I walk out of the gym carrying my mother. Police, newsmen, and students fill my vision.
378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqSXSCAvv18
378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe1sx4bXAxJ
I ignore their questions, camera flashes, and stares. I move through the crowd with my friends and last family member close behind. Tallow is sent to the hospital and Anthony goes to jail.
378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv9w4o2WaEj
378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAsBHijR4XY
My world is crumbling, so why is the sky so clear and serene? The days start to blur together after that moment. All of it grieving, all of it ignoring the press and preparing for the funeral.
378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBXfv78BXlD
378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl0a8hn5vLh
The presence of magic is now known to the whole world, but how could I care. My world is the one that matters and it’s shattered.
378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtndg2tu1ov
378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBEXmEvqZ8N
The only thing I can remember is her coffin being lowered into the ground. The only thing I could feel are the tears dripping off my face. The only thing could hear was Alyson’s sorrow contrasted with the cicadas.
378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnM9dmgiYaT
378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfFaLTmeEDc
Why? Why does the sun shine so brightly? Of all days.
378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjHKygcLoCL
378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhF06ura3bJ
We return from the funeral and open the door to a broken home. Without mom taking care of us…what do we do? What happens to me and Alyson? These questions haunt our minds as we drift off to sleep for that night.
378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5nfiKXN2TT
378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqhxTJgwahr
Answers arrive soon after we wake up. Since I’m going to become 18 soon, I won’t be separated from my sister. But someone has to pay for everything and thankfully, Nell’s colleagues from work help Alyson to get a job in sales.
378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxWjBRfS8s2
378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwpRHTLt2SC
She drops out of school and her position as queen. But this didn’t seem to upset her, she only looked at me before agreeing. I couldn’t read her emotions but I could help carry the burden. I’ll get a part-time job and help pay rent. Anything to keep us together.
378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZaOyA5GF28
378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaguBWWVL1O
As for school, I don’t have to go for some time. Most of the school body is dead and a large stone wall was made in honor of what happened.
378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQyGlpgwgxo
378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb8z4L8XPhr
Finally, there’s me. The cause of everything, all because I wanted to escape and change myself. Well now look, things have changed and they’re for the worse. I’ve escaped into a hell of my own making.
378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA4SDSgEIpt
But there’s one upside. 378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvp1PPtAcKQ
378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAg1fUv7oOu
I grasp that fucking ring in my hand and squeeze. I’ll survive this nightmare if it means I get to make this bitch suffer and eventually…die.
378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFuKm9YgVFD
378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTDsUmlfTe6
But to do that, I need to become more powerful. To protect Alyson from everything, I’ll need to become more powerful. I won’t let anything happen to her or my friends.
378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW81DmRz5rN
378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu1pyBaolSu
I’ll-
378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ512v4QFFmN
*Knock*378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOD2Bxs2Lsr
*Knock*
378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqRRvOuoCXy
I’m pulled out of the whirlpool inside my mind and go to the door. 378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡisjAGihXhk
378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU5b8HiCzgH
*Door Open*378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw1vx9QfjxZ
378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOEaCiz8Frl
Nao: “Hey Alyson.”
378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwQzLnoCag0
378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ5xeyrOnHu
Alyson: “…This is for you. I…just read mine and I…need some time.”
378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpm7J5KWRlY
378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm7sHWIgYFN
She hands me a letter addressed to me. Alyson closes the door but I can still hear her quietly sobbing.
378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnPryR1orFl
378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1F2iJ6FRKz
I open the envelope and immediately know what it is.
378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhJ9Cp97f1n
378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSinsLLdOmZ
Nao: “Mom…”
378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqSzML7PC2c
378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3eVSsPto7p
I sit down on my bed and begin reading.
378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsY3sRgYc2D
378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyw0oidr2u7
Nell: “Nao, if you’re reading this that means I’m gone. I’m sorry if I left you too early but I want you to know that it’s okay. Don’t blame yourself or sink into despair. You have a life to live and a sister to look after.”
378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk210juIeM0
378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0B8c9iQop3
Nell: “Alyson might seem all put together but I know she’ll need her brother when she starts to struggle.”
378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBsrqksPfbG
378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXPypscBVu9
Nell: “I always wanted you kids to be happy. Regardless of your success or what other people might think of you, I wanted you to find happiness. I know it’s possible for you both.”
378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGcuBwBfNmB
378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0foVjLc7sB
Nell: “So grief but not forever. You survived your father so you will survive me. Be happy and do good Nao. Don’t let my loss lead you down a path that would separate us forever. Goodbye, see when you come home.”
378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrqIrklqziX
378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUzveO8VQrr
Tears fall onto the paper as I finish her last words.
378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmeBmiK63cz
378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ92xMBabsLt
Nao: “I’ll try mom…I’ll try.”
378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPwC0JUN7uJ
378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡscpWRRCUIj
I put the letter away in a safe place in my room and think about what I’m going to do now. Protecting Alyson, paying the bills, doing good, it all starts with one thing.
378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgaCjRpPP90
378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrvHbfwy1bi
My path ahead is set. Many thorns and shadows lay across it but I have to keep moving forward. I must become stronger…and not just me.
378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN700kB2akZ
378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS1Ydh3UCnr
Points: 0378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv9vxVQUjvE
378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGChHAeF7gO
Nao’s Current Stats and Spells:
Level: 2378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp79HmJtHMo
Strength: 27378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2q5CTckOF2
Endurance: 31.5378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl8e7Vb2Ou3
Intelligence: 23.5378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX41janLZNm
Charisma: 21.5378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL739SlZdJF
Agility: 20.5378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡot3tgfCBit
Magic: 29378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZgWV6FQlQX
378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ4lgtXdJ7F
Spells:
Scan [Active]378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxnm7ctWHK9
Minor Illusion [Active]378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT5CkF3EeJn
Shape Shift [Active]378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs07IjZ523c
Magic Shield [Active]378Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWsulYydKZL
