HOME | DD

Description
Chapter 21 – Mommy.

The next morning I woke up late, my jaw was more sore than usual. I groaned and glanced at my clock, waiting for my eyes to adjust, 11:30.

I slid out of bed, my spine and my shoulder blades ached something fierce. I hobbled into the kitchen, following the sounds of a strange voice, accompanied by Chris' voice.

A woman sat there, she had long brown hair. She was very skinny, pretty much skeletal. She had long bony fingers and extra long black fingernails that looked more like talons.

She spoke in a scratchy voice weakened by years of smoking.

I felt like I shouldn't be there.

Chris and Jean sat across the table from her. Jean spotted me first.

"There she is!" she called, there was a slightly nervous edge quavering in her voice.

The skeleton turned her flimsy neck almost 360 degrees and smiled a broken, yellow-toothed smile, "Brooke!" she cried, standing and motioning to me with her ugly talons, beckoning me.

I shrunk back, wide eyed.

The woman's eyes narrowed slightly, "Brooklyn, it's me…"

Chris slowly raised a hand to the woman's shoulder, "Catherine she might not remember you… she was only 5…"

The woman Chris called Catherine seemed to scowl menacingly, taking a step towards me and beckoning again.

She looked sick, and disgusting, withered.

"Brooklyn…" she croaked, "It's me, mommy…"

I took another step back, my arms prickling with goosebumps. I pressed my back against the corner of the wall, wincing slightly from the sharp spasm of pain I felt radiating through my spine.

Her strong, croaky voice ripped through my head again, "Brooklyn, its mommy…"

Her wrinkled features startled me, I remembered her. Young, beautiful, perfect. I stared at the withered skeleton before me, this wasn't my mother…

I stepped around the corner slowly and backed up slightly down the hallway, not breaking eye contact.

She suddenly looked angry, "Come here you stupid bitch, for fucks sake I'm your Mother!"

My eyes went wide, both Chris and Jean stood, advancing towards my mother. I burst into tears and ran down the hallway towards the basement door. It opened and Red looked out, her eyes puffy and red, she grabbed me and pulled me downstairs slowly, an arm slung around my shoulder, muttering furiously to herself.

"I knew that would happen… I don't know why they did that… it was such a stupid idea…" she hissed.

I was blinded by tears. Memories floated back, seemingly innocent, but with every laugh it ripped another chunk off of my heart. My mother was dead… she was nothing but bones and a bad temper. I had spent so long fantasizing about her coming back. I spent every day of my life wishing that Mom would come back and Dad wouldn't have gone to war. I spent my whole life accepting the fact one parent was dead, re-assuring myself that somewhere, my Mom was still alive. But she wasn't… she was just as dead as he was… if not more…

I heard the vultures' screams from upstairs.

"Let me see her! Let me see her! Let me see her! Let me see my daughter! I have to see Brooke!"

I covered my ears and screamed back, "No!... No No No No No Nooooo!!!"

I sank to my knees and crumpled on the floor, listening to the horrid croaking shrieks.

Red cried beside me, hugging me tightly, I felt she was all I had… I clutched her tightly and whispered hoarsely between sobs, "Don't you ever leave me…"

"I won't, babe… I won't…"