. However, with you being my sister-in-law and Arthur being my brother, I don’t think you’re qualified.”
Zelda shook her head. “There’s a raffle. They received complaints about friends leaving, so they are selecting one family or person to go along. I already entered myself.”
“How many other people are entered?” Dustin asked.
Zelda pursed her lips, “Around fifty,” she said.
Dustin chuckled. “Not the best odds,” he said, “But it’s good enough I guess.”
Zelda nodded, she felt a little sick to her stomach, the candy bar was coming out how it had entered.
“Excuse me for a second,” she said as she swiftly ran to the restroom.
Dustin continued cleaning.
--
Holly looked at her sandwich, blankly. Nothing could take the fear off her mind, not even Bebe Hart’s stories were not enough for her to awaken.
“..and then, mom screamed that there was a kangaroo in the backyard, and it was just a squirrel!” Bebe said, laughing. River McIrish chuckled, and Candy Ashleydale snickered.
“Johanna, are you okay?” Bebe asked her.
“I’m fine.” Holly said, slowly taking bites of her sandwich.
River looked to the right and saw Parker Langerak sitting with his friend, Ethan Bunch.
Parker was out of himself lately ever since his mother got into a coma. Ethan tried to make him laugh with an joke, but Parker wouldn’t budge. He eventually gave up and switched tables to sit with them instead, leaving Parker by himself.
Without thinking, River took her tray walked towards Parker's table.
“River, what are you doing?” River turned around and saw Candy gaping at her. The others joined in.
“He prefers to be alone.”
“Give him some space!”
“Let him be, he’s going through a lot.”
River ignored them and faced Parker. “Hi Park.” She said, smiling.
Parker looked at her, and nodded.
“How are you?” She asked, the other students looked horrified.
“Couldn’t be better.” Parker said sarcastically.
“Hey,” River said, she put her hand on his. He looked up ate her, a bit shocked, but, not uncomfortable. The other students look on, horrified. Candy Ashleydale even covered her eyes. The only one who wasn’t gasping was Holly, she watched, intrigued.
“Let me tell you something.” River took a deep breath. “My father was killed in a robbery. I saw it happen.” She gulped. “The thing that hit me was, he died trying to save my mother and I. When he died, amazement and fear took over me. My father and I didn’t talk much, we had an on-and-off again relationship, but he loved me like any parent would.”
Parker slowly listened and nodded as River went along., by now, a small throng of students, including Kaylynn, watched her.
“At his funeral I didn’t cry, I was upset, but he died trying to save me. That showed that he’d rather die than my mother and I. I applauded his bravery and his love.”
Parker was interested, he continued to listen.
“Your mother, I’m sorry what happened to her, but it’s not too late. She will live, and even if she doesn’t, which won’t happen, cherish her in your memories, she was on her way to feed you right? Then she died saving you. She is a brave woman. She is still here with us, don’t get upset, she will come back.”
Parker hugged her at once. The entire student body was watching them now. Someone else ran and hugged River, Kaylynn. That’s when Holly rose and started clapping, The other students joined in and applauded.
“Thank you,” Parker said, and Kaylynn nodded.
--
“That was unbelievable.” Bella said as she and Mortimer hopped onto her bikes.
“It truly was,” Mortimer agreed.
“Say, when we get to my house, want to watch a PG-13 movie?” Bella winked as they flew down the sidewalk.
“I don’t know..” Mortimer said. “What movie is it?”
Bella smiled. “You know the one that came out in 2003, about the home invasion?”
“Laser?”
“Yes, that’s it. My brother rented it a few days ago and said I could watch it with you this weekend.”
“Sure, I’m in!” Mortimer smiled.
They continued biking and didn’t notice they traveled by a closed off intersection with yellow tape sealing it off. It was the site where VJ Alvi’s and Illiana Langerak’s crash happened.
When they got home, Michael told the duo Bella’s mom had the confiscated movie, so they discretely watched it on SimFlix instead. It was a cheesy movie, but intense. Bella and Mortimer were glued to the screen, jumping at some parts. After the movie was over, Bella’s mother called them down for dinner.
Jocasta had made some Stir-Fry with wheat noodles on the side, it was tasty. Mortimer swallowed it down in five minutes.
“Mom,” Bella said as she got up from the table, “Can I tell him about what happened Monday?”
Jocasta’s face turned pale. To summarize what happened at the house Monday, one word could be used: paranormal.
Jocasta had just picked up Michael and Bella from school, they had recently arrived home when Jocasta noticed the sink was on, she had left it off before she had departed, which struck her as odd. She turned the sink off and hoped the water bill wouldn’t be affected.
About half an hour later, she heard Michael shout, and she ran up to Michael’s room.
She saw Bella on the floor, she appeared to be unconscious. She called 911, but kept getting on-hold. Bella eventually calmed down, and Michael concluded she had had a seizure. The family had no history of epilepsy, which striked her as odd. Simis took Bella to the Dr. Morita the next day. Morita concluded that Bella possibly had a brain tumor. She got screened for one, but tested negative. Morita then concluded it was an abnormal seizure and could not determine the cause.
