A Work In Progress

Chapter 1

The summer air of 2019 brushed against me as I walked along the shore. The cold molten moonshine caressed my feet, and the calm, familiar satisfaction washed over me. A lot of things were running on my mind, and my head was beginning to hurt a little bit. Although, it could be because of the bun that Farren put on my head. I have long been the subject to her hairdressing experiments. I take the straw bun pin out of my hair and my long silky golden waves fell, covering my shoulders and my back. My hair has always been a part of my identity. I always assumed that that's how people describe me- "The girl with the long blonde hair". I felt the crystals on the pin. It was a wooden pin with a brooch on the end, my dad had given it to Farren. It had a beautiful peacock feather and it was comforting to feel the crystals lining the different hues. It reminded me of my grand parents, and of my life before I came here.

As I was peering down at the tiny golden grains that massaged my bare feet, Harry called out to me from my house and waved, signalling me to come in.
I saw his blue hair leaning from the balcony and I smiled involuntarily as I ran to him. I didn't know that he was coming. I held on to my grey cashmere cardigan, my phone in the pocket and jogged over to the house. It was such a pretty sight. My house- my mom's house was the only house on that beach. It looked magnificent and really beautiful with all the lights switched on. I wondered at what point in time I had gone blind to all the beauty that I am privy to.
I wash my feet before I greeted Harry, and I couldn't help but smile when I saw how enthusiastically Farren was speaking, not even giving him a change to say a word edgewise.

Farren suggested that we go into the treehouse and work on the doll house that we were building for Farren's baby girl. I had asked Farren to stay with me during the weekends before she has to spend most of her time at her house with her husband once baby Sydney is born. She was four months along, and her baby bump was beginning to show.

I was sculpting the skateboard ramp for the house, and Harry was trying to give the house electrical connection for the tiny chandeliers. They were quite possibly the cutest things I have ever seen. I reminded Harry to baby proof the connections so our Sydney wouldn't be harmed.

Farren smiled at me and looked at Harry to show how distracted he was. He was smiling to himself and was really involved in perfecting the house, but there was something, something that seemed off and I couldn't quite put my hand on it. Farren started reading 'The Tale of Peter Rabbit' to Sydney, coddling her bump as she sat in the chair. I was content. This is it. This is my family.

As I began polishing the ramp, and varnishing it, I noticed that it didn't fit into the doll house. I must have not scaled it properly. That was very disappointing. I placed it down and walked over to sit on the tree branch to peer out through the window. The wind blew my hair, so I tied it back up with the bun pin in my cardigan pocket, and I tried to take a picture of the moon as it shone through the branches. Phone cameras can never capture the true serenity of the moon, it is a pleasure that can only be experienced first hand. I collect these pictures anyway.

I was so lost in thought as always that Farren had to call my name three times before I responded. I didn't know that she had called me three times, of course. She called to ask me to start focusing on the doll house. When she talks business, she means business.
I walked over and sat back down on the cool, hard wooden floor of the tree house. Farren said, "Remember when your dad built this tree house? We were here for summer holidays-"
"About twelve years ago" I signed. That is also recently added to my understanding of how people describe me- "Yana, the mute girl with long blonde hair."
"Yes, about 12 years ago... but he had spent ages growing the tree and making the soil fertile for its growth. Imagine how hard it must have been... especially near the beach."
Harry was really quiet so I asked him if he remembered when he brought his boyfriend in year 11, here.
Still quiet.
"Come on, kid. Spit it out." Farren said grimly. I asked Harry if he was wanted to tell us what was wrong and he still looked at us without saying anything.

But I stop midway when I saw him in tears. Dread filled me as he whispered, "I am so sorry, Yana." Sorry? What was he sorry for? It was Harry. My adorable, six foot brother who has always supported me. He stood by me when I gave up working as a lawyer in New York. He stood by me when that happened.

It eased me a little when I thought of this. This was Harry, what could he have possibly done to be sorry. He must have had another one of his fights with dad. Or did it have something to do with Thomas? I sign to him and ask what was wrong and I touch his shoulders to comfort him.

He said, "I didn't mean for any of this to happen.  I am so so sorry, Yana."

I signed, and it frustrated me that I couldn't sign as fast as I could have spoken, and hot tears sprang from my eye and it started stinging. Harry engulfed me in a hug when he saw what it was doing to me. I pushed him away to ask him what happened.
"It's Thomas. He came to see me. I took your advice, I did. I know he was only with me for mom's money. But he came to see me."

I felt a fresh surge of anger build up in me as he started saying all this. He was my little brother and I will not stand to watch anyone hurt him.
The vision of Farren made me brake my stare which was beginning to scare Harry. I signalled for Farren to bring Harry some water, but as soon as she saw Harry's face, she wouldn't budge.
Harry reclaimed his attention from me by beginning to speak.

"I was so happy and I kissed Thomas. That's all I ever wanted from him, to show me that he cared and I don't know how it hap-pened. I don't—"

Farren rushes to get the water from the tap in the corner as Harry begins wheezing. I hug Harry and begin stroking his hair and he began to calm down. It felt so strange and yet so familiar at the same time. I stopped and pulled away when he winced as I felt a bump on his head. I signed and asked him if it was Thomas. I needed to know if it was Thomas.
Harry nodded silently.

I could sense how agitated Farren became, and she swore that she would kill Thomas. Things were escalating really quickly and I knew right now, Harry just wants us to stay calm. He came all this way, because he wanted our presence.

Farren looked at me and I could see that she was beginning to panic. I could see her pale green eyes searching answers in my face. I didn't know and Harry wasn't speaking. Farren, still holding eye contact with me, walked over to Harry and made him stand up by grabbing his arm. He looked really strong and muscular, especially beside Farren's petite figure. The sound of the waves lightly crashing into the shore, and the picturesque scene behind them, seen through the floor length glass window, were deceivingly peaceful. 

As Harry stood up, despite his strong figure, he looked incredibly weak.

I have had it with him. He has to tell us what happened. "Harry, please just tell us what happened. Even if you murdered someone, we will help you get rid of the body." Farren said smiling.

I was beginning to sweat despite the cold breeze ventilating the treehouse, and I could hear my heartbeat loud and clear as he shot an apologising look at Farren.

I knew what he was going to say. I felt it. I knew what he was going to say even if it seems impossible. I don't believe it.

Harry looked at me, held my hand and said, "I am so, so sorry. I don't know how it happened. I kil-led, I killed Thomas."