— May, 2008 (trigger warning) 

       
     Dusk comes when the long reflection of day passes, to bring out a hue of solemnity & unity in the night. For some, it comes as a curse to bring out the cruelty of separation. At 13 years old, Elan is trying hard to comprehend the difficult equations on the tea-table of the drawing room. It's when the birds start to sing good-night slowly. 

      Suddenly a shattering sound booms in the empty house. She jerked away from the table instantly. Her sister, Ariel— eight years old is sleeping in their room. There shouldn't be no one, right? Before she can fathom after a few seconds, the heated moments start. And she hears—
  

   
       "No, Nathan! Stop it! I'm done with this shit. I can't live here anymore," a feminine voice says. There's no answer on the other side.

       "Why are you silent? You always do the same. Why can't you understand?" This time the voices edge with agitation.

       Elan knows, the other person is breathing heavily—getting ready to answer back!

      "The problem is, You! Abigail, you're not ready to understand here! We've everything we need to live a decent life, but you're not satisfied since you care more about your own shits, and alcohol!"

      Elan has come to the hall room now, her parents are fighting again. Maybe this isn't the first time they're fighting like this but for sure, her step-father stated the fact in front of her mother. They both are agitated at this moment. Feeling slapped right across on the face with gut-wrenching truth, Abigail starts to fume!

      "What do you mean, Nathan? You know, I'm not like this! I can't help but need it!" She says throwing the hands exaggeratedly.

      "You can, Abigail! It seems this time, you're falling in the same condition once again, drowning again!" 

      Nathan says distinctively. Right, it's not the first time they're talking about these shitty problems of their life. How can he say that? How can he remind her of the same wound?

       Abigail, fell into clinical depression after her first husband's demise. If it were not Nathan, maybe she wouldn't have come back from the destruction. Abigail is too blind in her grief now that she can't see her husband's concern, her elder daughter is cowering in the corner, her youngest can wake up at any moment. She sees, only needing money for her seduction.

       "You, Nathan, don't have any right to talk to me like this! So, what? You're just a mere clinical psychiatrist!" She says poking her finger on his chest.

       It hurt Nathan's sentiment, would be a mere statement—he was devastated! He loves his profession. When he first met Abigail, he thought maybe he found his love at last. Love would be enough for them! If only he knew, love can't heal everything; neither the broken pieces. 

       "Fine! I'm gonna meet with the broker then! If you don't want to give money, I will sell this house!" She threatens him with red-fuming eyes as the house is in her name. 

      Nathan just shakes his head & leaves from there! Elan was silent watcher of everything. This is a regular drama of their life nowadays. People think, shiny glasses & superfluous four walls can deceive everything but nah— it's only enough to hide the venomous voices.

     Abigail runs after her room! She needs those needles, which can calm her nerves. Why Nathan doesn't understand? She feels bad too. Finding no high addicts, she finds a knife. At least something better than nothing. She will feel something, just when she puts the knife to silt, Elan stops her. "Mom! Stop it! You're hurting yourself," she shouts.

     "You don't understand, nobody understands!" Between going forth and back with the object, Elan cuts her wrist accidently—streaming of blood starts to ooze out on her white skins—which will definitely leave deep scars later. Abigail starts to cry eventually, she didn't see what her wrath did to her own daughter until her pale body collapsed on the bed.

      Elan closed her wounds with a rag of cloth. After that she slides beside her sister on the bed. It's good that their room is sound-proof & Ariel didn't wake up, it's too much to handle for any child. She hugs her sister lightly while one, two drops fall around her cheeks. Broken things aren't fragile, neither are the fragile pieces. It's the strongest wall that fall after a rainy storm. 

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