The Amulet of Kryshar

Chapter 11

It wasn't supposed to snow today. At least that was what the weatherman said on the TV, right before our entire group left the hotel to travel up to the Alps to finally start our vacation.

I was sitting on seat next to the window, as I watched the snowflakes drift to the ground ever so slowly, through the window of the car Dad hired for this trip. We were driving up a winding road leading to the log cabin we rented for our stay in the Alps.

Melanie huffed again in annoyance as the car hit another bump in the road and sent her flailing about in her seat. I couldn't believe that I was sitting next to her, as if my parents planned that all along. I had to deal with her complaints about my poor company and social skills along with huffs, puffs and sighs accompanying every single bump and tilt throughout the entire car ride. I couldn't even believe that I ended up agreeing to Melanie coming along to the trip. The talk between my parents and Kani must have really messed with my head, causing me to tell them the next morning that Melanie could come along. And I have deeply regretted that decision by now. Lena, Anna and Dylan were sitting at the very back of the hired car, making it harder for me to talk with them without turning around to face them.

"Alright, everyone! We're here!" Dylan and Lean cheered. I weakly joined in, while my parents both had radiant smiles on their faces. Melanie stayed silent and crossed her arms over her chest grumpily. Everyone got out of the car, I was about to get out when Melanie rudely climbed over me to get out of the door on my side. I grunted in annoyance. She smirked back and strode away, towards the huddle of log cabins situated there.

I quickly caught up with the others and walked next to Lena and Anna. Dylan was up ahead with Mom and Dad. The perfect little family. The more I thought about the discussion I overheard, the more I felt like I didn't seem to fit into the family picture at all. I started comparing my features with Dylan's and that of my parents. There were more and more differences between us the longer I thought about it. Both Mom and Dad had square jaws, as well as Dylan; on the other hand, I had a pointy chin. Dylan had Mom's eye shape and Dad's radiant blue eyes, while I had normal brown eyes. He also had our mom's straight dirty blonde, brownish hair, but mine was chestnut brown. Even my nose shape looked different from theirs, longer and more rounded off.

I shook my head miserably. Lena raised her eyebrows at me questioningly. I waved her concern away. She wouldn't know what the problem was, because I hadn't told her yet. Heck, I wasn't even sure if my conclusion was correct at all! It wouldn't make sense to pour my heart out to her if I wasn't even completely sure myself. Although I knew that Lena would be extremely mad at me that I kept something like this form her and then she would start lecturing me about how I shouldn't keep something like this bottled up inside. I always thought that Mom, Dad Dylan and I were a family no matter what, there was no other way and I didn't want that to change at all.

Maybe I just misunderstood the entire conversation. Maybe Mom and Kani were just continuing a dropped conversation and I just happened to overhear the last part of it, which might have confused me. Yeah, after all Mom did say that she met Kani in the supermarket earlier that day. It could also be possible that Kani was just spouting nonsense, I mused. After all, I had little to no connection to her before. She probably thought it weird that I hardly resembled my parents.

I sighed. Maybe for the time being, I should put this thought train at the back of my mind. At the very back of my mind. It would just end up in a terrible wreck after all.

By the time I snapped out of my thoughts, Dylan was already racing back holding the key to the log cabin in his hand, which he had retrieved from the main receptionist building. We walked through the snow slowly gathering on the gravel paths to our cabin. My dad unlocked the door with dramatic gestures, causing Mom, Lena, Dylan and me to chuckle. Even Melanie's mouth twitched in something that vaguely resembled a smile as Dad threw the door open.