Paranormal War

Chapter 3

After the attack, I patted myself down and rushed to get home. Every step moved my head and sent excruciating pain through my neck. Winds blew falling strands of hair back across my face making it difficult to see causing me to jump at every little creak and snap. I tried to get home as soon as possible without seeming suspicious.

I breathed a sigh of relief as soon as I stepped inside my house. I lived in a middle class, single story home. The interior was very plain with tiled floors, white walls, and brown furniture, but my favorite feature was the open, green backyard. I played in it regularly as a kid.

I was quickly swept out of my trance when my mom's voice called through the house, "Honor, dinner is ready!" I walked into the kitchen and thanked my mother before grabbing a plate of lasagna in my right hand. "How was school, dear?"

I contemplated telling her what happened, but I knew I couldn't put more people at risk than there already was. "Fine," I stated plainly.

My mother proceeded to take out our weekly supply of clean water and wash the dishes. "Okay, have a good night then." We've tried having meals together in the past, but it was always an awkward encounter with just two people.

Our family seemed to be growing smaller continuously. It started with my sister and then progressed when my father left us. To this day I still don't know where he went, and I don't intend on ever finding out. After that, my mom did nothing but sleep and cry in her room for months. Then, when she finally did come out, she was nothing but a robot, going through life without any emotions. I tried talking to her, but eventually, we just grew apart. Despite my mother's protests, I always thought she didn't want to speak to me because it was my fault Ariel was taken.

Once I finished my dinner, I tried doing my homework but gave up after ten minutes. I couldn't stop thinking about the attack. I'd known Nathan for years. How could I not catch the signs? I couldn't come up with an explanation for why I felt more hurt and betrayed by Nathan than I had by anyone ever before. I still had trouble believing that any of it was real in the first place. Throughout the night I'd wake up hoping it had all been a terrible nightmare. It didn't work.