“Mom?”
Jocasta returned to reality. She looked at Bella and bit her lip. “Fine, you can, just don’t do it down here, okay?”
“Thanks Mom!” Bella said, she grabbed Mortimer’s hand and they ran upstairs.
--
Bebe Hart sat with her parents at the table. Gritting her teeth, she gazed at her father. He lacked a haircut, had shoes that he bought back in the 80’s, which were reduced to rags and patchwork. He was really not the sharpest knife in the drawer. His intelligence was odd, and he spouted random words.
Bebe’s gaze shifted over to her mother, she was talking to her imaginary friend.
“You know..” Bebe said, shifting her vision from her mother to her father. “I’m going to Johanna’s house.” She got up from the table and left, her parent still immersed in their own little worlds.
--
Holly heard the doorbell ring, and Erin motioned for her to hide. Erin opened the door, and a dark-skinned girl with dreadlocks stood there.
“Hi, umm..Ms. Kennedy? I’m Johanna’s friend, Bebe.”
Holly recognized the voice. Bebe Hart! One of her best friends!
“BEBE!” she said excitedly, and ran out of her hiding place. Erin smiled.
--
“So the case is dropped?” Bebe asked.
“Yes, saw it in the newspaper. And thanks to Ms. Bakshi, Erin has custody of me now under my new alias. I just don’t like this punk look I’ve been given though. The dye did so much damage to my hair.”
“I understand.” Bebe smiled. “If it makes you feel better, I heard Ethan say you look hot in short hair.”
“Stop it, you know how I feel about Ethan!” Holly laughed and gently pushed Bebe.
“Ha!” Bebe grinned, then stopped. “You can’t stay like this forever, you have to tell the world at some point.”
“I plan on doing it once I’m out of school and my parents are on that spaceship.” She said. “No one will care, and I’ll live on my own and become a artist.”
Bebe tilted her head to the side. “What about Erin?”
Holly’s faced dropped. She liked Erin, she was almost a mother to her. “I don’t know..we don’t bring it up that much because we know what’s going to happen. It’s too late for her to drop out now.”
“I’m going.” Bebe said.
“Really?” Holly gasped.
“Yeah, my Uncle Simon was on that ship, and of course my mom wants to find her brother.” Bebe chuckled. “I love my parents, they may be insane, but their amazing.”
“Did you know him that well?”
“To be honest, I don’t remember. I can recall what he looked like, and his sanity was at my level but that’s it. I mean, it has been eleven years.”
Holly nodded and frowned. “All my friends are leaving.”
“I know, it’s sad. I’m sorry.” Suddenly, Bebe’s face lit up. “You could go! They think your Erin’s niece, right? You’d count as family!”
“That’s a great idea!” Holly said. “Erin told me that families of staff are going, I’d have to stay in a staff room though. They are a bit..bad.”
“How long have you been living with Erin?” Bebe asked.
“About three months. We share a room, she told me she is saving up for a separate bedroom for me, but changed her mind. That shuttle launches in July anyway. I can handle that.”
“Quite a change from your old house, huh?” Bebe smirked.
“Yeah, but I like this more. I adore simplicity.”
“Me too.” Bebe rolled her eyes, thinking of her parents. “Tell me about it.”
“Girls!” Erin called from the other room. “DINNER!”
“Let’s go,” Holly said, getting up. “Erin is a good cook.”
“You don’t want to see what food my parents make.”
--
“Do you want me to fire you?” Vita Alto scolded Officer Keaton. “I could, I’m a master of blackmail. Try to tell on us and we will ruin you and your husband’s life. Oh, and little Dimitri too!”
“Mrs. Alto, I could arrest you for those words.”
“I told you to find her! She knows our secrets, we cannot let her go free!”
“It’s already bad enough that you had to pay me to keep those, this is what happens when you keep secrets.”
“Did you check the school?”
“Yes, no one looked liked her. Except that one girl named Johanna-“
“Yeah, yeah. You showed me a picture of her. That’s not my daughter, she’s too low class. Plus, she had that awful gothic look!”
“I’m afraid I can’t help you. From what you’ve described, your daughter ran away for her own reasons.”
“You can’t do that!” Vita began.
“Yell again, and your secrets are out. I close this case.” Officer Keaton walked out the door.
“URGH!” Vita screamed. She picked up an expensive vase her husband had gotten her from Champs Les Sims and slammed it on the ground. It burst into a million pieces, scratching their marble floor and stabbing their luxurious velvet couch.
Vita cringed. If they found out her true nature..what really happened..she would cease to exist.
“Are you alright?” The maid said, Vita looked behind her. The maid looked dumbfounded.
“Yes, I’m fine Kate.” Vita knew that lashing out at Kate would get nowhere. She walked out of the room. “Clean that up.” She said sternly without looking back.
