Brave

Not real

Time slowed. Faces become a blurry mess of colours flashing past in a whorl, blending and spiralling into a seemingly crazed alternate universe. The blood gushed in my ears, a breath hitched at the back of my throat. My body frozen, I burnt all over.

"Aubrey..." Owen reached out but I shrugged him off. He reluctantly drew back, "I'm sorry."

"No. No. No no no no. NO. I don't believe you." I stammered, shaking my head slowly in disbelief.

"Bree, I'm sorry but they're de.."

"Don't." I spat. "Don't you dare... Don't you ever say that that!" A growl rumbled from my lips.

Owen stared at me sympathetically. He didn't seem bothered by the deathly glare that I tore through him. Or the fact that I had wild look of craziness that danced on a thin line of toppling me over the edge.

"Aubrey. I'm sorry, your parents are dead." He said blankly.

Each word, stabbing a piercing punch to my heart. Unravelling every fibre entwined, a broken heart begun to fall apart. One of many pieces, no amount of glue can but this one back together again.

My family. Gone. My home. Gone. Everything my life was built upon. Gone

My walls, crumbled down.

And for the first time in a long time I would cry. Cry in front of a lot of people.

My heart hammered painfully against my ribs, my chest about to splinter from the force of my shattered heart. Wheezing, my lungs stung for air. My lungs collapsing, I tried to suck in but pin prickling shots of pain that rocketed through my tired body. The world begun to slant, my legs forgetting which state they should be in; legs or jelly.

"Nooooo......." A screech ripped from deep down in my throat. People stopped and stared. An aerie silence filling the room, bystanders stood in despair. "You're lying!" I screamed, pushing against Owen. He stammered a few steps in surprise. "They're not dead!" A voice almost unrecognisable escaped my swollen lips. I pushed even harder this time. "No. NO!" I yelled in his face.

Clasping a hand tightly on my wrist, I failed in attempting to rip from his grip. "Get off me!" Anger burst out. Pulling me closer, I thrashed around. Screaming and yelling at the top of my lungs, words rushed, tears poured. "Let go of me!" My legs kicked, my voice cracking.

"Aubrey calm down." He cooed in my ear, his eyes slightly darting around at the people who sadly stood watching the scene unfolding.

"Don't tell me to calm down! My parents are DEAD!" I wailed.

Time froze for a split second, and I stopped thrashing. I stopped everything. The full weight of reality finally crushing the false hope that I held onto.

It hit me, and hit me hard. "My parents are dead." I whispered.

Knees buckling from the weight of the pressure, I crashed to the ground in a weeping mess. Owen holding on tightly, he caught me from smashing too hard against the ground. Shaking uncontrollably, tears ran a sobbing mess. Glancing down the clearing, the Mitchell's held back Zach in a sad huddle, tears staining their perfect faces.

Owen ran a hand through my blonde mattered hair, and rocked back and forth. "Shhh, Aubrey. It's okay. No matter what happens, I've got your back kiddo." Dragging me upright, there were only two things that crossed my mind.

 My parents are dead. It's my fault.

All my fault.

~~And so there is only one chapter left, and I would like to say thank you anyone that has read up to this point:) ~~