"Simon!"
"Y-yes father?"
"There's someone I want you to meet, get down here."
Slowly descending the main entrance stairs there stood a tall figure in the doorway.
A woman, a bit on the older side, but I could tell by her armor that she was a knight.
"This woman will be personally protecting you and your brother now."
"Her name is…"
Shatter.
"God… no."
Planting my foot into the ground I ran back to the cabin as fast as I could.
"Can you please teach me how to use a sword? I wanna be like ___."
She smiled, bending over to ruffle my hair. "___ is special, he was trained by your father after all. I could never match his skills."
I tripped over uneven ground as I sprinted, my arm skidding across the dirt as skin ripped from my elbow.
Punching the ground I pushed myself up.
Finally reaching the cabin the front door was wide open.
Stepping inside that sweet, pastry scent wasn't there.
I walked into the hall as Dahlia held a crying Runi in her arms.
Her words were slurred, tears raced down her face as she stepped closer to me. "Simon… Simon, I'm sorry."
She hugged me as she cried on my shirt. We walked together to Ms. Valeria's open door as Dahlia covered her mouth in tears.
Turning the corner there laid Ms. Valeria's body.
"I wanna see the city miss!"
She smiled, kneeling down to me as she pointed to my chest. "One day, you'll be strong enough to see the city without me."
I flexed my arm. "I am strong!"
Laughing, she pressed her palm against my heart. "Real strength… comes from here."
A man ran into the room holding a letter, giving it to her, she frowned and slipped it into her pocket.
She ruffled my hair one final time as she cackled. "Looks like I have a job to do Simon."
I could feel my chest tighten. "I don't want you to leave!"
Her laugh filled the room. "Don't worry, I'll be back before dinner tomorrow."
I extended my arm out, but I couldn't reach her.
She walked away waving her hand as the door closed behind her.
Snapping out of it, Dahlia gently grabbed my shoulder as she nodded.
I rubbed Runi's back, walking into the room as they stayed in the doorway.
Everyone stood around Ms. Valeria's bed, but not every reaction was the same.
Marcel didn't make a sound, kneeling as he held Ms. Valeria's hand. I couldn't make out his expression, nor read his body language.
I could tell Alex was trying his hardest to keep it together. His whole body shuddered as he stood next to Marcel.
Just seeing his face felt like a punch to the gut, his lips quivered as he wiped at his eyes.
He turned to leave as his gaze met mine. Looking to the ground he walked right past me.
I didn't turn, I didn't even care to consult him. I knew how he felt, I knew I gave him false hope… and I know he won't forgive me for it.
Finally taking a breath after what felt like eternity I stepped closer to the bed.
My eyes widened. Her face… it was smiling, even in death, she was smiling.
Thump.
"Where is she!"
I kicked the table again.
Thump.
"She said she would be back by now!"
"What did we say about manors Simon, we don't kick the table at dinner."
"Oh cut him some slack mother, our little maid disappeared and now he's sad. He'll get over it."
"Enough."
A cold silence befell the room. He stood up, adjusting his cuffs as he pushed in his chair.
He walked with a sense of tranquility, but also power.
The echoes of his footsteps carved a hollow spot in my brain.
Clump.
Clump.
Clump.
Clump.
He stood tall, his hands in his pockets as he looked down on me.
My father.
"She was a failure. She couldn't protect her own, so why would I continue to let her protect mine."
"She's forbidden from coming back here so forget about it. You won't be seeing her again."
Tears streamed down my face, but not for the reasons I thought they did.
I wasn't crying seeing her body, for some reason I couldn't, even if I wanted to.
These tears, they come from the doors that Ms. Valeria singlehandedly broke down. The doors I've had locked my whole life.
These memories that are flooding my mind, places I've never seen, voices I've never heard. It all felt so… familiar.
Why…no, who is Ms. Valeria?
I looked at Jackson across the bed. He tugged at the covers as Cleo stood behind him.
"Come on already, wake up. Stop playing around!"
He awkwardly laughed as Cleo's face went dark, grabbing Jackson's arm as he shook his head.
"Come on Cleo, tell her to wake up!"
His body trembled. Pulling Jackson in he tightly hugging him as he caressed his head.
Jackson broke down in his arms, his screeches being drowned out by Cleo's shirt.
Luther stood at the base of the bed. His eyes were clenched as he looked away.
Looking down I noticed Marcel still hadn't moved a muscle. I went to place my hand on his shoulder as he swatted it away.
He looked at me with what felt like pure malice. His cold stare pierced through me and spread throughout my body.
My mind screamed at me to step back but my legs wouldn't move.
Am I… scared?
Dahlia patted my back. It felt like the imaginary shackles restricting my movements snapped at the links.
Motioning for me to follow her we walked through the hall into the living room.
She pulled a chair from the dining table as I flopped onto the couch.
Dahlia sniffed, using a single finger to wipe her tears. Her voice choppy, her face red.
"Y-you should go check on Alex."
My eyes began to wander. I dragged my hands down my face, breathing into them before resting them on my thighs.
"I think we should give him some time."
Sinking into the couch I looked to the ceiling, almost as if all the answers to my problems were painted there in bold letters.
"You guys alright?"
Peeking into the hallway Cleo leaned against the wall, his face also a little red.
Dahlia sniffed. "Yeah… we have to be."
We gave each other quick head nods as he took a deep breath. "We uh, we need to do something about her body soon."
"How about we hold a funeral, maybe in the backyard tonight?"
A faint smile grew across my face. "I think we'd all like that."
Pushing myself up I walked to the front door, turning around to Dahlia before opening it. "I think I will go check on Alex."
