Restless Soul

31

   Boots sinking into the grace, Amanda walked through the small iron gates, stepping unto the brick pathway. A few birds chimed in a nearby tree, their melodious chirps were unfit for such a sad place. Amanda had expected crows pecking at the gravestones, while above, dark somber clouds would gather around for this grim commemoration. 

Instead, the day was bright and the wind wisped a few strands of her black hair over her face. She shrugged it away, focusing on her destination.

It had been approximately ten days since Austin's suicide. The local news didn't pick up the story, which came as a shock to Amanda, given they still wrote about Skye's murder to this day. 

   Amanda remained confined in her room for days, not even coming out to eat as she'd asked for her meals to be brought to her room. Her parents respected her wish for space although they closely watched her. Sheryl had been pretty shaken, so she knew it was best not to push her daughter. Amanda appreciated her discretion. 

Although she'd given it some thought, the morning when she went out to the store and purchased all the necessities for a dye job, the decision was of a more impulsive nature. Red hair didn't seem to fit her anymore.

When she got out of the shower after rinsing her hair, she took a moment to stare at the girl in the mirror. 

   It never occurred to her that Skye and she looked alike. Evidenced by every picture of her she could find, Skye was into colorful eye shadow and cherry lip gloss, while the most Amanda would opt for would be mascara, eyeliner, and clear lip gloss. 

   Looking at herself with her natural hair color, she could now see what Austin saw in her. For the first time since witnessing the horrific incident, Amanda cried. She cried until she fell asleep, plagued by the haunting memory of his body hitting the floor and Skye's chilling words in the back of her mind. 

   Stepping closer to the fresh pile of dirt, Amanda stood dismayed at the lack of ceremonial arrangements. The man hadn't even been worthy of a proper funeral. As she focused on that fact, clutching the bouquet of wildflowers in her hands, Amanda noted that the notion tugged on the strings of her heart. Coming here, she expected to be one of a few here to pay their respect, an urge she simply couldn't contain for some unknown reason. So she got dressed, choosing a black turtle neck shirt with ash black skinny jeans, and her combat boots. 

Cora would highly disapprove of the biker chick energy she conjured, but for once, Amanda was glad she didn't own many colorful clothes.

Staring at the patch of dirt for a little while longer, Amanda then wandered off to the grave of the girl that shared her mind. 

"Here lies Skye Ballum, loving sister, and devoted artist. You were too good for this world, and taken far too soon."

   Amanda's hands trembled as he read the engraving, her eyes then moving up to the small framed photo. Skye was smiling at the camera, wearing a turquoise blue dress with pink heels. Her hair was loose around her face, hands were planted on her hips in a sassy pose. 

   Amanda was always taken aback when she saw her as she was, all bright smiles that hid a dark truth. The Skye she was used to only wore a hospital gown and had muddy feet. Her skin was pasty and pale, dry blood outlining one side of her face. Her eyes weren't radiant green, but rather dull, dim, and lost. 

"They used to be her favorites."

Amanda jerked her head around, stunned to find a woman standing there.

"Sorry, I did not mean to frighten you," said the tall blonde as she offered her an apologetic smile. 

Her teeth were crooked and not just slightly. However, it all seemed to match her sharp features and long face, framed by her short bob.