Blood Moon Rising

Chapter Five

Chapter 5

Home. There were so many mixed emotions tied into that one word. Home had never been a place for her. Fayae had hoped New York would be and after that dismal failure, perhaps Forest Peak would turn out differently.

Alise Johnson was a hard woman to understand. Of course she'd spoken to her mother in New York but they'd done what they always did after a big fight. Gloss over it and pretend it never happened. Of course it was easier for Alise now that Fayae had conceded defeat and moved back home but the tension and careful tiptoeing on egg shells was still there heavily between them.

In her mother's kitchen, with her whipping away at frothy pancake mixture she couldn't feel less at home. "She'll be alright Fayae." attributing her daughters quiet countenance to Trinity who had yet to awaken from her coma, Alise tried to comfort her. "Thanks mom, is there anything I can do to help?"

She hadn't been thinking about Trinity. Couldn't bear it. The pain in her chest refused to leave and she actively steered her mind clear to breathe. There was no explanation, they had brought her out of the induced coma but Trinity had not awakened. The swelling on her brain had reduced and cleared, her vitals were all normal, her responses correct to stimuli. These were all great things. Yet her eyes remained shut. On the fifth day they'd asked her to leave. Patients often remained in comas for years with no medical reasoning. It was foolish to wait beside her bed day in and day out. On the seventh day, after hospital staff and her sisters had no luck, they'd sent her mother.

While that hadn't worked either, she hadn't been able to refuse hospital guards after repeated power outages and fluctuations on Trinity's floor put the area on high alert.

And here she sat, about to eat pancakes while Trinity wasted away in a hospital bed. The guilt ate at her relentlessly. Why Trinity and not her? Nothing made sense anymore and while her days were tormented by guilt and fear, her nights were an altogether different story.

The dreams had continued. Seeming to gain clarity ever night, one small detail at a time. The shadows took form.

Or rather solidified from smoke into decernable...creatures as she watched. With hollowed eyes and screaching elongated mouths they seemed to claw at the air around the white light who'd now become solid itself but rather than floating terrifying waifs, broad shoulders and scarred hands appeared driving bright engery at the attackers who'd driven her and Trinity off the road.

Though no matter how hard she tried to coax her vivid imagination, no face would appear on her avenger.

Of course waking Fayae knew her fevered imaginings were her minds way of making sense of the crash it didn't stop the frustration leaking in at not being able to bring his face into focus.

Who held her was less of a mystery.

Dark and scary stranger's voice rumbled beneath her ear. Somehow he had been awarded a cameo night after night.

Now the dream didn't end with pain.

Now his eyes holding hers, his skin scorching into her own as he held her brought a different level of uncomfort.

"Syrup?" abruptly snapped out of her musings Fayae shook her head. "No, thanks Mom but I'm not terribly hungry."

Alise's glare was all too familiar. "Starving yourself won't make Trinity wake up Fayae and you know perfectly well she'd be just as mad at you if she woke up and you'd starved to death!"

With her plate unceremoniously dunked in front of her Fayae shook her head, Trinity and her mother had very similar thinking patterns it was true.

" Girls pancakes! "

As her sisters hurried feet galloped down the stairs Fayae wondered if all people suddenly felt like carefree children again when coming back home. It was a gift, of that she was sure.

Oh dear to spoil the mood. But it couldn't be helped. Safety was after all in numbers and who knew when they'd all be round a table together again. Fayae timed it carefully, watching her mother take a bite and waiting for Nyx to do the same, with Lilith cutting a new bite, it was a delicate balance to ensure the desired response.

"So I've decided to move into Forest Peak."

And three, two, one.

"You have! That's wonderful Fayae!" Lilith with her unencumbered mouth was able to speak first. Nyx's eyes widened in shock her half full mouth hanging slightly open and her half chocked. Not exactly desired but it delayed the inevitable onslaught.

"Thanks Lil, Trinity said you'd been taking care of it abit, it's time one of us took over and made that place the home Gram intended."

Lilith looked slightly hurt, a frown crossing her delicate features but before Fayae could ask how she'd upset her, the shrieks exploded." You cannot live in that house Fayae I forbid it! Lilith you're to stay away from there too!" Alise jumped to her feet and began ferociously cleaning. "That place should be burned to the ground!"

All too used to the sudden cleaning frenzy when their mother was upset the girls ignored the sudden flurry of activity and uneaten plates of food being whipped away. Nyx noting Fayae's face and Liliths down cast countenance wisely said nothing. When Fayae and their mother were about to get into an all out war it was best not to get involved or risk either one's fury and both had tempers to behold.

Surprisingly to everyone Fayae kept her seat and simply sighed. "Mother I know you detest the place, though you refuse to tell us why, I cannot logically let a perfectly good home, that has been in our family for generations please note, just crumble into dust!"

Nevermind that the girls were now adults and Alise could forbid nothing, Fayae wisely kept this last remark to herself.

" Gram left it to me and it's my duty to keep it in the family, besides I-"

" Enough! You will not and that's final! "

The dish towel was thrown into the sink and dishes crashed as Alisel- swung round in fury. Lilith sank lower on her chair and Nyx silently closed her eyes in a quick prayer that the roof above them would still survive."You never listen Fayae! Not about New York, not about this! You've no idea what that house -"

Palms smacking onto the counter as she stood Fayae held her ground. "Simply because you insist on treating us like children and refuse to tell us what the hell is so wrong with that house!"

"Because Minnie Flint was not the only Flint child to die in that house!"

Instantly remorseful Alise slapped a hand over her mouth as all three girls stared at her in horror.

Lilith moved first, wrapping her arms around Alise, "Mom, you could've told us."

Nyx moved to her other side, "Of course we'd have understood, we lived through it too."

Fayae stood frozen. She'd known. All along she'd known Fayae wasn't crazy. She'd left her to drown in scorn and criticism and fear alone, all these years. She dropped her head, holding onto the table for support, focusing on deep breathing. This couldn't be a fight now. Nothing would change what Alise had done. She desperately yearned to leave, to get away for the consuming anger. But she needed to know. "What happened?"

"Oh Fayae I don't want to discuss-"

"Dammit mother what happened! After all these years the least you could do is tell us the truth finally!"

Tears leapt to her eyes and Fayae barely restrained herself from growling. "Fayae.." Lilith cautioned sensing her sisters rising fury, cautioning her not to say anything she'd regret. Pulling free of her youngest daughter's embraces Alise matched off sniffling towards the stairs. The familiar sound of the bedroom door slamming had Fayae exploding, "You do realize that if she'd told us the truth, ever, that Minnie might not have died that night? We might never have been there if we'd known!"

It was too much. The lies in her family piled up to suffocate her. She needed to get out.