Lola

1

"She had waited all her life for something, and it had killed her when it found her."

― Zora Neale Hurston (Their Eye's Were Watching God)

Lola stood in Lyra's room for her daily dose of mental self-harm.

It seemed as if time had frozen there. Her room remained as it was the day she disappeared: the bed was unmade, clothing was strewn about, and her homework was cluttered on her messy desk. It was as if Lyra was simply at school, a friend's house, or eating in the kitchen. When Lola closed her eyes and thought about it hard enough, she could hear her sister complain about a failed math test and other issues that would annoy Lola. 

I could live with my eyes closed forever if it meant enduring Lyra's long complaints about math class. 

In Lola's mind, Lyra was an immortal being with lighting smiles, thunderous laughter, and a whirling tempest of energy. 

It was wrong for Lyra to be dead and for Lola to live. 

She held in her sniffles and walked to the window to crack it open. It was too hot and stuffy, and Lyra always liked her room cold.

A few moments later she was out of the house and bounding into the dark woods. Lola chanted the same futile prayer in her mind. As she dodged trees in the forest. She hoped to find answers. 

Her sneakers crunched against the rogue leaves on the forest floor. Her hands held the weight of a heavy gun and a bright green flashlight. The gentle ba-dum of her heart pounded violently in her ears. 

She could hear the howls of wolves as she set aside the gun and the flashlight to dig up a lone red dahlia and quickly hid within the trees waiting for Gardener to return. 

-

"You know it's not safe out there." Her dad stated tiredly as Lola reappeared a few hours later.

It was late at night, but these days her father never seemed to sleep. He had lost a wife, a daughter, and he thinks he's lost me as well. She thought has her fingers played with the pedals of the flower she had plucked.

The Gardener had not returned in the moments that she had waited for it. Lola had half a mind to slap herself for dozing off until she heard the crack of the dry twigs she had strategically placed. When she woke more red dahlias stood in their usual spot. 

Lola didn't want to hurt Gardener, but she had come to the conclusion that she would have to trap it. 

Her father poured himself another drink and offered the bottle to her. She scrunched up her nose, "Let me guess, that's your tenth." 

"You are obsessed with that forest." Her dad declared, Lola rolled her eyes at the obvious statement. This conversation seemed very familiar. 

"Remember when you used to have a life? Because I do!" he let out a loud and wet belch before continuing, "Those woods are wasting you away, and I won't let them have you!" he giggled before downing the rest of his alcohol.  

Augustus shot out promises as if they were bullets. "I'm getting our life back. I'm gonna get our life back Dolores!" His eyes glittered with promise as he continued to laugh.

She ignored him and moved her dinner to their cramped living room. It was in sore need of being cleaned.

Augustus's baritone voice seemed to grow louder and more frantic as he continued his ravings.

"Dad I-"

"We're moving. Right now Dolores!" Lola sharply turned her head towards her father who stumbled into the closet. He threw clothing everywhere. Her heart started to lurch in her chest at the mere idea of leaving. But he always promised this, he doesn't have the balls to actually move. She smirked to herself. 

Tomorrow she would google animal traps, and she would venture into the woods again. 

"Dad! I think you're really tired –"

"NO Lola! I watch you run into the woods and wonder if you're going to come back," He started, he started to waver and crack. His delirious laughter had fizzled into fear. 

"I dream that one day I'll find you in there too, dead. I wonder which one will take you, the trees or them. Will I find you in the pond, or will I find you mauled?" 

"You wouldn't have to dream if you came with me." tears prickled her eyes as she swallowed what she really wanted to say. You wouldn't have to worry if you protected me. 

He abruptly got up and wiped away the fat tears that slipped down his face. Maybe he was ashamed or too sad to meet his daughter's eyes. 

"I can't protect you anymore here." Augustus had finally formed a sober sentence. 

He lumbered off to his room and slammed the door shut. He carefully packed his wife's items first.

Lola went to his room and raised her hand to knock. But the word seemed to get stuck in her throat like they always did. There would be no way to explain Gardener, the flowers he left for her, or the eyes that followed her back home. 

This always happens. He always promises things that he won't commit to. She dragged her self to the bathroom and scrubbed her face clean of makeup. Her fingers traced the soft indents in her skin.

-

A feeling of terror twisted in her gut as she tucked herself into bed. She restlessly tossed and turned before getting up again. I need air. 

Lola walked to her window to crack it open for the night and froze. Her eyes were glued to a crouched figure in her backyard. Is this real? 

It's shadow seemed to contort and expand as sickening crunches could be heard. She let out a fearful yelp before quickly ducking beneath the window. She paused and waited for what felt like hours when the growling subsided as she slowly stood up to look through her window. 

The moon had chosen the perfect time to provide light. 

Instead of the creature, there was merely a bundle of red flowers. Lola shut her window quickly and practically ran downstairs to grab the gun she had left on the table. 

There was no way in hell she was going to sleep tonight.  

She carried a kitchen chair up to her room and sat by the window. 

To Lola, the full moon looked like an eerie eye in the sky.

-

A/N

11/2/201710:54pm - this is so dorky but i just saw the 2 votes on my book and i am so excited like wtf thanks to those who voted! @chris_baby_girl and @honestlydotcom it is very much appreciated! 

UNEDITED