Touch In The Dark

Chapter 1

Moonglade (n)
The bright reflection of the moon's light on water.

Evelyn's POV

   Who is stronger, truly? Those who are attached to sickness or those that must watch as their loved ones suffer?

That's exactly what I had to do, watch my mom suffer. Although she always kept a smile on her face while I was around, I knew she was suffering. Who wouldn't suffer going through getting their breasts removed from cancer then having their own body betray them and have the cancer spread anyways?

My mom suffered for years, with these last two being the worst.

Now I'm here sitting at her funeral. Numbness lingers in my body as people come up to me saying their 'sorry for my loss'. I appreciate the effort, but it means nothing. It won't bring her back.

"Hey, Evelyn. -" a familiar voice says sitting next to me "I called your dad; he's buying you a flight out there tomorrow." My mom's friend Jessi says rubbing my back.

Oh great. My deadbeat father that left his family for a new one far away. Just what I needed.

"Why did you do that?" I ask. My voice held almost no emotion, at least not the emotions of pain I'm feeling inside.

"You're only nineteen. You just finished school and you don't have a job. There's no way you could afford that house and be able to take care of yourself. Your father, he...he sounded worried about you."

Worried? If he was ever worried about me, he could've called, hell he could've just sent a text asking how I was. But no. Nothing for ten years.

"Okay." I hold my head down not even fighting it like I usually would.

Will I feel like this forever? Feeling so much pain but having no energy to express it.

I cried all night, I bawled myself up on her bed where she used to sleep remembering the way she smelled.

It only made the crackling pain of heartbreak worse.

After the funeral service I'm still sitting outside facing her grave. It's been long after she's buried, at least two hours. The sun is starting to set, and the crickets are starting to sing. She used to love the sound of nature.

I guess...it's time to go.

I get back into my car and drive back to my house, the house I will be leaving tomorrow.

"He didn't give me much time to pack." I huff to myself.

Pulling up in the driveway I look at the flowers we planted when I was sixteen lining the concrete walkway to the front door.

I carefully pluck one and hold it to my chest.

Unlocking the front door, I slowly step in.

I'll miss this place, my home.

Reminiscing of the times my mom and I had in every room of the house while collecting things to pack with the flower still in my hand.

Finally, I open the door to my room that I haven't slept in since she passed, I pull out my black suitcase and two duffle bags.

I pack a few outfits with a few pairs of shoes along with some odds and ends. Last thing to pack is my journal.

I sit on my bed and grab a pencil.

The last journal entry in this house.

Dear Diary

Today we buried her. The tears didn't puddle around me like I thought they would, I must've cried them all out last night. I feel numb, like if someone were to stab me, I wouldn't even feel it. Jessi contacted my dad, now I'm being forced to go there. Maybe I could stay, but I couldn't stay here. I couldn't afford it. So, what's the point of staying here at all? I'm leaving tomorrow evening, but I know I'll always have a piece of mom wherever I go. Since she loved nature, I plucked a flower we planted together. I will keep it forever.