She gave me a nod as I closed the door behind me.
The air outside felt different—better. I walked along the forest path taking in the scenery as I went.
It all felt so different. The trees swayed, wind flowed, birds chirped, but something just felt… different, like the whole forest knew what happened today.
Alex soon came into view. He stood in front of the dark pathway, his vusk stabbed into the ground.
I walked closer, deliberately stepping on sticks and leaves to make noise, but he didn't turn.
"Can we talk?"
He stood still, only his hair slightly swaying with the motions of the wind.
I sighed. "Look, Alex—"
"I'm finally free… right, Simon? The barrier is gone… I'm free to leave, aren't I?"
Walking to the oak tree I leaned against it, sliding into a sitting position. "You can't, can you?"
He chuckled as he grasped his vusk. "The outside world. The world I never saw, but the world that meant so much to me."
"It's like some unfair trade huh? I got what I wanted… what I used to dream about—what I got stronger for. And it feels like it was all for nothing."
"You know, you gave me hope Simon."
"I'm glad… you gave me hope."
My fist tightened around the grass I sat in. "No."
Alex looked confused as he turned to me.
"I lied to you. I knew there was no hope, I knew there was no getting the barrier down."
"I told you that we could find a way—get Ms. Valeria to do it, but I lied."
"There was always only one way of that barrier going down…"
"She told me that just yesterday. And today… she was gone just like that."
"So, I'm sorry. I should've been honest with you, but you were so happy. I didn't want to be the one to tear that down."
A wave of silence washed over us, the only noise being the sounds of nature resonating throughout the forest.
He stepped closer to me as he leaned against the oak tree. "You know, last night was probably the best night of sleep I've gotten in a long while."
"And it was all thanks to that lie you told."
"We aren't stupid, everyone knew this would happen one day. The best way to move on is to honor her in any ways we can."
"Your paintbrush, you wanna get stronger don't you? Do it for her."
Walking in front of me he extended his arm out, helping me up and pulling me in for a hug. "We'll get through this as a family, and then, when we're ready, we'll see the outside world together."
I couldn't help but almost tear up as we embraced. With Ms. Valeria gone and my head in shambles, it really is nice to have someone to fall back on.
My real family.
"We'll all be free one day, Simon."
We walked back to the cabin together, Alex taking his vusk with him this time.
Opening the front door a slight chill overtook us. Dahlia sat on the couch with a cover over her as Jackson slept on her lap.
The lights were out, the only sort of illumination coming from outside.
Alex frowned as he lowered his head. "Don't tell me."
Dahlia forced a smile on her face while caressing Jackson's back. "Everyone is outside, besides Marcel that is."
Alex laid his vusk along the table as he flicked the light switch a few times.
Dahlia sighed. "We tried that, nothing."
Scratching at his chin Alex scanned the kitchen. He walked to the oven as he tried to turn it on, but to no avail.
"It was her creativity." He muttered.
He ran his fingers across the oven top. "Valeria's creativity powered everything."
Dahlia eyes visibly watered as she smiled. "She really did hold everything together, didn't she."
I kneeled down to Jackson. "How's he been holding up?"
Dahlia let out a dry chuckle followed by a sniffle. "Poor baby cried himself to sleep, sometimes I do forget he's still a child."
Alex threw his vusk over his shoulder as he walked through the living room.
Before getting to the backdoor he paused. "Should someone check on Marcel?"
Dahlia sighed once more, gently replacing her thigh with a pillow as Jackson faintly snored.
"We tried already, he refused to talk to any of us, I think it's best he be alone right now."
Alex shot me a look as I shook my head. Holding the door for Dahlia we stepped into the backyard.
Cleo and Luther stacked logs atop each other as Runi softly sobbed on the old bench.
Upon seeing me she ran over, jumping into my arms. Her warmth absorbed the chill from the cabin.
Wiping her eyes I rested my hand on her head as Alex spoke to Cleo.
I instantly noticed Luther's expression, almost like he was dead inside.
I know that expression too well.
Smiling, I tucked Runi's hair behind her ear. "I'm gonna go talk to Luther."
Although teary eyed, she still managed to smile as she nodded and took a step back.
Luther just stood there as Cleo and Alex talked, it felt as if he wasn't even there mentally, staring into nothingness.
I placed my hand on his shoulder, startling him as he jumped.
"Simon, what's up."
I shot him a quick smile. "I know things have been difficult, you alright?"
He faintly smirked, crossing his arms as he looked to the ground. "I'm fine."
I know he's lying.
"You sure?" I said with a little doubt in my voice.
"Yeah, I'm good."
Even though he said he was okay I lingered around him, glancing at him everytime I got the chance.
I caught that expression again. That distant, empty stare into nothing.
I nudged his arm as he quickly turned to me. "You may want to go inside, cool down a bit. You don't have to hold—"
He grit his teeth, fully turning to me as he stuffed his hands in his pockets. "I said I'm fine! I don't need you trying to tell me how I feel, why'd you even come over here?"
"I came over here because we're family." I said, but that did nothing but piss him off more.
Before he could say anything else Cleo tapped his arm. "Let's go see how Marcel's doing, the woods all stacked."
Luther side-eyed me as he left. "So much for that." I mumbled under my breath.
Alex walked up to me with a grin on his face. "Cleo is a genius."
I chuckled. "How so?"
Using his vusk he pointed to the platform made of logs behind him. "Him and Luther were working on it. They had the idea to burn her body, giving it back to the flame that represented her."
Alex smiled ear to ear, a tear running down his cheek as he wiped it with his palm. "I think she could truly be free this way."