The Clement Chronicles

chapter 1

The world didn’t end in a bang or whisper, but rather, one sin at a time. The human heart fell subject to seven deadly sins, each represented by an animal – The toad – avarice, the snake – envy, the lion- wrath, the snail- sloth, the pig- gluttony, the goat- lust and the peacock – pride.
Oddly enough most animals did not fit its sin. Who thinks about lust when they think of a goat? In this current day and age no one knew exactly which sin was dominant over the other. The world is filled of chaos and people who just thrive in suffering and weighing others down.
Walking through the busy streets of Seattle was my favourite pass time. The city was scorned and filled with self-devoid, insipid masses of people who busied themselves with grey jobs and their gadgets that stole time. They were so unaware of the world around them. I kept to myself and studied the intricate details of everything around me.
The paving had cracks because of the stress caused by people walking over it. Small white flowers grew from the dirt collected in the cracks and it offered some beauty. Looking up, I saw the look on people’s faces when they thought no one was watching- their different mannerisms and the subtle facial expressions which lasted a second when their stone, cold eyes met mine.
We were just strangers in passing. I listened to the melody of voices as people passed me. A few grunt and groans was audible from people who were running late to work. The aroma of the food being cooked from street vendors hit my nostrils and my stomach growled and squeezed. I haven’t eaten since yesterday morning and I wasn’t planning on stopping now – I was late for my weekly session at my shrink. It was mandatory that I went because when you have so much bad happen in your life the world forces you to talk about your feelings with some stranger in a dull office for however long they deem it fit.
The sky was dull, the rupture of thunder could be heard so early in the morning and a light drizzle began to fall, people scurried to shelter as it began to pour. The thud of rain hitting the metal roof of a bus-stop shelter echoed throughout the city. People huddled together to retain warmth, the passing of vehicles splashed water onto the sidewalks.
I opened the familiar pedestrian gate into the large brick building. I walked through the familiar room. The secretary flashed her pearly whites at me and I waved .She busied herself with work as soon as I opened the door to Dr.Harington’s office.
I sat on the comfortable white couch and rested my hands on the armrests. My feet could barely touch the ground. I watched the rain roll down the window as the loud boom of thunder roared outside.
“Cyra Clement? You’re early by twenty minutes today. “, Dr.Harrington said as she walked in holding her plain white coffee mug.
“The early bird gets the worm”, I acknowledged. Dr.Harrington was a convict who changed her life around. She was rumoured to be a serial killer who miraculously became a licensed psychologist who killed her victims by slowly getting them to consider suicide. People expected that because she was black and her mother and babysitter killed her father that she was just as crazy and edgy as her lesbian mother who ended up being sentenced to life imprisonment. I knew the rumours weren’t true because she had a ‘judge all you want, we’re all going to die and I intend to deserve it ‘attitude- besides that she was in some ways just as crazy as I was and if anything I was comfortable discussing my crazy with another crazy person.
“What’s new? “She sat down and sipped from her cup. Her soft, coffee brown eyes were fixed on me. I always admired the way she carried herself out in society, she knew what people said about her and her practice but she never let it get to her, perhaps she was just really good at masking her emotions.
I pulled at a loose piece of thread that was unravelling from my blue denim jacket.
“Besides the fact that my dad left and a flag came back, my brother- the only son in the family, a folded flag and I had to introduce myself to my mom again, nothing really.” I lost my brother and father to war – again, the deadly – wrath comes into play. My mother was unable to cope with the loss of her husband and only son so she lost her mind and her sense of time…she often forgot who I was. I guess she had to escape from reality so she hid in her ‘make believe’ world.
Harrington pursed her lips and shook her head.
“You hide behind sarcasm to mask your crippling anxiety and depression. I told you that it’s a way that your body copes with the trauma you’ve been through.” I studied her face carefully, she didn’t look at me with pity and that made me comfortable around her, most people feel sorry for me and I hate that feeling of being lowered – yes I’ve been kissed by death and pain but it doesn’t mean I’m fragile.
Harrington’s makeup was smeared of the right side of her face and there were bags under her eyes.  She was a middle aged woman who in my opinion didn’t look a day over thirty. She had a fringe that obscured her eyes from viewing me so she kept pushing it away from her face.
“I know, I know.”
“Good. I’m glad that we’re on the same page.”
“I don’t even think we’re reading the same book.” I voiced.
Harrington rolled her eyes and opened my file. That was one thick file on crazy. She cleared her throat and flipped through my file.
“Tell me about your sleeping patterns. Are the sleeping pills working?” she implored.
“No, I still can’t sleep. My mind has the scary capability of being dark and demented.”
