(As i said in the other post, it’s not in wow but this is an area i really struggle in with my writing and wanted to post something for the challenge.)
“How can I h… “Wait… Wh… Who are you?” Kazuna said
“Kazuna… I…” Kyo whispered.
“Impostor! My sister died a long time ago. I don’t know who or what you are, but if this is a joke it is insulting. Leave. Now!..” Kazuna yelled.
“No Wait, don’t shut the door! Kazuna!.. Please Kazuna! Please, listen to me! Kazuna! Pleeease! You took my book and ran across the field! I tackled you and you hit your head!” Kyo yelled
“Please… Open the door… It was our birthday. You gave me one of your gifts because mom and dad didn’t get any for me… Kazuna… please…open the door”.
“I thought you were dead…” Kyo whispered.
“… Kyo… Is it really you? We thought you were dead. Mom and dad assumed you died in the woods when you never came back… How is this possible? Where were you? Why did you not come back until now?”
“I… I thought… That day, I thought I killed you. Mom said you weren’t breathing, she blamed me, and hit me… I ran away, afraid and confused. I ran until I couldn’t run anymore, and when I had stopped crying I realized; mom and dad had always shunned me, resented me, kept me at arms length. I-if you were dead then there was nothing left for me to go back to.”
“B-but where did you go? And why come back after so many years?”
“I uh, I’m not even sure where to begin. I went many places, some looking for shelter, some for family, others for soul searching. It took many years to come to terms with everything.”
“Against the advice of a friend I came back for closure, to ask mom and dad… t-to visit your grave and say my goodbyes in person… Heh, it’s funny, I came to bury my past fully, and what I find is my own grave… I assume the inscription was your idea?”
“No, it was moms. We all mourned for you when you never came back, but mom took it very hard. She always took care of your headstone, she planted your favorite flowers and refused to allow me or dad to help. I don’t think she ever stopped feeling guilty.”
“Are they, d…?”
“Nonono, dad is in town, mom has been sick with a slight fever but she is just sleeping.”
“Is she well enough to see me?”
“I don’t…”
“Please?..”
“I, I suppose. But only if it’s quick, she needs rest. Come in, she is in their room”
“Mom… Mom… wake up” kazuna whispered.
“…Hmm? Wha? Kazuna? What is it? Why are you crying?.. Did something happen to your father!?”
“No! Nonono, we just have a visitor I was not expecting.”
“A visitor? Here? Who would come this far into the woo… It. Can’t. Be… Begone specter! I’ll die before I let you wear that.”
“MOM! Mom no! It’s her, it’s actually kyo.”
“But that’s not possible, surely she cant be still… Can it really be you? Yet… That, face… I recognize those tears; that scared, and confused expression… I have seen it etched into my dreams and nightmares every day since I…”
“Mom…” Kyo whispered.
“Oh, my child, you’re alive! Not even in my wildest dreams did I ever think… But why?”
“I… I wanted to ask… To say my… Mom, I’m sorry… I’m so sorry.”
“Kyo, no… Come here my child, no. It’s your father and I that need to apologize. We pushed our absurd expectations on you, and punished you when there was no way for you to meet them. We missed everything, because we wouldn’t see you for who you were…are!”
“But why!? Why did you expect more from me than Kazuna!? Was it the stupid tails!?”
“Only partly, your birth was seen as an omen. The village lavished praise and wealth upon us thinking you would bring even greater things. When those things failed to manifest because you were an infant, not a prophet. Their praise became scorn, and our family was exiled. To my great shame it was easier to blame you for not doing the impossible, than to admit… To admit that we had caused it ourselves.”
“I can only imagine the hardships you endured Kyo, and what you must think of us. We deserve whatever scorn we earned, and you deserve to know the truth, and that we are both sorry.”
“I… thought I would know what to say…how to feel. I want to be angry, to yell, but now…?”
“Kyo, we should let mom rest, I’ll make some tea and we can talk more. This is a lot to process for everyone.”
“Yes, tea would be, good…”
“Kyo… I don’t expect to be forgiven, but please stay with us for a bit. Your father will want to see you and… and I would like to have the opportunity to talk with you more.”
“Mom… I…I… don’t know if I can forgive you yet. But I want to…”
I enjoyed it.