Ficlet for TPH
TRIGGER WARNING FOR death that happened
In Megan’s mind the world stopped turning as soon as she saw the video. The phone fell from her hands and whatever chatter was going on around her as she stood in the middle of the school promenade was blocked quickly, the voices around her seemingly far away and unimportant. She grabbed the phone, checked it twice to make sure she’d seen what she had hoped was a lie, before racing home.
Ali would be there. Whatever she thought was on the phone wasn’t real. It was just Loki playing tricks on her and Ali would be home, making the pies with crappy lowfat whipped topping and everything would be okay in the world.
Except once she arrived home, the lights were off and Fourth was eagerly awaiting her arrival. She ran from the house, ignoring the dogs barks and headed off toward the studio that Alison did aerobics classes at. Maybe she was still there? That was all. Class had run long or she was giving private sessions.Ali wasn’t lying dead on the ground in some city with her crazy sister standing over her. That wasn’t real. It hadn’t happened. It couldn’t have happened.
But then, Alison wasn’t at the studio, the manager had muttered something about New York, but Megan brushed that off, pushing his words away like the kids at the school as she headed toward the spa. Maybe Ali was visiting Warren. That had to be itl. Ali was with Warren, and she was safe, and they’d have pie and everything was going to be okay.
Megan stumbled as she passed their house again, tears starting to fall as she remembered that Alison had gone to New York before she’d left for school. They were going to do stuff with the new school, make sure it was safe from the stupid protesters.
She fell to the ground and punched at the hard rock under her body. She didn’t care how much it hurt her hands, or the fact that they were quickly scratched up and bleeding. She needed to hit something, to release all the anger and sadness that was throwing her for a loop.
Fourth nudged at her, and she almost pushed him away, but hugged him hard at the last second instead. It wasn’t his fault, and she needed something to ground her for a few moments as she kept crying.
Megan wasn’t sure how long she stayed in that spot crying, but the sun was down by the time she pulled herself up, and forced herself to go inside. She was on autopilot and fed the dog, filled his water bowl, and then headed straight for Ali and Warren’s room. She didn’t care that she wasn’t supposed to be in there, nor did she care that she’d left the door open so the dog could come inside later on.
She picked up the pillow that smelled like Ali and laid down on the bed where she thought was her spot. She couldn’t cry anymore, but she couldn’t sleep either. She was just going to lay there until everything started to make sense again. Or at least until Warren came home.
In Megan’s mind the world stopped turning as soon as she saw the video. The phone fell from her hands and whatever chatter was going on around her as she stood in the middle of the school promenade was blocked quickly, the voices around her seemingly far away and unimportant. She grabbed the phone, checked it twice to make sure she’d seen what she had hoped was a lie, before racing home.
Ali would be there. Whatever she thought was on the phone wasn’t real. It was just Loki playing tricks on her and Ali would be home, making the pies with crappy lowfat whipped topping and everything would be okay in the world.
Except once she arrived home, the lights were off and Fourth was eagerly awaiting her arrival. She ran from the house, ignoring the dogs barks and headed off toward the studio that Alison did aerobics classes at. Maybe she was still there? That was all. Class had run long or she was giving private sessions.Ali wasn’t lying dead on the ground in some city with her crazy sister standing over her. That wasn’t real. It hadn’t happened. It couldn’t have happened.
But then, Alison wasn’t at the studio, the manager had muttered something about New York, but Megan brushed that off, pushing his words away like the kids at the school as she headed toward the spa. Maybe Ali was visiting Warren. That had to be itl. Ali was with Warren, and she was safe, and they’d have pie and everything was going to be okay.
Megan stumbled as she passed their house again, tears starting to fall as she remembered that Alison had gone to New York before she’d left for school. They were going to do stuff with the new school, make sure it was safe from the stupid protesters.
She fell to the ground and punched at the hard rock under her body. She didn’t care how much it hurt her hands, or the fact that they were quickly scratched up and bleeding. She needed to hit something, to release all the anger and sadness that was throwing her for a loop.
Fourth nudged at her, and she almost pushed him away, but hugged him hard at the last second instead. It wasn’t his fault, and she needed something to ground her for a few moments as she kept crying.
Megan wasn’t sure how long she stayed in that spot crying, but the sun was down by the time she pulled herself up, and forced herself to go inside. She was on autopilot and fed the dog, filled his water bowl, and then headed straight for Ali and Warren’s room. She didn’t care that she wasn’t supposed to be in there, nor did she care that she’d left the door open so the dog could come inside later on.
She picked up the pillow that smelled like Ali and laid down on the bed where she thought was her spot. She couldn’t cry anymore, but she couldn’t sleep either. She was just going to lay there until everything started to make sense again. Or at least until Warren came home.