No Way But Down

4

Ironically when my Mom saw it she tried to sugarcoat it.

"That's just an unlucky coincidence-"

"Mom you've gotta at least talk to the antique store clerk."

"Now Femi doesn't scare your mother."

Scoffing I closed the lid and replied.

"Please do not question my intentions, I'm serious, this urn is radiating bad things I feel it."

"If this is some way to dodge your grief and push away good things this isn't the way."

"Mom my grief will mean nothing if this urn tears us apart from the inside out-"

"That's enough!"

She screamed at me which caused me to flinch, as she took my hands her own were trembling but she said.

"How about you go out for a walk hmm? Clear your head."

Swallowing slowly I looked over at my stepfather who didn't pose a rebuttal so I clenched my jaw and responded.

"Fine."

Walking towards the front door, I slipped on some sneakers before getting out to get some air. I walked about five steps before yelling in frustration. How could she discredit me? I've never lied to her about things I care about. I walked for a while realizing I could be overreacting. But I know what I saw. I came back with a cooler attitude as my mother and stepfather were drinking tea or what I hoped was tea out of their mugs.

"I'm sorry for pushing either of you, I'm just stressed out."

I said holding my nose to hear one of them say.

"What do you mean?"

Looking up I enunciated.

"The talk that turned into an argument we had before I went for a walk."

"We didn't argue. You ate your food then decided to walk it off, are you sure your feeling alright?"

Oh shit.

"Do you need to lie down you've been pushing yourself a lot emotionally..."

My stepfather started to say but the area around me quieted seeing my younger self down the hallway. This fucking urn was baiting me, not only that but it picked me to leech on. My feet started to move on their own towards my younger self down the hallway, I followed her throughout the house until we landed in a closet. My heart fell into my stomach as my younger self as she pointed at the doorknob.

Release yourself

She whispered as my heartbeat out of my chest and my breathing quickened. Once again my hand started to move and I caught with my other one, I did want this not at all.

My baby girl

My eyes widened hearing that particular voice, opening the door my father was playing with my younger self for a while. Then looked up at me. I stopped breathing as she walked over to me my legs locked up so I couldn't run away, he pulled me into a hug and I ended up hugging him back feeling something important drain from me.

Mom POV

"Femi? Femi!"

I ran over to my daughter who was seizing on the floor, I held her in my arms as I yelled to Orion.

"Call 911!"

Femi had black foam in the mouth and her eyes rolled back, I couldn't lose her too not like this lord not like this. Please don't let her die. Cradling her in my arms I thought her shaking would never stop. Eventually, the EMTs arrived and by then Femi did stop seizing she had just lost consciousness. They brought her into the ambulance as I and Orion followed I couldn't believe what the doctor was saying.

"What do you mean she's fine?"

"The bloodwork and tests show no permanent damage, including nothing to do with aneurysms."

"My ex-husband died of a brain aneurysm, and you're telling me that's not happened here."

"No. Anything that interrupts nerve cells in the brain can cause a seizure. With some bed rest, she'll be alright."

Letting out a sigh of relief Orion rubbed my shoulders as we shared a smile.

Femi POV

My father let me go as I felt sleepy, I sunk into something that felt like water suddenly Rocco was kissing my lips, going as far as entering me making me swing my head back. I was abruptly interrupted waking up with a start on a hospital gurney.

"Femi you're awake-"

"Can I go home now?"

My stepfather laughed and replied in a passive-aggressive tone.

"You just gave your mother the worst scare of her life and that's the tone you take?"

"You're a drug dealer and you're calling me out on my morals?"

His eyes widened as my mother replied.

"Femi! What's gotten into you?!"

"I just feel really good and I don't want to be spoiled by white coats."

I finished very close to ripping out the meds being injected into me but the doctor walked in and said.

"As said before nothing is wrong, so if you fill out this paperwork you'll be cleared to go."

Already standing next to the doctor who jumped out of his skin he passed me the paperwork as I sent him a wink starting to fill it out. Once I got through all three pages I passed him the clipboard back before waving him off, he cleared his throat before leaving out. A nurse came in to remove any needles sticking out and wrapped up the puncture before leaving herself. Pulling the gown off of me, my stepfather had to shield his eyes as I giggled.

"This isn't funny!"

"I'm being serious your just being hard-headed."

I shot back throwing the gown somewhere while pulling on my old clothes.

"Femi Spector listen well and listen carefully."

My mother started to so I decided to indulge her.

"You will cease this behavior at once or so help me you will regret it."

"What are you going to do? Take me out of this world since you put me in it? Try again, grandma."

Shoving her into my stepdad I took a run for it and pushed past people through the hospital hallway. I picked up speed once I got into the lobby and sided through the front doors. My mother and stepfather were only about ten steps behind as I hoped on a bus just before it pulled off, reaching in my pocket I handed over a crumpled-up $10 bill and the driver took it without asking any questions. Once I got home I was happy to see my Dad waving at me in the window. Opening the front door I jumped into his arms as he spun me around. I took the urn with its cherry blossoms on the tree slowly turning yellow instead of pink, starting to clean it off carefully. Not the inside, of course, that's the best part.