Page 18 of Pretty Thing

“Why don’t you rest? I’ll go make some tea.”

“Okay…the tea is⁠—”

Felix’s lips brush against my forehead, and my stomach flips.

“I’ll find it. It’s a kitchen. How hard can it be?” He smirks. “Try to get some sleep.”

He’s already standing and pulling the blankets back so I can shift under them. I suck in a deep breath and brace myself against the pain as I lie down. Felix smiles and walks out of my room.

I don’t know what to make of him or this, but right now, Felix is a godsend. I don’t want to be here alone.

Burying myself under the blanket, I let it all out. All the guilt and loss. The hopelessness choking my throat and sitting on my chest.

My life will never be the same.

I can’t even tell up from down anymore.

“I’m sorry, Mom. I’m sorry, Dad,” I whisper over and over, until darkness and nightmares yank me under.

five

​. . .​

Eden

Taking a deep breath, I savor the scent of fresh pine, apple pie, and crackling fire. This is my favorite time of year and not just because it’s also my birthday. There is a magical aura, like a blanket, that wraps you up and carries you off into the wonder of the season. Lights twinkle on the tree while carols softly play in the background. Everything is perfect.

“Here you go, sweetie,” Mom says, handing me my Christmas gift. It’s wrapped perfectly like always, with a little bow and a candy cane on top. Mom goes above and beyond making all the gifts look pretty, but she likes to make an extra fuss over mine. She says that it’s not fair my birthday falls on Christmas Day, despite me being their little miracle.

Smiling, I tear the paper from the box that’s no bigger than the palm of my hand.

“Hope you love it, honey,” Dad says as I crack the black velvet lid.

Inside, nestled in satin, is a silver chain with the most stunning turtle pendant. Gasping, I reach in and slowly lift the delicate necklace.

“Oh my god, it’s beautiful.”

The words no sooner leave my lips when something red lands on the turtle. I stare at the pendant. More drops form and fall as my eyes dart up to my parents. What the hell?

The necklace drops to the floor. My mother is slumped forward on the couch, her hair masking her face, and not moving. Dad is in his leather chair, head down, eyes open, a giant piece of metal jutting from his chest.

“No. No. No.”

Jumping up, I run to my mom.

“Wake up. You need to wake up.”

No matter how hard I shake her, she doesn’t respond. Racing to my Dad, I touch his neck. He’s cold as ice, no pulse, and still.

“This can’t be happening. Wake up!”

Jerking awake, I bite my lip and cry out as the stabbing pain shoots through my side and down my body. I’m drenched in sweat, and my heart is an out-of-control train hurtling along the tracks. I glance around the dimly lit room, trying to remember what happened. Reality is a cold mistress.

Everything comes back at once. The crash, their deaths, the hospital. A horror movie that never wants to end. Something warm runs down my cheek and even though I’m certain it’s tears, I still reach up to make sure it’s not blood.

Wincing through the ache permeating every square inch of my body, I throw the blanket off and drop my feet over the side of the bed. It’s agonizing. My body is attacking me. My mind is tortured. And my soul…will never repair. Time will pass, and I’m sure at some point I’ll find a new normal, but part of me is still in that car with my parents and always will be.

I force myself to stand and glare at the air cast like it’s the problem. Felix must have come back up when I was asleep because my stupid crutch is leaning against the wall. I’m apparently a terrible patient because all of this just makes me angry.