“You’re still afraid of your dreams?” She straightened herself.
“Yes.” I said quietly.
“Tell me about your dreams.”
“It’s still the same dream…I died and heaven doesn’t want me and hell is afraid I’ll take over so I’m stuck…I don’t fit in. I’m just really dark and torturing if you get what I’m saying.” I gripped the armrests.
“I think you’re not as dark as you want people to believe…it’s a wall you put up to keep people out, to protect yourself. You feel like your family has given up on you because of the death and your mother’s illness, you have nowhere to turn. The human mind is the scariest thing of all. Don’t you feel lonely living in your own little world?”
“Don’t you feel powerless living in other people’s worlds?” I knotted my eyebrows together and watched Harrington squirm uncomfortably in her seat.
The rain was pouring down heavier than before and flashes and bolts of lightning gave rise to blinding light in the sky…talk about a storm!
“There is nothing more fearsome than watching something you love fall apart in front of your eyes, in your case that something is your family and we are going to work through this. People mourn in their own way.” She picked up a pen and made notes in my file. I do not see the reason for this, I am fine and I know something bad has happened to me but ever since I could remember, bad things have been happening to me – it’s like I’m cursed or something.
After spending a pointless hour of my life that I will never get back in Harrington’s office I went to the bathroom to freshen up. I was meeting my friend outside.
So, a typical day in Cyra Clement’s life goes by just like that- You’d think that for an eighteen year old girl I’d have more friends but no – I just had one. Everyone else felt sorry for me – the poor girl who lost her entire family just over a month ago.
I went outside and my friend of eleven years waited with her bright yellow umbrella. She wore her Uggs, blue jeans and burnt orange jersey that she wore everywhere. It was her signature look and she wore it with pride – an image of a peacock baring its colourful feathers popped into my mind.
She flashed me a smile and her soft, blue eyes met mine. If it wasn’t for her dimples you’d think we were both sisters – we had the same raven black hair and we were both very tall.
“I had a thought.” She hooted. She was well known for her spunky and spontaneous outbursts of crazy ideas… if her colourful personality wasn’t enough to make you run for the hills then the fact that she collects guns and stares at assault rifles like they were shoes will surely make you scream bloody murder – before you jump to conclusions she was nineteen and her dad was a police officer who happened to buy her revolvers instead of Barbie dolls when she was a kid. She had her gun license and she was insanely dedicated to the art of collecting weapons of mass destruction.
“Oh no, Eli.” I moaned. Elizabeth Caraway was her full name and I called her Eli for short.
“I swear it’s a good one this time! “ I ran under the umbrella as fast as I could.
“Are you clinically insane or incredibly annoying?” She grumbled because I killed her moment.
“Who knows …I’m both.” I declared and she laughed. Her eyes creased at the ends and her dimples became prominent when she laughed.
We entered the warm coffee shop and the smell of coco beans and baked goods hit my nose. We sat in our usual booth and ordered our usual black coffee and chocolate chip muffins.
“Dark and strong like our souls.” Eli cheered while referring to our taste in coffee.
“If we keep talking about our lives like this we’re going to have the whole brooding and twisted thing perfected.” I giggled and Eli rolled her eyes.
I wrapped my hands around the hot mug to warm my hands. I sipped the black liquid and it was heavy on my tongue. The taste lingered on, it was spicy and crisp with a clean finish.
Eli’s Ex-boyfriend walked into the shop with a new girl around his arm. Eli didn’t want to admit it but she still cared about him and the sight of him with another girl hurt her beyond repair. He was tall, dark and handsome – the type of guy your mom would warn you about when you first started developing feelings for guys.
“Are you sure I can’t punch him in the face?” I snarled and looked at him with disgust. Eli caught him in bed with another woman on her birthday. If I didn’t find her before she went home I’m sure she would have shot her lying, cheat of a boyfriend and the woman he slept with.
“Yes.” She said quietly and looked down at her drink.
“What if I break his nose just a little?” I brought my index finger and thumb together with a small gap separating them. Eli didn’t react instead she swirled her drink with her spoon; her eyes were sad and downturned.
I got up and held my arm out to Eli, she didn’t deserve this and I wasn’t going to watch her drown her sorrows and have another pity party.
“Let’s go. I lost my appetite anyway. We can go and watch a movie at my apartment.” I pleaded. She took my hand and got up. Ever since my mom moved to the clinical institution she was in I lived alone in our apartment. My father and brother were in the army so the army paid for my mom’s medical fees and our apartment. With the grant money we received I bought my daily essentials and went on with my life.
Eli and I watched a few Disney movies and her mood cheered up. The rain became lighter and the sun slowly went down turning the sky from a grey scene to a darkened canvas.
