Frozen Watch

Looking out from underneath,

Fractured moonlight on the sea

Reflections still look the same to me,

As before I went under.

And it's peaceful in the deep,

Cathedral where you cannot breathe,

No need to pray, no need to speak

Now I am under.

CHAPTER19

“Isaac just tell me!” the sound of the chains around my waist fills the silence. They clang together and a passing bird cows, I’ve taken Silvia rock climbing. “Look I don’t know,” She flushes then reaches up grabbing onto the rock that I was aiming for, “you can’t just keep bringing it up and then tell me you ‘don’t know,’ I’m sick of it ok? You have such little faith that everything's fine. You’ve got little to no evidence that something is ‘up’ with them.” I stare at the golden brown rocky wall my hands finding a good leverage point; I grab it and push getting back to Silvia’s level. I had told her about the phone call with mum. Yet she is denying that this is odd behaviour. Our parents have something hidden, that is on the surface of being told to us, I keep wishing away that it’s nothing serious, but I feel like maybe one has cancer, or Bindi’s been kidnapped, when was the last time I spoke to my little sister? “Maybe you’re just in denial,” we both say at the same time. I pause to let her speak, and she does the same, I wait a bit more as still as a lizard before it runs away, “You have the perfect relationship, you’re seeing your family soon and you’re a powerful being, everything's just so great and perfect, I just feel like you don’t believe in it, like you think every right has a wrong or whatever.” I sigh, “Silvia, what part of my experience here has been perfect? I’ve now lost all my good friends, turned into-well am a creature. I’m not even human. I have a relationship that is always on the edge of breaking, and I’ve now seen a dead body. The only ‘great’ thing that has happened is meeting Rose, because I love her, and now even she’s at risk of being taken away from me.” Silvia huffs, “I think that maybe you are the one in denial, of cause I trust mum and dad... but they’ve been off, why did they send us before themselves here?”
“-because of finance-,”
“why do they keep acting funny on the phone? Hey, why do they forget that to call every weekend? I swear Silv, SOMETHING is going on, that’s not normal, don’t say it is,” I climb up a bit more and we both concentrate on the activity at hand until we reach the top. By that time I’m exhausted I’m all sweaty and I can see my skin tanned even more. “Don’t come crying to me when they drop a bomb on us. They’ve lied our whole life about what we are; it’s more than likely they have other secrets.” I pour some water on my head the refreshing feeling fading quickly, it’s over 3o degrees today, and my school hours haven’t helped. Tomorrow is Lachlan's funeral and my explanation to not going with Rose was harsh but true, he used her and I’m not going to go to a respectful place for someone I never respected. Also I didn’t know him, I’d feel bad later that I was surrounded by people that cared while I clenched my teeth. Also I’d never admit it but going would make it all that more real, I can’t handle it, his corps is in every nightmare I have. I look down Silvia’s sitting down and texting. “Who’s that?” I ask popping my head over her shoulder, “NO ONE!” she squeals shoving the device in her chest. “Is it Adam?” She turns red, “how’d you know?” I smile, “twin telepathy?” she hits my leg with her spear hand before glancing at her phone then turning away from me to shield her conversation, “so I guess you’re over that other jerk?” she shrugs, “he was too uptight and formal anyway,” I laugh, “you’re so weird. Girls are so weird.” She suddenly giggles, “He’s asked to go ice skating with me, and he said that he doesn’t want me to judge him for... I think that says ‘being girly,’” another laugh escapes, “oh my god, you’re so girly!” she jumps to her feet and punches