On the edge of Oblivion

Chapter 9

Rowan stood there looking at herself in the mirror. Or at least what was supposed to be her. She didn't look or feel very much like herself. More like a hollow shell of what she used to be. Before....

Rowan wore a long black dress. Adelaide had put her hair into a neat bun on the side of her head. Her ears drooped ever so slightly, and her tail sat limp behind her. Dark circles hung under her golden eyes from lack of sleep. She felt like every time she closed eyes nightmares awaited her in the darkness.

Suddenly, Adelaide gently opened the door to her room. Rowan hadn't had the energy to move back out so she had just stayed in the cottage. She hadn't even had the energy to refuse Adelaide's help. To her surprise though a part of her was even glad to accept the help. Adelaide walked over and put her hand on Rowan's back.

"You look beautiful sweetie" Adelaide said, a sad smile on her face.

Rowan didn't respond but instead continued to stare at herself in the mirror. It had been about a week since Violet's death and everyday Rowan fought just to continue to fill her lungs with oxygen. Somehow though the town had seemed to move on just fine. They continued their lives as if their golden child hadn't just died. They never actually cared about Violet. They used her. They used her to make themselves feel good. They hadn't even asked Rowan to help plan the funeral or pick the spot to bury her body. They only acknowledged Rowan to ask her to speak at the funeral. For whatever reason though Rowan had agreed.

"I don't know what happened to cause the accident that made Violet to fall but..." Adelaide started.

"Fall?" Rowan said looking at her with a confused expression. "Violet didn't fall...she jumped".

"Rowan are you sure? I don't think Violet would have jumped"

"No! I watched it happen! She jumped!" she said her voice growing louder. She didn't understand what was so complicated about it.

"Rowan...grief shows itself in many ways..."

"I'm not imagining it!" she snapped.

Adelaide sighed. "alright" she said giving in.

Once they were both ready, they headed to the funeral. Rowan let Adelaide lead her through town to where they were holding the ceremony. They weaved their way through the town, but Rowan didn't see any of it. She kept her gaze focused on Adelaide's black hair that was pinned into a twist at the back of her head. Eventually they arrived at the town graveyard.

A mass of people stood crowded near the wooded casket. Rowan followed Adelaide as she joined them. She stood at the front of the group of people. The wooden casket laid on a table that was covered with a white cloth. Thankfully the casket was closed. Rowan wasn't sure if she could have handled seeing Violets body motionless in it. As it was her body was already shaking and her legs felt like they were going to give way.

All of a sudden, a woman in a long black dress walked in front of the casket and faced them. Rowan recognized the Mistress. Her cold dark eyes swept over the crowd. They were red around the rim from the unseen tears she had obviously been shedding.

The Mistress cleared her throat. "Welcome everyone. I wish that we didn't have to be here, but none the less thank you for coming." She said to the crowd. "The other day tragedy struck. During this year's blood moon Violet was attacked by a fae". Rowan shivered as the Mistress's eyes met her own. Accusation shone in her eyes through the tears.

"I felt my heart break in two as Violet fell from that cliff" she said. Rowan felt the anger rising up in her. Violet jumped! She didn't fall!

Nobody even cared enough to learn how Violet really died!