The portal she opened led straight to the one place that she had been cautioned to stay away from. Despite all the warnings, this was the one place she knew she could be a child. Have people who want to take care of her without making her feel like the weight of the world is on her shoulders for a change. It hit her then… she was home sick from everything that kept her away from home for the past few months. She wanted to feel like her age for a change, she wanted the people who truly care about her to stop worrying about her. Things had just spiralled out of control so fast she found herself in a survival game that she didn't even sign up for in the first place. She looked at the outer walls of her home, the house she grew up in stood humble in front of her. She realised something else while observing her surroundings, the time difference in the real world compared to being inside the cave was totally different because now she stood looking at the starts whereas she left the cave bright and early. It was as if she is from another universe altogether, was she?
The question briefly entered her mind before it disappeared as quickly as it had materialized. There was a gentle breeze in the way the wind blew the trees softly, giving the branches a whistling sound that made her calm. A frog croaked from a distance and suddenly made her alert.
She sighed softly.
This is what had become of her life, always on the lookout, always expecting danger to follow her. She was barely dressed and the temperature wasn't exactly being friendly to her as she stood reminiscing. She decided to go inside and see if her mom and dad had decided to end their little vacation at the senior Simon residence. She wasn't sure if they decided to stay in the hope that she may come back. She wondered how long she had been gone for and smiled bitterly.
"What if they blame me for the misfortunes that took place" she shook her head and decided to knock to see if there was anyone home. She imagined her frail mother to have lost weight in her absence and her father to have stormed every possible place looking for her. She understood that the heavy weight she felt on her shoulders will continue to exist for as long as she lets it. She will do things differently this time. She will ask for help and not try to do everything herself.
She made three sharp knocks on the door and heard footsteps trailing the staircase headed towards the door. Her heart was trying to jump out of her throat and giving her a minor anxious sweat. She heard the rattling of keys simultaneously with the click of the lightbulb being switched on at the other side of the door. She nervously clutched her hands tightly together and exhaled again. The door swung open and she saw her mother looking frailer than the last time she had seen her.
How long has it been. . . She wondered inwardly without letting the rush of emotions come to show on her face. She tried to keep it in but she couldn't because of the sudden urge to cry as soon as she crashed into her mother's arms.
"Shhh" she cooed softly despite the tears and the snorts escaping from her own face but she was a mother at the end of the day and seeing her baby girl fall apart like that told her she has been through a lot.
"I'm sorry mama. . . I didn't want to leave. T-they took me mama, I didn't want to go and wanted to come back home, I'm sorry mom" she rushed the words out of her mouth as if saying them any slower might get her in trouble with the one woman she loves most in the world. She wanted to explain to her that she didn't want to leave, that she would never willingly leave her side and her superman. She wanted to let it all out in that single moment. She wanted her superman know that despite all the power she was said to possess, she still felt vulnerable and powerless when everything started hitting her in rapid succession. She sobbed loudly in her mother's embrace.
Sally wanted to allow her daughter to cry to her heart's content without disturbing her but the weather had turned chilly with a bit of harsh win ds blowing every once in a while so she had no choice but to nudge her inside hoping she knows that she is still her little girl.
"My little Princess, is that you?" Nick asked in disbelief. It has been way too long that he had started to lose hope of ever seeing her little girl "Come to me baby" he beckoned softly as if trying to care for a wounded lost animal so as to not scare it away. A rather sombre mood enveloped the living room as the woman of the Simon household came to take their seats in clear anticipation of a family briefing, for a lack of a better word, despite the ungodly hour at that time of day. "Where have you been Dana? Are you okay? Are you going to stay this time"? Nick let his gratitude/Frustration pour out of him like a stream that just broke after years of endurance.
"Nick, let her catch her breath before you burry her in your pile of questions" his wife admonished him sternly. She let out an exasperated sigh.
'Just after getting my baby girl and assuring her she can relax now that she is home, this big baby comes here and tries to unravel my hard work' Sally inwardly rolled her eyes which did not go unnoticed by her husband whose forehead was a myriad of overwhelming emotions in his only daughter's presence. She could understand what went through his mind and the heavy feelings in his heart and this led her to a realization even both of them haven't felt like a couple since the day it finally sinked in that their only daughter is missing. Although they were not really having a difference of opinion in their capacity as a couple but there was first the silent guilt that slowly ate at each one of them until it turned into something greyer than guilt where they each wondered what the other could've done to prevent all that led to their little girl choosing the comfort of the unknown than sticking around to talk to either one of them after all that they had done to show love and support to her. It all came undone when she found out that there was more to her life than what they had let her know as her parents. They lost her trust and confidence in their capacity to give her answers without trying to sound like big scary parents. Sally and Nick became strangers with no one finding the courage to seek comfort from the other until it was awkward for both of them to even share a bathroom or small spaces such as the passageway or kitchen. Sally had gotten to the habit of preparing dinner, doing her chores and all the menial tasks that needed her attention, paying extra attention to the huge antique reddish-brown clock that hung in the living room to make sure that she is done with everything before the time that her husband will get back from his day job. This was all possible as she owned a pharmacy and had assistants, this allowed her to be home for the most part week to take care of things. Despite her efforts to keep up a lively home, her own health deteriorated as she didn't have a good appetite on most days and no vitamins on earth could nourish her shallow soul at this point so they both felt the difference made by the appearance of the young woman in their arms at this moment. It was no exaggeration to say she breathed life back to their lives. The worn couple had taken turns staring into nothing in between their many restless nights while wading off the helplessness they both felt respectively. They both had so much to tell their Princess but thought it better to let her be the one to talk first to find out what was on her mind.
"Mama" she said hesitantly, as if the mere utterance of the word is forbidden. This didn't go unnoticed by the couple who sat on the large couch buttering her on each of side with her on the middle, as if to protect her.
Sally caressed her daughter's hand in a way that conveyed assurance to speak her heart and hoped that it is enough to freely express herself. She gave her her signature "mama is here" look and nodded her head.
"I-I am scared mama" she visibly shrank as if the fear is suddenly catching up to her now, as if she couldn't put a name to something she has been feeling for quite some time now and this put an indescribable pain shooting through the helpless parents. The pain in her voice brought back the pang of guilt twice as hard to Nick for failing to protect his daughter but alas, what odds!
"You are home now my Princess, mama won't let anything frighten you" she felt a pair of eyes shooting daggers straight at her face and corrected herself "and your superman too, we are here for you. . . all in this time" she felt the need to add that last part and seeing her husband nod, she knew they will both go the distance this time. This made their daughter smile but it was not a smile a parent would be happy seeing on their daughter's face, especially one who has been away for so long, alone in the darkness. This made them frown, sharing puzzled faces and waited for their daughter to talk.
"I am scared, but not for me" she exhaled deeply before saying in a flat, soft voice "it is a fear for both of you and" she waited for both of them to take her words in before giving them her real fear " I'm afraid this time, it's me you need protection from".
Her eyes cast down, her heartbeat slowed down until it couldn't be heard by the two adults sitting next to her. This was just one point of observation, contrary to the fact that the two adults had forgotten to breath for a moment there due to the shock of what their daughter just revealed.
NOTE TO READERS
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