Shallow Depth: The Anthology

III. ❈

No matter how many times I look at our photo altogether in one single place, we really do like a picture-perfect family. So it's ironic how it looked somewhat pretentious, and I hate the fact that it doesn't mean anything to them, just as how it means so much to me.

And as the downpour came across the window of the veranda, I've realized how the day has been grieving relentlessly...

Yet, on my own, I walked straight to my grandparents' room to put some incense. It doesn't seem like the rain is going to stop soon. However, the house was left empty, the lights are off, and the windows are now closed. But this void blankness that was left inside stood still as it resembles a pitch black room that submerges everything when the sun finally meets the moon.

Every glimpse of this forsaken place that used to be called our home started fading, and in the blink of an eye, the sky was already dark.

"Auntie... Are you sleeping? Have you eaten yet?"

Inside this old worn down house lies two people living under the same roof, one of them was a seventeen-year-old high school student, which is me.

"Get lost, Vincent."

On the contrary, that other person was this old wench. Her name was Fidesse, the youngest daughter of my grandmother. She's probably around in her 30s now, but she's a bit trivial if you ask me. Everyone often calls her crazy for acting the way she acts now, but I still don't get why she's being like this.

"Auntie... It's been about a week after your mother passed away. I'm sure she'll appreciate it if you just... visit her own grave, just for once." I mumbled on the other side of the door.

Still, it gives me shivers whenever I heard her menacing laugh and monotonous replies, I can even hear her say it despite the loud rainfall. This has always been bothering me ever since I moved into this household. "I don't give a fuck about that witch."

"But she's your mother..."

Not in a single bit have I known anything about our family's past.

I... never knew a thing why everyone's been acting so hostile towards my late grandmother, who just died a week ago. Not even my mother nor my aunties came at her burial. They just paid off the remaining expenses and didn't say a single word, let alone shed a tear.

"I don't have a mother." She said.

I think it's also quite obvious how aunt Fidesse—no, not just her but all the Donovan's... have their own unwanted resentment towards grandmother.

It always makes me wonder why they hate her so much.

I can't even imagine my own grandmother, who showered me with love and attention, to be someone they called 'witch'. Just how much hatred do they have against her?

"I'll be leaving your dinner on the floor. Please, eat them." What I'm doing right now was simply pure courtesy. After all, she's still my aunt regardless of how she treats me, so I can't just leave her alone.

But for now, I'll be temporarily staying at this old house. I might just also decide to live here once I turn eighteen, since I can't handle living together with my parents. They weren't always at home to begin with. Plus, this house was grandma's home. I don't know if that makes me in the least prig. But regardless of that, I want to continue living my life at this almost seemingly lifeless house no matter how strange it is, because this was the only good memory that I have left with my grandmother. And to be honest, I've always felt bad for her. I'm sure she only wanted to do what's best for our family, yet I can't just figure out what's really the main cause of it... I want to know the reason behind their remorse.