Shattered Souls

by Emma the Crazy Slytherin

Chapter 3

Em climbed into the back of her mom's car, a small smile plastered to her face. It’s been two years since her first day of kindergarten, and so far, she loved every bit of school. She and Pinkie stayed friends, and she hopes they do forever. Today had been another good day; she learned some new math problems, about the rain forest, and about Christopher Columbus. She also got to color, the pictures she made folded neatly in her backpack. She decided earlier she would give them to her mom.

"How was your day, sweetheart?" Her mom asked from the front seat as Em closed the door and buckled up. She was so excited to spill out every detail of her day that she didn't even notice how her voice cracked, and how red her eyes were. She didn't mind, though, she just kept smiling.

"-and here I am now, in the car with you." She finished after a minute of nonstop chattering, breathing in.

"It sounds like you really enjoyed yourself. I'm glad." She said quietly, silence soon blanketing the car as Em happily stared out the window, watching the houses and trees blur by.

Then she remembered the pictures she made for her, and jumped up, reaching for her bag. Her mom's cellphone went off, though, and she stopped. She knew from experience that it wouldn't be smart to mess with her when she was on the phone. So, instead, being the nosy child she was, she tried to listen along.

"Ronald? I told you earlier--" she spoke out, voice cold. Em froze, tense at her tone. Ronald was her father's name. "No I'm not!" She hissed into the receiver, the muffled voice on the other line talking over her. "God dammit Ron, Em is in the fucking car with me." She paused, listening to what she was saying. "Can this not wait until later?--no, I--" She spat. "Would you let me fucking speak? No, Im-- god dammit!" She snapped, pressing the end button and throwing the phone to the floor board.

Em stared out the window again, only this time less cheerfully. Her parents never fought like that, mind the occasional couple's quarrel, it'd all been a quite happy relationship between the two. Mom had never thrown her phone--or any object for that matter--or spoken with that kind of tone before. Honestly, it scared Em a little. She hoped this fight would end soon, and they'd go back to the normal perfect family.

Nobody spoke for the rest of the ride.

-

Em jumped out of the car, slugging forward to the door. She didn't want to go inside, because she knew her dad would be there, and she knew that whenever mom got in, too, things would get heated.

Em did go inside though, but mom did not. At first, when she walked in and she wasn't right behind her, she thought she forgot something in the car. Except, when she turned to look, there was no car, and no mom.

Em, extremely confused, just stood in the doorway, staring out, as if she really concentrated, mom would poof right back.

She didn't leave, did she? She thought, She didn't even say goodbye.

She didn't notice her dad coming up behind her until his big hand had grasped her shoulder, a little too tightly. She jumped, inside and away from his grip.

"Where's your mother?" Dad asked, eyeing Em coldly, shutting the door behind him. She felt uncomfortable under his stare, containing the same coldless that his mother had held in her voice over the phone.

"I-I don't know." She whispered.

"What do you mean you don't know?" His father roared, Em shrinking under his voice.

Dad turned, running his fingers through his hair and exhaling. Em just stood there, not sure what to say or do. When she was about to give up and go to her room, dad spoke back up, this time his voice a whisper. "This is all your fault." He said. Em wasn't sure whether he was talking to himself, or about her or mom. The answer was pretty obvious when he spun around, finger directed straight at Em. "This mess is entirely your fault, and your stupid powers!"

Confusion flooded Em, a million questions a second. She only was able to think up three million questions before it happened; skin on skin contact, leaving a red hand imprint left on Em's face. Dad had slapped her, hard.

Tears welled in her eyes as Dad stared at Em, shock on the girl's face.

"Go to your room." Dad whispered. But Em didn't move, just stood there. "I said, go to your room!" He boomed, and Em let out a whimper, retreating immediately this time, running and slamming the door behind her.

She jumped onto her bed, shuffling back until her back was pressed with the corner, since her bed was against the walls. From across the room, she locked the door, pushing the button in with a single command in her mind; lock.

She was now thinking about the questions, tears streaming down her face as they all bombarded her.

Where's mom? Why did she leave? Why did dad say what he said? What is my fault? What powers? Why did he hit me? Why does it hurt all over, when he only hit me on my face? Will the pain go away? Will mom come back? Will dad hit me again? ...

She thought about these for a while, then decided to put them all down in a notebook. She looked through her backpack and found a spare one, then got to work at writing them all the best she could with a second grade spelling level, trying best to not get tear drops all over the paper.

Comments

[Starlight Nova]

In a world where one third of the population can move things with magic, what's so strange about having telekinesis? ...Emma's the Pegasus, right?

[Emma the Crazy Slytherin]

8370682
Emma is the alicorn. JJ is the pegasus.