Age nineteen

Chapter five

I slept off earlier than I had planned to, I had mulled until I fell asleep. I presumed what my life would look like if my sisters were still alive, I visualized how it would be for me if I wasn't able to break the curse. The disappointment that would be on Annabel's face, the trust they all had for me would flop. I sighed. I knew time was ticking, but I didn't know what to do. My mind was blank. I lay on my bed, while my thoughts traveled to the future and the past until I had answered the call of nature.

The following day, I was woken up by Kain. He had come knocking on my door, he wanted to let me know that dad would be back in a few hours. "Kerah..."

He pushed the door open, and without waiting for my response, I answered subconsciously. I was sleep-talking. "yes?" Then he stormed into my room. I sat up, everything still seemed blurry to me, I rubbed my eyes with my right hand. "Kerah, guess who called, that he would be coming home today?"

I stared blankly. I had never been good with guesses, and it would be worse because I wasn't In the best frame of mind.

"Are you telling, or not?" I sounded saucy. I didn't mean to, but I had so much going on in my mind, I couldn't help it.

"Dad is coming back today!!!" He exclaimed, with a smile. "Isn't that exciting?" Kain and my father had a normal father-son relationship but were not as close as we are. Kain was on better terms with my mom.

I stretched drowsily, I was looking for the right response. "It is." I finally said dryly.

"Kerah, Are you fighting with dad?" He sat on my bed and crossed his arm around my neck. I pulled away. "No, mind your business, Kain." I shifted farther away from him, so he wouldn't do it again. I was not in the mood for sentiments, especially not when it might lead to him finding out what was going on. I was desperate to speak with someone, but I wasn't going to risk pissing Annie off.

"Kerah, listen to me. Whatever riddle Anabel gave to you can be puzzled out, especially by collective efforts. So don't keep hiding it from me." How did he know that Anabel had given me a riddle? I looked at him with apprehension. "Who is Anabel?" I had finally said, after searching my head for the right way to get away from the conversation.

"She Is the ghost girl. Common Kerah, stop lying to me, I know that you know Anabel and that you must have encountered her. Why else would you go down the basement? Why would you want to hear my ghost stories?" I knew he cared from his voice and tone, and I felt guilt-stricken for not telling him what was going on, but I couldn't do anything about it. I was nearly enticed to tell him what was going on, but Anabel had precautioned me not to, I sighed."I'm fine bro, I'm not fighting with dad, and neither do I know what you are talking about. Can you please leave my room now?" He obeyed. He lifted his left knee which was on my mattress, and placing it down, he took his right hand out of my shoulder.

"Okay, Kerah, I will let you be." I watched him leave, and I cried so hard. I had just two weeks and six days left, and I was making everyone who would help me mad at me.

"Kerah!" I knew the voice, I would recognize it anywhere, it wasn't the voice of a human, I recognized it by the chill that came with it. I opened my eyes. I was still feeling sleepy, but I was excited. I had fallen asleep while crying. That's what I did a lot lately. I would think until I fell asleep, cry until I fell asleep, and sit up staring into space for hours until I fell asleep. I responded to the voice. "Annie, is that you?" She whistled, and I could feel her presence closer to me. "Yes, Kerah, I'm the one."

"Oh, Anabel!" I cried out in despair. I flung my hands up in the air and looked around to see her. "I have solved the riddle, but I haven't solved it." I could feel eyes gazing at me, and even though I didn't see her, I knew it was her eyes. She laughed out loud. "You solved the riddle, eh?" I nodded. I knew she could see me, although I couldn't see her. "But you didn't solve the riddle?" I nodded again.

"Kerah, you did a good job at finding the basement. None of us knew that it existed Until after we all died. But with such little information, you were able to find some more information for yourself. I'm proud of you."

"Thank you, sis." The word "sis." Left my mouth with a lot of weight. Not only was she dead, but I also couldn't remember having any real memories with her. But I had to get used to her, and the other two of my "sisters." "When do I get to meet my sisters?" She giggled Weirdly, then coughed as if to clear her throat. "After you turn nineteen." Does that mean I would die, then meet them wherever dead people stay? Or could it mean that I would be alive, but I wasn't allowed to meet them till I was nineteen? I didn't ask, I kept my questions to myself.

"Kerah!".she called again, interrupting my thoughts. "The next thing to do, Is to forgive." she paused as if to observe my countenance But my facial expressions were impossible to read. I simply stared into space. "You have to let go of whoever you assume may have hurt you, and of whoever will hurt you in the future, if you want this quest to be successful."

"But Annie, I have limited time. I do not have the time to go over who hurt who, and who needs to be forgiven."

"Well, Kerah, my dear, that is how things work. The earlier you pass this stage, the better for you."

I opened my mouth to talk, but no words came out of it, I was dumbfounded.

"The only reason why you can't see me in my true form is unforgiveness. You have been blinded by it so much, and it's not just hurting you, it's hurting every one of us. Remember Kerah, you are the last female born of our parents. If you fail to break the curse, Kain's generation will suffer it, but they will not be able to break it. Let go, Kerah!" She gave a light tap on my window, and I knew she was gone. "What do you mean when you say all of you are suffering my unforgiveness?" I cried out to her, I was facing the window. But no response came. I heaved in frustration. "Forgiveness? Let go?" I repeated the words, I was hoping that I would be able to figure out what she meant by saying them to me. I had less than three weeks, and time was no longer on my side.

"Baby, can I come in?" I snorted in bitterness. It was my father. A few days ago, he had been my favorite person, but right then, I didn't know how to feel toward him. Why had he not told me about any of this early enough?

"If you feel like it." I sounded rude, and I didn't care. He pushed the door open, and stood with his arms open, at the entrance. "Come on, queen, daddy's home. He had expected me to run up to him, and fall into his arms like I always did. I watched him, and lots of painful thoughts went on in my mind. He was still trying to act like everything was okay. He was dressed in classy brown trousers, with a blue plain shirt, a red tie, and black blazers. His black shoes looked properly polished, and his wavy hair was looking exuberant. He didn't look like someone who was about to lose his soon to be nineteen years old daughter in a few weeks, I hissed loud enough for him to hear me, and rolled my eyes at him, before I said in disgust, "I hate you."