The Graveyard

The Other Side

   Crystal peered from the kitchen when she heard the front door slamming shut and footsteps rushing up the stairs. Brows creased, she put the plate she was wiping down and walked out into the hallway, her eyes glaring up the staircase.

   "Corbin?" she called out but got no answer. Shaking her head, she went back into the kitchen and proceeded to wash the dishes. "I don't know what the heck is up with that boy, he's been acting really weird for the past few days."

   "He's a teenager, you know how kids his age are, Crystal." Connor said from his place on the dining table, eyes silently reading a newspaper in his hands. "It's a new school, new town, new friends, furthermore he might still be a bit shaken because of what happened to him. Give him time, he'll come around."

   "Hopefully, it's been a week since he started school and he still wouldn't talk to me about it. Think he's not getting by alright?" She wondered, turning around to look at the elderly man, he smiled warmly and gave her a faint headshake. "Don't worry, he gets along fine with others, you know your boy.

   She sighed and turned to her work again. "Well, my boy hasn't been himself lately. I'm starting to think moving here wasn't such a good idea after all, I mean," she paused for a second "look at what he did to himself."

   "You still think he tried to kill himself?"

   "Well, yeah. What else could it be?"

   He stared at her for a moment before sighing and getting up, folding the newspaper down and heading out. "Where to?" She asked, seeing him waving off and mumbling something, catching her husband's name among his unclear words. She pursed her lips in thought and put the dish in her hands down, turning off the water and venturing towards the stairs.

   She knocked on the door once she was in front of Corbin's room, knocking again when no replay came. Huffing a minute later, she opened the door and got in, only to frown a little when noting that he wasn't there.

   "Corbin?" she called, looking around. His bag was on the bed, his jacket was tossed aside, shoes laying in the corner across the room. She sighed, thinking he may have gone to take a shower. Deciding to talk to him later, she turned to leave but not before something from behind the window glass caught her eye.

   Her brows wrinkled in observation as she walked closer until she stood near the pane, eyes going wide when she took in the sight of dozens of black birds coating the tree overlooking her son's room, their eyes a radiating color of blue as they gazed her way, silently settled upon the crumbling, leafless branches.

   Feeling suddenly chilly, she rubbed her arms and backed away slowly, the view somewhat unsettling her, watching as the birds suddenly flapped their wings and flew off.

   "Mom?" She gasped and jumped in her place before turning around, placing her hand over her heart and sucking in her breathes, she glared at her son. He had a towel over his head and was wearing some sweatpants and a light shirt that could do nothing in protecting him against the cold. "Don't do that! You scared me." She exclaimed. "And put more clothes on, do you want to catch a cold?"

   He eyed her weirdly as he dried his hair. "Okay." He said loosely, dropping the towel on the counter and walking towards his closet, he took out a black long-sleeved shirt and put it on before turning to his mother. "What's up?"

   She quirked her brows. "What? Can't a mother come and check on her son every once in a while?"

   "We live in the same house, mom." He responded, grabbing a pair of socks and dropping on the bed. 

   She leans against his desk and crosses her arms. "Yeah, but you barely talk to me anymore. Sweetie, is everything alright?"

   He slipped on his socks before rubbing his knees briefly, looking up at her. "Yeah. Why wouldn't it be?"