Catching Feelings

Chapter Thirty-Eight: A Place Just Shy Of Happiness (Aislinn)

Chapter Thirty-Seven: A Place Just Shy Of Happiness (AISLINN)

My best friend is gone.

My best friend is gone.

My best friend is gone.

My best friend is gone.

That's all that was running through my mind as we walked many feet behind Derek, our voice low;his aunt following closely behind him, making sure he doesn't do something crazy.

"...I just don't get it, as soon as she died, the barrier went down and it was like we entered a vision. I saw her, Aislinn," my brother says, seemingly mistaking my silence for the opposite of what it really was.

For once in my life, I didn't want to speak.

I had nothing to say.

"She was standing right in front of me but she couldn't see me," he continues obliviously, "she was talking, but I-I couldn't hear what she was saying. It was just like I knew she was going to be okay."

I nod, agreeing with him when I draw to the conclusion he wasn't going to shut up anytime soon.

"What do you think it actually means?" Aidenn asks.

I shoot him a confused glance and pick up my pace.

He sighs, "The fact that she's breathing but her heart isn't beating."

I shrug, swallowing the lump in my throat, "I don't know what it means. Malum casted that spell on her heart-on her weak chakra-for a reason. We have no way of knowing how it's going to affect her. He killed his own daughter, Aidenn, not because he had to, but because he wanted to prove a point."

"I just don't get it," Aidenn says exasperated, "what more of a point could he have possibly made? He already destroyed our lives by killing our parents all those years ago... wasn't that enough for him? Why did he have to go after Skylar too? She never did anything wrong."

I shake my head, "Malum didn't know what enough meant. He destroyed our lives when we were kids and killing Skylar proves that he still has power over us even in death. He's gone but I still feel him, like he's everywhere."

"Am I the only one feeling really stupid for not seeing it before?" Aidenn asks after a beat of silence.

I snort, "no. But Skylar was around him almost all the time and she never said anything about him acting strange until the end; we were just too self involved to hear her."

"I don't think our uncle dying counts as us being self involved," Aidenn whispers.

I shake my head in frustration. "Malum played us all."

"But why Skylar?" he says, "What did she do to him that was so horrible that he felt like killing her was the only way out?"

I shrug. "Malum was a smart guy. Every single thing he did was well thought out. He didn't kill Skylar... she's still alive, but she's not here. That was his plan all along; to give her the one thing she's always wanted... freedom. He's using reverse psychology; giving her the option of choosing. But now, the options are life and death. Her family is death, but we're life, and she loves us both the same."

I scoff, finally starting to understand it.

"So that's why he put her in the situation she's in. He knows she'll never be able to choose. He could've killed her but then her suffering would'v be over. Malum was all about making it long lasting. The decision she makes will haunt her for the rest of her life, that's his torture. It's never going to end for her." Aidenn finishes for me, his voice breathless.