The Sun Shines Bright

Parents

            Amy loves her parents. Of course every child should love their parents. Sure Amy doesn't see them often, she never has. But she still finds a place in her heart to love them. Amy assumes they love her too, most parents love their children. Amy isn't being abused, so she's fine. Absolutely fine. Nothings wrong. Nothing will go wrong. Amy wakes up the day after Thanksgiving feeling something is wrong.

           Nothing happens though, so she ignores the feeling and keeps on going. Her parents do not return. The next day she wakes up, she feels even worse. She isn't sick. So she keeps on going. Her parents do not return. Monday arrives and she still feels bad, something seems wrong. She doesn't care at this point. Amy goes to school but can't shake the feeling. Eventually it subsides. Amy still can't completely shake the feeling though. It won't go.

          "I don't know, it's this feeling I can't shake" Amy says to Blaze, confiding in Blaze about her problems.

          "Did anything happen recently?"

          "No"

          "Anything with your parents?"

          "..."

          "Amy?"

          "What? Why would my parents have anything to do with this?"

          "You always seem nervous when you talk about them."

          "...Um, well, There's nothing wrong with them, I swear"

          "Okay, if you say so. So absolutely nothing?"

          "...Well since you mentioned my parents, I did have this dream... where they left me and never returned, but that was just a nightmare! Nothing to worry about! Maybe that's why I'm so worried?"

          "Maybe... Thanks for telling me. I just want to help you know?"

          "I know... sorry"

          "You have nothing to apologize for."

           Amy's sense of paranoia increases. Her parents don't text her. Maybe it is her parents that she's stressed about.

           All while a car comes onto Blaze's street and parks there. Not moving for days.

           As days increase, so does Amy's paranoia. Nothing changes for a week. It's December now. Absolutely nothing has moved or changed. Amy ends up doing what she always does and pushes the thought down. Into the dark abyss of her mind. She honestly rather thinks about Blaze 24/7 again. But it keeps on going.

           On Monday she texts both of her parents. Neither of them respond. Leaving her even more in the dark and even more paranoid and confused.

           "I mean, this is normal, but still. I don't know why I'm feeling this?"

           "Look, keep trying to get into contact with you, should they at least be concerned about their daughter that is concerned about them?"

          "...Yeah, probably"

          Amy keeps on going and chugging along throughout the week. Still concerned about her parents and where they could be. Amy keeps texting them, no response. Left on delivered, not even read. Nothing happens. Nothing changes. They are still there with nothing to spare. Amy doesn't know what to do.

          The car has black out windows. Nobody can see inside.

          Amy keeps talking to Blaze about this. Telling nobody else but eventually coming clean to the fact she doesn't know where her parents are. She only tells her friends. They comfort her and promise not to tell anyone. Amy thanks them, then they try to get back to normal.

          That car starts to smell. Bad. Really bad. People ignore it though. Including Blaze, Cream, Marine and Vanilla.

          Amy keeps updating Blaze and texting her parents. She even gives Blaze their number in case they only would respond to new texts. None of the attempts work. Leaving the two girls confused and Amy panicking even more. If this was anywhere near normal, it isn't now.

         The car starts to smell worse.

         Amy is concerned. Blaze keeps trying to calm her down. Amy ends up having a panic attack and tells Blaze that if her family doesn't come home for Christmas, she'll file a missing persons report with the police, Blaze agrees. The two begin to count down the days. Amy still worries and Blaze keeps calming her down. Amy has a couple of panic attacks. Blaze gets used to them and ends up calming down Amy from all of them. Blaze tries her best and Amy thanks her for that, Amy wishes she could every day. But she can't so she thanks her any time she can. Mostly after her panic attacks, with a hug.

        On Saturday. Amy hangs out with Blaze to get away from her house. Amy notices the car and asks Blaze about it. Blaze shrugs it off and puts the car into the head. The two largely talk. Amy doesn't have a panic attack or almost a panic attack or even come close the whole time, Blaze is happy. Very happy. She thinks it will all be fine. Amy is happy and so is she. Worst case scenario, Amy's parents actually left her. Blaze doesn't think that'll be too bad. Maybe that's bad of her to think like that, but she doesn't care.

        School returns on Monday. Every day gets closer and closer to the deadline. Making Amy everyday more and more concerned. She panics less when Blaze is around so Blaze stays close with her whenever she can. Art is better given everything for Amy at least. Now if anything the monotony while still horrible distracts her from her parents. She is all alone here except for her teacher. It's completely quiet minus her and her teacher's work. It's completely silent sometimes. The calmness simultaneously helps and hurts Amy. She almost had a panic attack and her teacher didn't even look at her. So Amy still hates her and now she has an actual reason too. At least that's resolved in her mind.

        Tuesday and Wednesday are all the same for Amy. But for Blaze, the car haunts her. She wonders what it is. Her and Marine agree to investigate while Cream promises to keep watch. On Wednesday night, Blaze and Marine go out late, all while Cream keeps an eye on their mother's bedroom. Marine and Blaze find out the cat is unlocked but they can't see inside. It's completely Blacked Out. They should probably call the police but they don't. Hesitantly, Blaze opens the door. Not ready for what's inside.