“I have to go…see you Monday? My mom is probably wondering where I am and my dad is going to pick me up, he just came from the station and he’s waiting downstairs.” Eli hugged me when our hang out session came close to a draw.
“No problem. Take care of yourself.” I cajoled.
“I should be saying that to you.”  She humoured me and left me alone in my apartment. I brushed a strand of hair away from my face and watched her go out.
Reality dawned on me and I was left to an empty apartment that once held laughter and housed a completely happy family.  They say you don’t know what’s important to you until you lose it and that’s what happened to me – I lost my family.
I had my mom but she is just an empty shell of the person she was in the past. She’s got a welcome mat but no one has been home for years…
I completed my completely mundane ritual and got ready for bed. I popped a few sleeping pills but I knew it wouldn’t help. Anxiety will creep its way into my life and prevent me from resting. If only everyone else stayed with me the way anxiety and depression clung onto my life. I was angry you see, I had everything except what was important. Life had screwed me over and I couldn’t shake the feeling that I didn’t belong here, sure I had Eli but I wouldn’t burden her with my sad, pathetic story about the lonely and depressed girl who couldn’t find her way. I wanted her to be happy because I of all people know what it is like to be constantly touched by darkness. I lay awake at night, hoping to find some sanctuary and solitude but it was farfetched.
I dreamt that I was falling into a pit of fire – I was screaming for help but no one could hear me. My skim was burning and I couldn’t stop screaming, the sound of my shrill voice was almost deafening and enough to make me jolt awake.
There was a loud knock on the door. It was surely too late for any visitors; I must have been imagining the loud, echoing knock on the door. The sound boomed louder and louder – I was afraid that the door would break. I got up and it was dark outside. The stars were hidden by large grey clouds and moonlight dimly illuminated the streets bellow.
“Who’s there?”  I yelped. I grabbed the broomstick and my hands were clammy, my throat closed in and was as dry as the Sahara dessert. There was no answer and the knocking intensified and became more violent. The hinges were slowly unravelling. If there’s one thing I learnt from horror movies it was that in such occasions I should call 911 and hide, so that’s what I did. I grabbed a kitchen knife and ran into the closet. There was a loud crack of wood and a loud thud – the door had fallen onto the ground and heavy footsteps and breathing could be heard. My breathing loudened and sweat rolled down my forehead. My grip tightened around the knife and I waited. A shadow lingered past the closet door and I gave a small shriek.
The hair on the back of my neck stood up as a cold breath fanned my skin. I was about to turn around when a pair of cold hands blocked my mouth from screaming. I was not dying like this – I was not going to become just another common break-in murder case. I shrieked and kneed the person and a loud scoff erupted from the dark silence of my room – it was a man!  How the hell did he end up in my closet if he was walking about my apartment?
“Ouch!” he shouted and rubbed his shin.The closet door opened violently and the man I kicked pushed me out of the way, his golden eyes were the only thing that was visible in the darkness.
“Run!” he shouted as he got up. My attacker was trying to protect me?  A deafening, high pitched screech could be heard from the kitchen and the heavy footsteps grew louder.
“Go!” the man with the golden eyes ordered and I did, a woman jumped out of the kitchen and she had with her a glowing pendant of a snake.
“Envy – You stay away from her!” the man shouted and the woman I’m assuming was named Envy jumped onto him. She tackled him and they rolled around the floor. The man pulled out a dagger and cut her arm.
Was this really happening? His eyes flickered and his nails grew thick and sharp within seconds- almost like talons. He dug into her throat as she struggled under her grip. She screamed in pain and bared her sharp teeth that were laced with venom. I couldn’t really see what was going on because of the poor light but from what was visible I could see that the man protecting me was losing. I don’t know what was going through my mind but I took the kitchen knife and ran up to her and stabbed her side.
Her head turned to face me and she gave me a sinister smile. What on earth was happening?
“Was that supposed to hurt?” She threatened. I turned on my heels to run but she was quick, she grabbed my leg and I tripped falling face first. Her thick nails dug into my skin and I screamed as the piercing pain travelled throughout my leg. She dragged me towards her and I clawed the floor trying to break free from her monstrous hold on me. I tried kicking her with my other leg but it did no good. Her grip loosened on me and I heard a loud fall of a weight slump to the ground. The plunging sound of flesh and blood could be heard. I turned to face the man with golden eyes in horror as he stabbed Envy with the very dagger he held in his hand.
I began to breathe rapidly and the blood pounded in my head. I felt light headed and sick- I just watched a murder! I vomited and felt dizzy, my vision blurred and I fell to the ground. The last thing I remembered was a pair of golden eyes looking at me as I was carried away.