Black Lilies

{Life can be cruel and unfair sometimes, but it turns out we tend to be crueler to ourselves most of the time.}

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”Its too late my dear. Y— You have t— ” The middle-aged-looking woman struggled to speak, as her voice and body simultaneously trembled.

”Mother, please… There has to be something I— WE can do. ” The teenage boys voice broke as he watched his mothers silent tears, feeling weak and helpless. He leaned down to her sitting figure on the cold tiled floor. Her tear-stained face and imploring expression were enough to weaken all his resolve at that moment.

”I can get dad and— ”

”Sebastian, LISTEN TO ME! ” The womans voice became louder and even a bit distorted.

”You have to leave right n— now. Go! Take your brother with you and g— get out now!! ” As she said the last words, she pushed him away with tremendous force, causing him to stumble backward a few feet away and plummet on his back.

Lament filled his being, his fists clenched into tight balls. He watched his mother shake uncontrollably as if she was being possessed right at that moment. Deep in his subconscious, he knew he should act hastily, but the shock and apprehension of seeing his mother in that state were still fresh in his mind.

He was forced to watch in atrocity as his mother slowly stood, and began to walk away. Her movements were stiff, her eyes empty but somehow decided.

The darkened corner she has pushed him into, might have been the only reason she did not see him that cold night.

After a few fretting seconds of silence and fear, an agonizing scream echoed throughout the mansion, causing Sebastian to immediately jump into action.

He ran fast. As fast as he could. Faster than hed ever run.

He ran for his life, he ran for his siblings lives, and he ran for his remaining sanity. He didn know what he would do if something—

Sebastian stopped dead in his tracks. The scene in front of him was much more terrifying than the one of his mother changing in front of his grey, tear-stained eyes.

The room was empty. His little five-year-old brother was gone, and so was his mother.

Avery He thought as he again began to run. He ran so fast, that his legs started to burn, but that was the least of his concerns.

The pain was nothing compared to the distance. It felt so painfully long and torturous, even though it was just a few seconds away.

Barging into his eleven-year-old sisters room, he began scouring frantically for her. His eyes were panicked and despondent as he looked under the bed, behind the curtains, and as he opened the bathroom door.

No one.

Deep down, he prayed that they were both fine, that the only person he would, unfortunately, have to lose was his mother…

Unfortunately for him— or maybe even a bit fortunate— he found his younger sister, hiding in the tiny space among the many clothes her closet rendered.

He knelt beside the scared little girl, causing her to flinch away from him.

He surmised that her fear was not only caused by his appearance at the moment, but also by their mother. He was more than sure that she had been there, that Avery had seen her…and furthermore, Shane being taken away.

”Seb, whats going on? ” Her voice can our meek and shaken as she scrutinized him, skepticism reflecting in her eyes.

”Hey, its going to be okay. Im here now, alright? ” His voice was gentle, but there was a hint of immense pain that he tried to repress for his sisters sake.

He slowly and carefully trudged inside the closet with her and put his arms around her in an attempt to stop the river of tears flowing from her aqua blue eyes.

”Shhh, its okay. Im here now. ” He repeated the phrase to her several times before she finally fell asleep in his arms.

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A Few Years Later

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”In the name of God the merciful Father, we entrust the souls of Jade Rhys and her son Shane Rhys into your hands. ”

The aged priest said, his hands raised and eyes looking up to the cloudy sky.

Sebastian stood motionless, his eyes unfocused. He was not as confounded as people wouldve expected him to be, after the supposed passing of his mother and younger brother. His expression was stone cold, and his eyes focused on nothing in particular.

The priest let three hand-fulls of earth fall into the empty coffins, that were placed side by side.

”From dust you came, and to dust, you shall return… ”

As the priest continued with the eulogy, Sebastian found himself peering indignantly at his stepfather, Charles.

After five years, Charles had unexpectedly concluded that it would be best to hold a funeral for his mother and brother.

To him, they were already dead.

Sebastian was of course against it all, for he believed that they were still alive, somewhere. Their bodies had not been found and Sebastian thought it was very selfish of Charles to surmise their demise.

Avery, who was now sixteen, had not opposed nor refuted her fathers wish. Sebastian knew that his sister was not yet over the incident, heck, no one was. Apart from Charles, it seemed.

Sebastians fiery glares however did not go unnoticed by his younger sister, who stood beside her dad a few meters away. She caught Sebastians eye and his ire receded upon noticing her teary eyes.

He regrettably looked away, his face showing a difficult expression.

He didn have the words to solace her as of now, and she completely understood and knew that. She knew in her heart that although he tried to comfort her and show a brave face, he was struggling a lot internally. The worst part was that he would not let her help him. Always tried to smile, assuring her that he was fine, but of course, that was erroneous.

Charles, on the other hand, was assured that Sebastian was in denial. Ever since Jade and Shane had disappeared, the boy exiled himself from the rest of the world. He seemed to have created his own reality. Unlike his sister, he had adamantly dismissed psychological help.

Charles knew that Sebastian was either blaming him or himself for what happened. He also knew that Sebastian had grown to disdain him even more than he did before…

He had loathed him for marrying his mother, even though he did not love her, and Charles did not bother hiding this fact.

He had only married her because of how much she had loved him. He assumed that they would ultimately learn to love her back, that her love would be ample for both of them, but that was just wishful thinking.

Charles was pleased, however, that Sebastian got along with his daughter, even though she was just his stepsister. Sometimes, he even felt like she was closer to Sebastian than she was to him.

The funeral was coming to a close.

Sebastian gave a blank face, as people offered their condolences. The thoughts running through his psyche were going to keep him going, keep him fighting, and most of all, keep him searching.

”I promise Ill find you. Even if its the last thing I do. ” He spoke under his breath, as he let the dirt from his hand fall onto the coffins below.

❤️⏲️