ɪɴᴛᴇɴꜱɪᴛʏ [ᴇᴅɪᴛɪɴɢ]

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ᴇɪɢʜᴛ

——————

"I don't wanna be alone;
You know it hurts me too."

——————

10 YEARS AGO

"Kiara. Go to the market and get me something to drink." My mother slurred in a dead-like state. Since my father died, I've always been wondering whether or not she died along with him.

Yes, we miss our dad just as much as she does. But the difference is that she's abandoned all her maternal roles and just lounges around in the kitchen all day, drinking whatever bottle of booze Kiara brings back with her whenever she goes to the market.

I'm only 8. Kiara's only 10. However, every responsibility mother was supposed to hold was dished onto us both. It's tragic really, but Kiara doesn't seem to have an issue with it. Instead, she's always just been justifying her actions with "She's just trying to cope."

But I don't buy it.

"Yes, mother. Anything else?" Kiara robotically asked, making her way to the cabin door as she slipped her shoes on.

I fiddled with my fingers as I looked up at my mother who was just staring aimlessly into the distance.

No response.

Kiara looked down and scurried out of the house.

It was just me and mother now; the atmosphere was killing me. I looked up at my mother, terrified when I saw she was already looking directly at me. Zero emotion in her eyes whatsoever.

A shiver went down my spine as I quickly stood up from my seat at the wooden kitchen table and made a beeline for my room.

"Sit." Was all she said. The first word she has even spoken to me since father passed. Despite wanting to run away and hide under my covers until my big sister came home, I knew I couldn't. I've heard mother scream and lash out often. But normally Kiara would hide me under a bed of some sorts and tell me it'd be alright. That it was just bad weather that needed to pass.

I obeyed and sat back down where I was before.

"It's your fault." She spoke, looking me dead in the eyes again.

"Huh?" I replied. Half dumbfounded and half terrified of what she meant and why I was getting blamed for it.

"It's your fault..." she repeated, snarling slightly as she fisted her hair in her hands and let out a manic cry.