Once Upon an AI's Story : AXEL

Chapter 1

It was gloomy Saturday. A cold breeze embrace Erin's emptiness. She stared blankly at the tombstone beneath her feet, where a noble yet unrecognized name was finely engraved.

'Sandra Austin, Born: January 20, 1995, Died : March 11, 2030'

Erin battled with the cold wind howling around. She doesn't want to feel warmth for her sorrow might melt and turned them into tears. She doesn't want to be a sobber.

'There is no room for a mourning soul.'

She reminded herself. After the internment of her mother, where it was only her and Caleb who bid good bye to Sandra, she stayed a couple of minutes standing there, making an eye to eye with the lifeless tulips, smiling bitterly at the image of her mother perfectly enveloped with delicated rose glass. Then she mumbled her farewell.

'I love you Mom. I'll make sure to find the one who did this to you. I promise to make them pay for this.'

She took one step backwards and turned her back. She did not even sneak on her mother's sepulchre and continue to walk away. The agony in her eyes is screaming yet she's preoccupied with the things she needed to become fully capable of living alone and hee first move to find the culprit. She only had her mother, and without her she didn't know wether she will be able to wander the world alone or just let the world kick her out. But before she will be eliminated she wanted to make sure, those who harm her mother will be the first one to be kicked out.

She went inside the cream white limousine that's waiting her for almost half an hour. She found Caleb her mother's assisstant, body guard and bestfriend inside. She wonder if her mother had an intimate relationship with Caleb but that's beyond her concern though. Caleb looked at her with sympathy and sadness. Even he, couldn't believe the fate of his friend. Now he was left with Erin, he thinks he needed to become more responsible this time. For Sandra and especially for Erin.

"Don't give me such looks Caleb. You are ruining my mother's will. "

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to. I'm just worried about you. You don't need to hide it. There's no harm in crying. "

"But crying will will make Mom sad. She must be happy now Caleb. I don't want her soul to whine because of my weakness. "

"But-"

"She never wants me to be sad. I'm sure before me, you already know that. "

Caleb gave up and diverted his gaze outside. He knows how Erin value her mother's words. Before Sandra died she left a note that wished to see them both happy. She doesn't want anyone to become devastated. That time, it's obvious that Sandra knows that she will be gone for good. So Erin tried her best not to cry or show any hint of pain and longing. But slowly she made herself as cold as ice. The cold wind outside go along with her in the limo.

Caleb took a regretful sigh before she faced Erin again.

"Your mother left something that's too hard to deal with. I suggest that you must take a look at it and.. "

"You're throwing my mom's coffee, now that she got a change of drink."

Caleb was taken aback. He sensed that Erin was thinking about betrayal. It was like, he wanted to spill Sandra's all secrets to someone else. But that's not what he is trying to impart. And besides, Erin was not anybody else. She is Sandra's daughter.

"That's not what I mean Ms. Austin. As the only child, you have the right for your mother's remnants."

Erin was too eager to know her mother's whereabouts. She find her mysterious and her actions were inexplicable. But now that her mother died, she also got a change of mind. She's not interested anymore. Whatever secret she had those should be burried with her peacefully. All she wanted is justice.

A feeling of loss invades Caleb's heart. He got no way out to keep and selflessly acknowledge Sandra's clandestine. He wanted to convince Erin to pay attention on his talking without counter words but she's unmoved. She always find her way to speak her thoughts. In the end, Caleb decided to hand Sandra's diary to Erin without giving a single word.

'Less word, less argument.' He thought to himself.

Confused, Erin make a second thought before holding back the old diary and then Caleb let go of it. He sighed in relief after Erin accepted the thing.

"I'm only accepting this, because it is my mother's personal thing. I wonder how you got this. I'll just keep this for a while and then maybe put it beside her the next day. "

Erin continually gave her statement as if she was just taking a simple day to day routine of her mother written on the diary. Caleb just shrugged his shoulder in response.

"It's all yours Miss Austin. "

And the ride went silent. No matter how hardly Caleb wanted to tell Erin that it was not a simple diary, he cant. He doesn't want to spoil her. For she might not accept the diary. Just like how she became uninterested on her mother's whereabouts now. Only Sandra's death.

Deep inside Erin's heart she wanted to drove back to the graveyard and beg her mother to wake up and live. But she had nothing to do with it. Together with her mother's death she must let the least possible things to die.

Inside the limo felt like a one whole lifeless year. Their trip back home was like that of a journey to the middle of Antarctica. Too far , too exhausting and too cold. Erin wanted to take a nap but everytime she attempted to close her eyes her heart started to race. Her phobia in darkness was strengthen because of the event that occured not so long ago.

On other side, Caleb was sneaking some concerned look at Erin. He wanted to lend his shoulder to her so she could at least rest her head, since she doesn't have any plans on lying on the couch. The limo turned left and the Austin's place was nearly seen. Erin started to compose herself. She flatten the end of her tousled white sleeves and brushed her hair. By simply looking at her just by now, you can't trace any spot of heaviness.

'I pity her'

Caleb wisphered between his thoughts.

The limo stopped and Erin jumped out. She went inside without paying attention to the maids waiting for her.

She went upstairs and searched for her room. When she reached it, she inserted the keys and it opened. She throws herself on her bed and burried her face between the soft pillows. The first thing she wanted to do is cry. But again, she was reminded that she must not make a room for a mourning soul.

'I missed you Mom. I wish you luck on your next journey.'

She wisphered on the picture of her mother standing at her bed side table.

She faced the ceiling and recollect all the smiling faces of her mom that she capture since day one. She smiled bitterly.

"I couldn't boost another set of smiling faces of yours now. "

She stayed on that position for more than five minutes before she drifted to a peaceful sleep.