Moonlight shone in through her open window as a warm summer breeze ruffled the drapes. Darcie laid in bed, her fingers curled into the pillow as she tossed and turned, attempting to make herself comfortable in the large, familiar bed. Settling upon her side, she stared toward her vanity table and what was upon it.
Most of the items were part of the noble woman's daily toiletry: perfume bottles, skin creams, a jewelry box and a hairbrush or two. Along with these normal, assumed items, were a collection of letters and a small box that was firmly closed.
Darcie lifted herself from beneath the covers and sat down at her vanity. Her hands, shaking slightly, lifted up the top most piece of paper. Her fingers moved over the long since dried ink and a soft sniffle escaped her as she read over a letter that her eldest sister, Mari, had written to her many years ago.
Her sniffles gave way to sobs as she dropped the letter back into the pile and she buried her face into her hands.
"Mari… Why Mari… Why Spirit… WHY HER TOO!? WAS MY SUFFERING NOT ENOUGH!?" She roared, standing up in a rush and knocking over the stool as she went. The woman shoved the papers and various toiletries off the vanity. Her fingers dug into the wood of the furniture piece and her body began to heave and shake more violently than before.
"My… Sister… My best friend… One of the few people who always believed in me… Gone…" Her voice was a whisper now, her head hanging low as her curls fell around her face in a curtain. Hot tears began to roll down her face again as she sniffled and the sobs overtook her.
Rufus, the woman's ever faithful canine companion, watched this ordeal helplessly. He knew his master was suffering, seeing as he had seen this sort of reaction many a time in the past few days. Life was not good to her, but it had given him to her, so the canine assumed that that was a small plus. A balm to ease the woman's shattered heart. Slowly, the large husky would rise from his bed and make his way over to the shaking woman, who was still holding firmly to her vanity table.
A whine caused her to lift her head and she turned, gazing down into the soft eyes of Rufus. Darcie sniffled and released the vanity table, slumping down upon the floor. Wrapping her arms firmly about the dog's furry neck, she buried her face into his warm fur. She found some comfort in her pets presence and warmth.
"Oh Rufus… My precious Pup… I'm sorry if I scared you… I'm… I'll be okay." She mumbled, clutching firmly to the dog's fur. Truly, Darcie was trying to make herself feel better. By reassuring others, even if the other at this present time was her pet, that she was alright, she might just begin to believe such a lie.
Her eldest sister was dead. Her youngest sister was a sobbing mess. And here she was, the middle sister, clutching firmly to her canine companion's neck, trying to force herself to believe in the lies she was mumbling into the dog's fur.
The night dragged on with Darcie remaining in that position. As the sun began to rise, she rose to her feet, albeit slowly and a tad shaky. Her hands lifted themselves from being entangled in her dog's fur and she made her way over to the window. She watches the sun slowly make it's way up into the sky.
"A new day dawns without you, Mari… I wish you could have been here to see it… But know I'll… I'll paint sunrises and sunsets in honor of you. I'm going to take care of Julie and Raina and…" A sniffle escaped her, but she kept herself steady. Taking in a deep breath, she pushed on.
"I'll be the sister that I was supposed to be. I'll make you proud."
Most of the items were part of the noble woman's daily toiletry: perfume bottles, skin creams, a jewelry box and a hairbrush or two. Along with these normal, assumed items, were a collection of letters and a small box that was firmly closed.
Darcie lifted herself from beneath the covers and sat down at her vanity. Her hands, shaking slightly, lifted up the top most piece of paper. Her fingers moved over the long since dried ink and a soft sniffle escaped her as she read over a letter that her eldest sister, Mari, had written to her many years ago.
Her sniffles gave way to sobs as she dropped the letter back into the pile and she buried her face into her hands.
"Mari… Why Mari… Why Spirit… WHY HER TOO!? WAS MY SUFFERING NOT ENOUGH!?" She roared, standing up in a rush and knocking over the stool as she went. The woman shoved the papers and various toiletries off the vanity. Her fingers dug into the wood of the furniture piece and her body began to heave and shake more violently than before.
"My… Sister… My best friend… One of the few people who always believed in me… Gone…" Her voice was a whisper now, her head hanging low as her curls fell around her face in a curtain. Hot tears began to roll down her face again as she sniffled and the sobs overtook her.
Rufus, the woman's ever faithful canine companion, watched this ordeal helplessly. He knew his master was suffering, seeing as he had seen this sort of reaction many a time in the past few days. Life was not good to her, but it had given him to her, so the canine assumed that that was a small plus. A balm to ease the woman's shattered heart. Slowly, the large husky would rise from his bed and make his way over to the shaking woman, who was still holding firmly to her vanity table.
A whine caused her to lift her head and she turned, gazing down into the soft eyes of Rufus. Darcie sniffled and released the vanity table, slumping down upon the floor. Wrapping her arms firmly about the dog's furry neck, she buried her face into his warm fur. She found some comfort in her pets presence and warmth.
"Oh Rufus… My precious Pup… I'm sorry if I scared you… I'm… I'll be okay." She mumbled, clutching firmly to the dog's fur. Truly, Darcie was trying to make herself feel better. By reassuring others, even if the other at this present time was her pet, that she was alright, she might just begin to believe such a lie.
Her eldest sister was dead. Her youngest sister was a sobbing mess. And here she was, the middle sister, clutching firmly to her canine companion's neck, trying to force herself to believe in the lies she was mumbling into the dog's fur.
~~~
The night dragged on with Darcie remaining in that position. As the sun began to rise, she rose to her feet, albeit slowly and a tad shaky. Her hands lifted themselves from being entangled in her dog's fur and she made her way over to the window. She watches the sun slowly make it's way up into the sky.
"A new day dawns without you, Mari… I wish you could have been here to see it… But know I'll… I'll paint sunrises and sunsets in honor of you. I'm going to take care of Julie and Raina and…" A sniffle escaped her, but she kept herself steady. Taking in a deep breath, she pushed on.
"I'll be the sister that I was supposed to be. I'll make you proud."
