Chapter 2, Part 1 - Christmas Time
1688 Words
Annie POV
Aidan squealed when Lucas lifted him from the ground, an ornament shaped like a star in his hands. He lifted the ornament over his head and placed it carefully at the top of the Christmas tree.
“Yaay!” I shouted and clapped my hands together.
Aidan giggled and clapped excitedly as Lucas put him down on the ground.
“It’s so pretty.” He said and bounced up and down on the balls of his feet. “Isn’t it pretty, Valeria?”
Valeria nodded and smiled.
“It’s great.” She replied quietly.
Valeria had been living with us for almost a month, and even though she was still shy and quiet, she started to relax a lot more around us.
I was still sleeping in her room every night. Her nightmares had gotten worse to the point where things were flying through the room. I didn’t know what to do other than trying to wake her up and hold her while she cried. Valeria apologized profusely every time it happened, but I told her it was no big deal.
There was a knock at the door and Aidan ran off to open.
“That’s probably Ned.” Lucas said as he peered out the window.
Ned was Aidan’s best friend since kindergarten and they were playing at each other’s houses every week. This time it was Ned coming over to us and a few seconds later the boys came into the living room together.
“Nice tree.” Ned said.
“We just finished decorating it.” Aidan said proudly.
“Hi Valeria.” Ned waved at her.
“Hi Ned.” Valeria whispered and fidgeted with a piece of garland in her hands.
“How about you boys go upstairs and play?” Lucas asked.
“Oh yeah, I need to show you something!” Aidan squealed and the boys took off up the stairs together.
“Where would you think that we should put that?” I asked and pointed at the garland in Valeria’s hands.
Valeria looked around, deep in thought before pointing to the TV above the fireplace.
“How about there?” She asked.
“I’ll just get a chair so that I can reach.” Lucas said, but he stopped when Valeria shook her head.
She quickly peered up the stairs to make sure that the boys weren’t around, then she made the garland float up above the TV.
Valeria picked up a roll of tape and tore off two pieces, then she made them float to the garland and secured it to the wall.
“Is that okay?” She asked nervously.
“It looks wonderful, dear.” I replied and Valeria smiled softly.
I glanced over at Lucas and he gave me an encouraging nod.
“Valeria.” I said. “Can we talk to you for a moment?”
Valeria nodded, but I could see her tense up a little.
We sat down on the couch, Valeria sitting in between Lucas and I.
“What’s going on?” Valeria asked.
“We had this idea and we just wanted to ask you about it.” I said.
Valeria frowned.
“How would you feel about starting school in January?” Lucas asked. “There’s a school not far from here. We thought that maybe you would like to get out of the house and get to know some people your own age.”
Valeria blinked.
“I-I can try.” She replied. “I just don’t know if I’ll fit in.”
“Oh, you’ll fit right in.” I reassured her.
“But I’m not like them.” Valeria protested.
She stared sadly at her hand as it started glowing a soft white light. I reached out and took it.
“Every teenager has always wondered if they fit in.” I said. “They might not have powers, but you might still have more in common than you think.”
“I don’t want people to know about them.” Valeria whispered and the light in her hand dimmed until it disappeared. “I’m a freak.”
“You don’t have to tell anyone about your powers if you don’t want to.” I replied. “Your powers don't make you a freak. Believe me, there are a lot of people in this world that could be called freaks, and they don’t even have powers.”
“I once met this guy that thought Aliens could access your head unless you were wearing a protective shield on your head that was made of glass.” Lucas chimed in. “He was always wearing a glass jar on his head. That’s freaky.”
Valeria giggled.
“I guess.” She replied.
“Is that a yes?” I asked.
Valeria nodded and I hugged her lightly.
“I’m proud of you.” I whispered into her hair. “You’re doing great.”
Valeria blushed and I chuckled when she buried her face in her hands. Every time I complimented her in any way, she always reacted that way. I asked her why she was hiding her face every time I praised her, and she just whispered ‘I don’t know’. I had a feeling that there was a reason for her reaction, but I hadn’t asked her about it further. Instead I relayed my observations to Dr Carson so that she could ask Valeria about it. I wanted to focus on helping Valeria build a life and a happy new future, and Dr Carson could help her heal from her dark past.
When it was time for dinner, the boys came downstairs just as my phone rang. It was my mother and I answered as the kids took a seat at the table.
“Hi Annie.” My mother said. “I got an appointment at the vet for Jenna tomorrow at 10 AM. Could you come with me?”
My mother’s labrador Jenna had arthritis and needed treatments from time to time. Sometimes she asked me to come with her to help, and I happily did, but it felt like the worst timing ever.
“One sec.” I replied and turned to Lucas.
“Are you working from home tomorrow?” I hissed.
Lucas shook his head.
“I have a big meeting at 9 AM that I can’t miss.” He whispered back and smiled sheepishly.
I glanced at Valeria briefly.
We hadn’t left her alone since she came to live with us. She still had terrible nightmares and she occasionally tensed up and started shaking or crying in panic attacks even when she was awake. She tried to hide it, but I could tell that she was having flashbacks. According to Dr Carson it was quite common with PTSD patients. I didn’t want her to be alone in case she needed some comfort.
“The appointment won’t take more than an hour.” My mother added.
Bringing her to the vet didn’t seem like a great idea either. Dr Carson had started to come here because Valeria hated going to the hospital. Her panic attacks got worse every time we went there.
Even if this was a vet station, I didn’t want her to be triggered by the environment.
“Do you mind being here on your own for an hour and a half tomorrow?” I asked her. “I’ll be quick, I promise.”
Valeria nodded.
”It’s okay." She shrugged. “I’ll be fine for a few hours.”
I heaved a sigh of relief and told my mother that I’ll be there before hanging up the phone.
The boys spent the rest of the evening making a gingerbread house together, both of them groaning in frustration when the walls kept falling over
“Valeria, do you want to help us?” Aidan asked.
Valeria scooted over on her chair and picked up the fragile gingerbread pieces. Her eyebrows furrowed in concentration as she carefully glued the pieces together.
I watched as the walls wobbled a little and Valeria frowned in annoyance.
“Aidan, if you hold that corner, I can hold it here.” She suggested.
Aidan happily joined in, and together they were able to steady the pieces until the house was standing on its own.
My heart soared when I watched them work together. For a moment I got a flashback of Jennifer and Aidan playing together before Jennifer got sick and I had to turn away to wipe the tears that gathered in my eyes.
It was nice seeing Aidan so happy again. He had really missed his big sister and he was so comfortable with Valeria, like they have known each other for years, not weeks.
When Valeria and I went to bed, I smoothed out her curls and smiled at her.
“Thank you.” I whispered.
Valeria frowned.
“For what?” She asked.
“For being so nice to Aidan.” I replied. “He’s been so happy since you came to live with us.”
Valeria shrugged.
“Aidan is really nice to me.” She whispered.
“I’m happy that you two have found each other.” I said. “Get some sleep sweetheart.”
Valeria seemed quite content when I left the next morning, looking around on the laptop to see what kind of things she would need for when she was starting school in January.
The appointment went fairly quickly and I quickly dropped my mother and Jenna off at the house before going back home.
“I’m home.” I shouted when I closed the door behind me and shrugged off my coat.
No answer.
I frowned and walked into the sitting room. The laptop was sitting on the coffee table, but Valeria was nowhere to be seen.
After checking the rest of the rooms in the house, I realized that Valeria’s shoes were missing and my blood ran cold.
I picked up my phone and called my brother.
“Eric.” I shrieked when he answered. “She’s gone. Valeria is gone.”
- Writer
