𝐹𝑎𝑣𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑒 𝐶𝑟𝑖𝑚𝑒

Way Down we Go 24

Way Down we Go by KALEO

Heavy clouds covered the blue sky. Mid-August rain and chaos in our house. In four days it will be Donna's wedding. No matter the circumstances, I assumed that our parents would want her to enjoy this day. She was coping badly. I can't compare our pain. Never felt the same way she felt. Jasper sat by her side all the time. Even in the night, he watched her, in case she would start to scream and wake up from another nightmare.

I forgave my sister, forgave my mother. Guilt tried to drown me, consume my steady mind. That day I was ready to say how much I hated her. Now I realize the nonsense. She was a stern and straight woman, yet she also was a loving mother. No matter the disagreements between us, I loved her.

Regret tried to reach me as well. My father was rarely home, due to work. When he had a day off, he spent it with me. Playing chess, walking around an art gallery or drinking coffee. Unfortunately, there will never be enough time to hold his hand. Freeze the time where I was his little girl, on his shoulders, running away from Donna who tried to catch us. Holding my tiny feet, so I wouldn't fall. Catching Donna as well in his arms, tickling the girl.

Where did these moments go?

I stood in front of my parents grave in a pouring rain, a hood over my head did not save me from getting wet, as water dripped from my blonde hair. I couldn't cry, it was difficult enough for me to stand here. I had to.

"Mother, I forgave you," I paused, looking away, then back to the picture of the woman on the cold stone, "however there is something that you'll never understand. I loved you like a mother, not like a person. You gave me the biggest gift, life. But that's it. I never asked you for anything, nor begged for you to fix my issues. I simply wanted you to read for me before I fell asleep, to cheer for me at the tourneys, to hug me after my nightmares. You weren't there."

A sob left my lips. With the back of my palm I covered my mouth, eyes closed as rapid breaths left my lips.

"Mother have you never realized that all you did was criticize me and never asked for how I actually felt? I was starving by your side," I shouted out in pain. "It was never about you; it was about me."

My teeth greeted together, palms turned into fists. Taking a deep inhale, I calmed down.

"Thanks to you I've learned how to grow up and move on sooner, also how to manipulate and hide. I'm capable of love, something that you've never tried. And if I was to love somebody, I would be ready for anything to make them feel safe and loved. I don't hate you," I whispered," I hate the things you've done and said to me."

With that I left the grave. Before I left, I felt someone's eyes on me. The thought of a stalker sent chills down my spine. Turning around I was met with nobody. Raising my brows, I looked around one last time, before walking back home.

-

The plan on taking Jim Doomer down was going well so far. The cameras in our yard were on the day of the accident. A tall man in black walked around our car. Impossible to identify him, due to the nighttime and his dark clothes. His face was blurred, not recognizing who it was. A small box was placed under the car, in the front. The car accident was planned; it was a murder. As quickly he came, he left. Evidence number one, got it.

Nobody looked for the footage because they knew the car drove at a high speed and slipped. Wrong. Donna told me, they drove as usual, steady speed.

Pretty sure the man on the camera is the one who broke into our house. Jim never liked to make his hands dirty, others would do it for him. No wonder the man walked around here, without the handcuffs.

I went to the security of our houses, they held the footage from the security cameras of each house. Each family paid them for the protection, which was not needed most of the time. Paying the camera man, he allowed me to take a look. I found the footage from 2011, the year of Anne Jane's death. The car she drove, night time and a man in black suit yet again. Same box under the car and same quick movements. Murder.