Rising Dawn (Willy Wonka X OC)

The Void

I fold my arms around my torso and hold deathly still while I listen to the elevator take off with a quiet explosion. I stand shaking in the cold winter air, facing the house, watching as snowflakes seem to hover in midair for a few seconds before falling softly to the ground. It's only been four hours since I left, the sun is still high in the sky, but it does nothing to combat the ice that seeps into my very bones.

A while later, Charlie comes out of the house and trudges toward me, his step noticeably heavier than I've ever seen it. I shiver and realize I'm a great deal colder than before. How long have I been out here?

"Dawn, it's time to come in," he says, taking my trembling hand in his smaller, warmer hand. Charlie tugs on my arm and I allow him to lead me into the house without responding.

"Aw, Dawn." Grandpa Joe opens his arms. Charlie takes my coat and hangs it up to dry off the melted snowflakes.

"Come here, darling," Grandma Georgina says, for once, knowing exactly what's going on. She pats the bed, but I make no move to sit with them or allow them to comfort me. Mum is sitting in the corner, fingers on her temples, rubbing in circular motions.

"Mum..." I finally start.

"What? What is it?" she snaps sharply. She rises and storms over to me, I flinch, then recoil at my cowardice. Since when did I become so afraid of everything? "You want to know why I lied to you? Because you were a child! Because you wouldn't understand that I just wanted to give you the best life I could and it would never be as good as the life he had. No, I didn't want you and Willy to be friends because I didn't want him to look at you differently when you got older and had to work while he didn't. The problem wasn't with him, it was with your friendship. I liked his father too, but I knew before long he would realize us for what we are. Dirty, poor, miserable servants. And I wanted to leave before that happened. Luckily, he took care of that for me."

Luckily? Is she insane? I lost my best, and only, friend ever because she didn't want me to be jealous of his easy life. From what I could tell, Will's life wasn't all hearts and roses. He has at least a few moments that still haunt him.

"Is that what you wanted to know, Dawn? Is that what you wanted to hear me say? Is that what you were going to ask?"

I stare at the ground with dull eyes. In a more monotonous tone that I though I could manage, I respond. "I...I um...just wanted to ask if we had wood out back. W...Wi..." I take a deep breath. "Will...he um...damaged the side of the house."

I point at the corner where the ceiling meets the wall and the recently ripped hole is letting cold air get in. I have no more tears left to cry. My heart has squeezed itself to a small black orb. I don't care anymore. My mind has sunken to that dark place bad memories take me, but now there's no coming back, now my mind has made itself comfortable, now my mind has settled itself into the dark nooks, now my mind is used to the cold misery.

Mum looks at me, mouth gaping slightly. Charlie wraps arms around me, but I don't respond. The grandparents look at me with sympathetic eyes and put wrinkled, experienced hands over their hearts.

"Well, I'm glad you're putting all this behind you." Oh, it's not behind me. It's going to be here forever, sitting just behind my eyes, stealing smiles one by one, swallowing me and choking my life away bit by bit as I trudge on in this life of darkness. I once thought I had to navigate the darkness for seven people, now I realize it's only for six. You may think it's my mother that I'm leaving behind because of all she's done, but it's not her. I couldn't do that. It's me. I don't even have to leave myself behind because I'm already lost to the darkness. I was never navigating for myself because I got lost when I took on the responsibility of navigating for the others. Mum offers a sad smile. "I think there're a few planks."