Anarchy's Mystery

Chapter 23

Natalie's hand shook as she opened the clasp of Samantha's star necklace and placed it on top of her own. Natalie's necklace was shaped like a snowflake, but the color, size and style matched Samantha's perfectly. Both of the necklaces we a part of a set of 3 created by David Artino 12 years before. The last one of the set belonged to her mother and as far as Natalie knew, was still on her corpse in their house. She grabbed Samantha's ring and put it in place on the finger opposite her own. Taking a deep breath, Natalie made a decision.

"If I don't do it tonight, I'll never get it done. I've seen enough tonight anyways, there's not much more I can't handle." She reassured herself before climbing down the building to the road and following the same path she'd taken many times before until she finally reached her home. The door lay locked with the same crack down the middle as it had all of Natalie's life.

"Home sweet home." She whispered as she unlocked the door and let it creak open. It seemed creepily quiet and still, as if someone were in the shadows, waiting to jump out at her. The image of her sister's face which Alannah had tried - and failed - to hide from her swam through her mind. The wide open eyes and the scream on her face were etched in her mind and she couldn't get them out. She hurried through the house, looking around to find things to take before she left for good. The family photo album. Take. Dried crackers which were probably riddled with mould. Leave. Samantha's school books. Leave. Samantha's diary. Take. Her mother's favorite blanket. Take. Natalie's drawing journal. Take. She tossed everything into the worn canvas bag that had been drawn for her all those years before and put it on the couch before heading into the back bedroom.

"Okay Natalie, you can do this." She whispered, pushing the door open. Blood stained the floor from her fight with Jake and his men. She walked over to the bed and pulled back the blanket. The stench of her mother's body which had sat there since she became bedridden and then died filled her lungs and her eyes filled with tears. Her mother's neck had a distinct crack in it but her eyes were shut and she finally looked at peace.

"Oh mom." She whispered. She reached around her mother's neck as Alannah had done to Samantha and took off her necklace. The heart shone and she put it around her own neck, reuniting the three necklaces. They glowed for a moment and then dulled. She took a breath and reached for her mom's hand. She pulled off the gold ring that matched Samantha's but with no crystals on it, instead with the pattern of vines and leaves twisting around the band. She put it on the same finger as Samantha's ring and grabbed her mom's wedding ring from the opposite hand. She pushed the band onto her right ring finger and pulled off the delicate gold bracelet from her mom's left hand.

"I'm sorry mom, but I'd prefer that I had these than someone else." She whispered and squeezed her mom's limp fingers before grabbing her spare backpack from the closet and stuffing a few changes of clothes and some toiletries in it. She threw the bag on her back and went back to the living room to grab the canvas bag of stuff before pausing just inside the doorway as she saw her mom's favorite (and only) perfume on the table next to Samantha's stack of school books. Unable to hold it in anymore, Natalie released a guttural scream and clenched her fists. Her sister and mother were dead, her brother had betrayed her, killed her mom and was in prison, her only other trusted friend had killed her sister, and Natalie had to live with the guilt that she hadn't saved her family. Her vision was lit up with flames as they shot from her clenched fist and hit the table, exploding the bottle of perfume and setting Samantha's books on fire. She gasped and unclenched her fists, the flames disappearing back into her hand - more specifically, into Samantha's ring.

"So that's why you wouldn't tell me your powers." She whispered as the rose gold ring glowed. Sirens sounded in the distance and shook Natalie out of her shock. She grabbed the bag and ran out the door, slamming it behind her. "I love you mom. Love you Sam." She whispered before turning and running, not looking back. 

Imma keep writing and posting.