Liar

Chapter 27

We focused on the road, talking here and there and enjoying each other's company. We were going to pull into my parents drove way until we saw the tape around the house. We parked along the side walk and got out. Keith looked at me worriedly. We approached the scene. An agent walked up to us.
" You can't be here unless you're family. " I nodded in response.

" My mom and dad live here, what happened?" The agent's face dropped. She looked solemn and not sad but pitiful. " What's your name, honey?"  A deep pit opened in my stomach. Something happened. " My name is Zoey Linden." Her gray eyes almost refused to meet mine and she walked into a car and brought out what looked like a letter. Every bone in my body vibrated and my heart filled with a grave sense of dread. Keith held my hand tightly.

" Your mother left this note for you. This is evidence but... Between late last night and early this morning was the scene of a murder-suicide." It was as if my lungs had no air in them. I couldn't understand. I heard her. But.... I turned over the letter.

My precious daughter,

You don't have to forgive me. I found pictures of you as a child. I'm disgusted at what I couldn't see right in front of my eyes and even as I write, it hurts. Your father won't ever be a threat to you anymore or anyone else. I failed as a parent and I failed as a mother. And I'd rather die than face you and beg for forgiveness when I know its too late and the damage has been done.

I love you.

Goodbye,

Mom

I was reading words that weren't making sense. I was confused. I looked to the agent once more. Her short red curls and brown eyes behind her large frames closed as she folded her hands in together.

" Love... This is your mother's suicide note. She shot your father in the back of the head and poisoned herself." Nothing made sense anymore. No....? I shook my head. It wasn't real. This wasn't real at all.... I felt a grip on my waist as the whole world went gray and everything was doubled. Thinking was hard as everything became huge. Or closer...I couldn't tell which.
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A mask was over my mouth. All I saw was white lights and I was so confused. Someone was holding my hand. I couldn't move my head a lot so I couldn't see who but it was probably Keith. This was what his touch felt like. There was a rumbling sort of noise and I kept falling unconscious.
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I gasped. I tried to get up but my muscles felt weak. I could see Keith sitting next to me and trying to calm me down. I looked around. I had been taken to the hospital. " You fainted, Baby. Here's some water. How do you feel?" I held his hand and drank some water. My mouth was dry as dirt and my lungs felt over-used. My voice felt hitch but I trusted myself more as I drank water.

I nodded " I'm all right. Keith... Please stay." He nodded. I had been changed into this ugly checkered dress thing that hospitals thought was efficient for me to wear. I hated them. I placed my water bottle on the Taupe counter to my right and sighed. I lie back into my pillow, almost depressingly. My mom and dad didn't deserve such horrible deaths no matter how bad they were of people towards one another. Or me. But maybe that was the abuse talking.

I was discharged quickly after, having been sent home with 2 bottles of water. I couldn't say much on the car ride home. I was emotionally exhausted. My white tag was still on and so was my bracelet underneath. I had so many questions that only led to more questions with few to no new possible solutions or answers to follow.

" Babe." I whispered hoarsely. He nodded, not turning to me but acknowledging. I took a sip of water.

I sat up " I'm so happy you proposed to me. But I have a question about the bracelet you gave me." He nodded again.

" What's the power source? You said that the bracelet was a power source but it has to get its power from somewhere."

He made a left turn onto our street " Me." My confusion sunk in again. He got out of the car and walked around to get me out of the passengers. I took his hand and stepped down. He walked me into the house and he closed the door.

" How are you the power source of the bracelet? Is it dangerous?"

He shook his head " It's not dangerous. You get my abilities by way of the bracelet but none of my energy is used. You'll get your second bracelet soon but when you do, you'll need to do something to cover them up. The bracelets will become obvious to others as your power source if we ever decide to join a coven again."

I stared at the bracelet. Dazed as ever I simply looked at my feet. I heard him calling my name. I looked up but he seemed so distant. Or it was me. It was definitely me. " Zoey." He whispered into my ear. My eyes shot up at him, giving him my full attention. " We don't have to see my parents tonight if you aren't feeling well." I shook my head.
" No. I'll do my best to be present while they're here. That's the least I can do. He closed his eyes and pulled me in for a long hug. The sun was fading into the horizon outside of the window. I couldn't even function properly. My mom killed herself. She killed herself because she didn't even know how to apologize to me or forgive herself. And I couldn't do anything. Maybe powerlessness was passed down to me. Maybe that was my family keepsake.
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I watched as his family walked in. I greeted them one by one, thanking them for coming. Keith looked torn between happy, anxious and concerned. I grabbed his hand and kissed his cheek
" It's okay." He thanked me and took my hand, leading me to the dining room. We all took our seats. I didn't make food to be curteous of the men in the room who were discomforted and irritated by the smell of it. I held Keith's hand, as I was so anxious. They all looked at us. His father was amused by the silence that hung in the air. A woman with long red hair watched me very closely but not in a malicious way.  I could tell the woman with dark brown curls and blue eyes was his birth mother. Hers weren't like his though. Hers were a lot colder and... Not meaner but heavily guarded. I looked at my hands. Silence.

" What happened to you, Zoey?" I looked at his father. I had lifted my hand to straighten out my hair." Um I just came back from the hospital this afternoon." He rolled his eyes " I can see that. But what for?"

I paused and asked myself if I was ready for this conversation. " I don't think I'm ready to say." A pang of grayness hit my vision again but I ignored it. It wasn't that serious. His eyes lingered on me for a moment than looked back at the table. Everytime I blinked my vision seemed to be a new hue, everything gradually getting lighter. " Honey you don't look well at all. You can have some water." Keith turned to me, pushing my hair out of the way. After examining me, he brought over 2 glasses of water, which I thankfully drank. His brother looked at me in concern. " You're already married to Keith, huh?" I gently nodded in response. His hand had a grip on mine, giving me his energy.

" I did not push you out so that you could marry a human." His mother uttered, talking directly to him. " Who's problem is that? And I thought we were passed this." I drank the last of my first cup of water.

" For you to make mockery of his decisions require you to have been in his life to prevent them, which neither of us were." His mom gave his dad a steely glare.

I rubbed my neck and started to feel a prickly sensation in my wrist. " Look, I know that a relationship like ours may not be ideal and you guys don't have to like it at all. But please respect it. " I mumbled softly. Everyone except his mother agreed.

" Zoey when did you meet Keith?" I thought she was his adoptive mother.

" I met him about 6-ish years ago? My brain hurts, I'm sorry. But this summer we'll have been together for 7 years." Keith nodded in agreement. His mom didn't take any interest in me and simply ignored everyone. " Well I'm happy for you two. " she murmured sweetly. Pang. My vision began to swim. I felt something like a hole in my chest. Just an aching pain. Everything was gray but I could see everyone walk towards me slowly but again, I couldn't tell.