Alone but United

Chapter 8

Feeling the chill on her shoulders, Carter woke up. Breathing in the brisk air, she opened her eyes. Reminding her of the reality of what the last few days have been like.

She checked her watch and saw that visiting hours were almost finished. Getting up she put her hand on Tyson’s cheek and stared gently at him. Picturing what was on his mind, then kissed him ever so softly on his forehead. 

After she had left Carter went to her apartment. Arriving at the apartment buildings she looked up to see her window. Carter envisioned her younger self, looking at the window. She walked up the stairs and to her apartment door. Reaching for the knob Carter, then she recalled another memory. When the cops had knocked on the door and gave them the news of her father. The night that made her realize that she had to bury her childish dreams and her father. She ran wildly on the streets, trying to flush out the thoughts.

Carter finally stopped to regain her breath. She looked up and found that she was back at the tree. Carter started walking towards it, feeling like something was a magnet was pulling her in. Looking back at the street she could imagine the crash. How the drunken driver would’ve collided with her father’s car.

Turning back to the tree, Carter’s eyes caught the sight of the left rope. Feeling her hand’s wounds she rammed her thumb into the gaping scratches. Pressing into them to distract her. First she only saw Tyson’s limp body, but then the hair became auburn and the skin changed to a darker shade.

Carter stepped closer, but quickly placed her foot back when she heard the sound of glass. Looking down she discovered that she had stepped on glasses. Picking up the glass, she realized who was hanging on the limb. She looked up at his face, seeing his terror-struck face she went to reach for him.

“Alion!!!”

The floor below her stacked with the first step she took. Paying no attention to this, she took another step. Followed with more cracking of the ground and the sky. Carter, only concerned with reaching him, ignored her surrounding warning her. With another step, Carter fell through the floor. She reached out with her hand to Alion as she was engulfed by the darkness.

“Brother…”

Carter woke up. She seemed to have fallen asleep by her brother’s bedside. Rubbing her eyes, she recognized that someone had placed a blanken on her shoulders. Carter left the room to the front desk. She recognized one of the people at the desk and went to thank her.

“Thanks for the blanket, it’s pretty chilly tonight.”

“Your welcome sweetheart, how’s your mother?”

“Fine.”

“Well, get home safely.”

Leaving the hospital, Cater took a deatuar. She walked in the fog, gravel under her feet making the loudest crackling sounds. Carter turned and saw that she had reached her destination.

“Deven McAllen, 4402-4440.; and Alion McAllee, 4424-4442.”Carter remembered both of their funerals. 

Her father died of that wasted driver. Which not only left them without a father, but also with her dad’s family ripping all that was left to them. Before the death of Carter’s father, her grandparents were so close to Alion and her. Taking them under the wing of their grandfather McAllen. Teaching them the many things of the Kat culture. Always reminding them how much they looked like his family’s image and therefore they belonged with them. The Kat blood was the light in their blood

When Carter and her brothers stayed at the grandparents’ mansion. They were encouraged to beat and abuse Tyson. Telling them that his mouse brown hair showed his impurities. After a while they became brainwashed, beating him there. And when they were taken back home they smeared the mask on the buses and scratches were him just being clumsily. Playing with the neighbors and climbing trees. Then at home they would lay on the mental abuse.

After the death of her father Carter fell into a deep sadness. During this time she saw hope this death truly affected Tryson. That he felt sadness just as she did and anger towards the world. This part of her life is where she had light shine on the truth of the Kat lineage. How the true monsters were her grandparents. Not only the humanity of her brother shocked her into reality. After her father’s death her grandparent removed all interest in her. She was being used so they could get to her father’s inheritance.  

Carter shook her head. Trying to blur the thoughts in her head dragging her down memory lane. She had to stay focused. She couldn’t dig up her regrets in her life now, not as she is so close to graduating and almost ready to take major steps in her future. Ripping herself from where she stood, Carter returned home.

Laying in bed, she pondered the idea of her in her father’s office. Truly helping her family, at least what is left of them. And please her father and brother in their wooden boxes. All she has to do now is keep going. She’s made it this far, she just has to push herself a little longer.