Secrets of The Malones

Chapter 1 - Eve

Eve - Atmospheric Shift

August 28, 2018

An atmospheric shift caused me to stir from my slumber. It wasn't the first time one interrupted my sleep, but this one was different. This one caused an uneasy feeling to settle within. I stilled my body as I hesitantly opened my eyes. I was unsure what caused the shift, but I didn't want to make any quick moves if the culprit was near. My eyes adjusted quickly as they observed the darkness that engulfed my room; it was darker than usual. The window that rests atop my bed usually lets a spec of light seep in through the night, but tonight there was none. Concerning, but I doubt that has anything to do with the shift that's still lingering. Questions started to form as I lay there, unsure of what to do, the uneasiness building as the atmosphere grew darker. Something was happening, and I couldn't be the only one who felt it.

Movement sounded from downstairs. The person was quiet, barely making noise, except for the whispers of wind they caused. They moved through the house, disappearing and reappearing. What were they looking for? It didn't sound like they were going for our television or game console, so what could it be? Suddenly the whispers ceased, and the person appeared outside my door.

Shit, I quickly relaxed my body and closed my eyes. My best option was to pretend to be asleep until they left; maybe it would reveal something about what they were searching for. The soft click of my door echoed through the room a second later.

Silence engulfed the room after the door closed. The person's steps were barely audible; they definitely weren't human. It wasn't till they got close that I recognized who it was; Mom.

Her lavender scent wrapped around me, though it was faint. No wonder I couldn't identify her, but that concerned me. The lavender grew stronger as she leaned over. Resting a soft hand on my arm, she began to shake me. Attempting to pull me from the slumber that was for show. I stirred eventually, moving slightly to show I was coming around, not that I needed to.

As my gaze fell on her, the uneasiness came back. Something was off, no longer having to do with the atmospheric shift. Her body graced the edge of my bed as she removed her hand from my arm. Yet, she never glanced at me; her gaze settled on the world beyond my window. She didn't utter a word, and her body went still like a statue. If a human looked at her now, they would think she was dead.

She was worried about something, and that worried me just the same. I wanted to voice my concerns, but the silence that covered the room didn't allow it. It pooled around us, almost daring us to say anything. Daring us to break that unspoken rule and slip into the darkness as punishment.

Time seemed to tick by slowly as we sat there, but it was less than a few minutes. My sisters were awake and active as they rummaged through the house. Mom probably woke them up before coming to my room. Maybe she said something to them about the situation. I just had to wait for them to walk through my door, then I could ask.

I didn't wait long; my sisters graced us with their presence minutes later. Each informed mom that their task was done and everything was ready. They were answering my questions, and I hadn't said anything yet. It didn't take a rocket scientist to know what they were referring to. The soft purr of the car outside told me that much. I just needed to understand why.

Why did we have to leave?

Mom left moments ago, yet I stayed rooted to my bed. My sisters were going through my things, packing whatever they saw fit. Honestly, they should've asked first. They could be packing stuff I didn't want or needed. Yet I wasn't saying anything; maybe I had already accepted it. Or was I playing ignorant? My questions wouldn't get answered at this rate.