Furry Humans | ✓

1.

My legs have a slight tremble as I stagger back, as if his words physically touched me and knocked me off balance. Shock and hurt consumes my features quicker than I can process my emotions, my mouth opens then closes, the ability to form any words stolen from me. Mom sits beside him with conflicted eyes, her hands now clenching one another.

At my silence, he rose to his full height from the sofa, his expression stern and harden with his decision. With my speech ripped from me momentarily, I could do nothing more but watch as he crosses his arms, authority rippling around him in waves.

"You will go to your room and stay there until morning, that's when we leave," he tells me, his eyes holding me in place. "Understood?"

I swallow the lump that accumulated in my throat just as my vision blurred with the following sensation of burning behind my eyes, his figure nothing but a watery image. I stare off to the side, completely avoiding his gaze.

"Yes, sir," it was low, but I'm sure he heard me.

I glance over at Mom through watery eyes, she seemed as if she wanted to say something, the look in her gaze becoming more sympathetic than the one she gave me earlier. Before she could say anything, I turn and rush away up to my room, slamming the door shut once I was safely inside. I press my back against the surface of the door, tilting my head up and gaze aimlessly at the ceiling.

I could hear their muffled voices through the door, arguing with each other. Shaking my head, I release a shaky breath before moving my eyes away from the ceiling. Something catches my attention from the corner of my eye and my feet move on their own accord as I find myself walking toward my dresser.

My hand reaches out and grabs the wooden picture frame that was settled on top. I glide my thumb across the glassed picture, looking down at the snapped memory.

A boy, the age of twelve, had his arm slung over the girl who seemed younger than him. He was looking down at her with a loving expression and a smile painting his lips, they both had brown hair; the girl's a darker shade. She grinned widely ahead holding up a peace sign, her face resembling the look of pure happiness.

I was snapped out of my daze when something splattered against the picture. I watched as the drop of water trickled a slow path on the surface. Glancing up, I search the ceiling for any leakage but found none, my hand instinctively reaches up to my face, feeling the wetness upon my cheek that soon coated my fingertips, I then realized I was crying— a foreign feeling, almost.

I chuckle humorlessly, wiping my eyes as I place the frame back where it was. Fed up with emotions for one night, I stride over to my bed. Not bothering to change clothes, I slip underneath the covers, time slowing and eventually, I fell into a dreamless slumber.

~ • ~

"I think we're set!"

Dad grunts as he lifted the last of the luggage into the trunk of the SUV while I was facing the house, trying to imprint the good times I had left into memory. My eyes scan the exterior, trying to memorize every detail and creak of it for when I close my eyes and think of home this image will pop up in my head.

"Bumble Bee!"

I felt a hand on my shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze; I didn't have to look to know it was Dad. His large hand squeezes my shoulder once more as he sighs, his other hand on his hip while we both stared up at the house from the end of the driveway.

"Masey, I love you!"

"I'm going to miss this place, don't you agree?" he asks, looking down at me, his expression soft.

"Don't leave me, big brother. ."

I shrug his hand off and turn away from him and the house, stuffing my hands in my back pockets.

"You have no idea," I muttered, mostly to myself.

I start walking towards the car, spotting Mom standing by the passenger door, her hands locked in front of her. She shifted her gaze behind me and nodded towards my form, most likely urging Dad to do something.

I hear a shuffle of movement, "Abigail look I—"

"Can we just go?" I sigh, shrugging off the remaining sentence of his. "We have a new home to get to, don't we?"

With his shoulders tense and jaw locked, he stays silent and nods his head as I slide into the car and slam the door shut. I hear both driver and passenger side doors open and close. With the pressing feeling of tension inside the car, I pull out my phone and quickly put in my headphones to stop any invite of a conversation and face the window.

The car starts with a rumble and lurches forward, my eyes refuse to shift away from the screen of my phone as we drive away, yet, I still find myself glancing back; watching as the house gets smaller and smaller in the distance until it was gone from my sight.

I heave out a deep sigh for the last time of the day, the glass fogging with my breath: my mind slowly clouding with thoughts.

"I miss you. . . Mason."

Maryland, here we come, seventeen hours from now; and we'll be at our new 'home'.

~ ✎ ~ ✎ ~

Wow, first chapter! I think I did good, what do you say? Also if you haven't caught on, the slanted duologue are memories. Pretty neat, huh? 💕 Hope you enjoyed, next chapter coming out next year.

edited (12/21/20)

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