Everything Fragile✔

Chapter Thirty-Two - The End Is Never The End

   Rain beats down on our house hard during the middle of the night into the rising of the sun, though we can barely see its shine with all the dark, heavy clouds blocking its rays. I prop myself up onto the couch next to dad, bracing myself for the next lightning strike.

   Thunder rumbles, making my toes curl.

   "Let's count." Dad says.

   I nod my head. "One, two, three-"

   Crack! Lightning lights up the sky in a warm blue, splitting off into electrical branches of fluorescents. I jump back, startled and entranced at the same time. Though frightening, it's beautiful.

   Mom laughs from behind me. "Don't be afraid, Quinny bear. It's just nature doing what nature does."

   I smile, mostly out of embarrassment. Dad nudges me as more thunder rumbles. The sound is so intense I can feel it in my chest. Mom has seen lightning more times than I ever have, but still. I want her to see this one.

   I turn around, stretching my hand out for her to take and immediately recoil. Her neck is bent, face covered in dirt and blood, eyes missing from her sockets, and clothes torn to shreds. She smiles, revealing missing teeth. Bugs fall through the gaps, crawling along her cracked lips.

   Then behind her, Mateo stands tall. His face is pale despite the green mold that spreads along his flesh. His eyes are sunken and his hair is thinning beneath the dim living room light. Soon he will look just as dead as my mother. Mateo stretches forth a decayed hand as if beckoning me to join his side.

   I promise.

   I wake up drenched in sweat with the ghost of a scream lodged in my throat. Dad is at the door, looking unbothered as usual.

   "Come on, kid." He says. "Get out of bed. Fran made some breakfast."

   "What?" I grumble despite hearing him clearing.

   He rolls his eyes. "Fran made breakfast, so let's go. Hurry it up. You have five minutes to get yourself situated, but if I have to come back here to wake you up again, I will drag you out of that bed myself."

   "Dad, I'm literally on break. I don't have to wake up early anymore."

   "I let you sleep in long enough. Five minutes." He closes the door and I let out an exasperated breath.

   I spend the next five minutes in bed contemplating over calling his bluff or not. It isn't until I hear the heavy creaking of the floor boards when I fling the sheets off my body and race out of my room and into the bathroom. I wash my face, letting the icy water dissipate any tiredness that lingers on my skin. After a diligent session of brushing my teeth, I head off to join dad and Fran in the kitchen. My plate of pancakes, sausages, and eggs is set on top of the island, warm and untouched.

   "It fucking taste like shit." Dad says, throwing his fork onto the table.

   Francine frowns. "What? No way. My cooking is a hit back at home."

   Dad scoffs, ready to verbally put down Francine, but the thunder from outside silences him. Lightning flashes a few seconds later and rain continues to fall hard and heavy against the house. It sounds like pelts slamming against the roof and windows.

   "It's gonna be like this all day."

   "D-do you think it'll flood?"

   "Hell yeah. We've never had a storm like this before and the mayor sure as hell didn't prepare us or the city for it."

   I take a bite of the pancakes, immediately regretting my choice as the rubbery texture makes contact with my teeth. I force myself to chew and swallow.