WARNING mention of Suicide, emotional abuse, and addiction, please skip if not comfortable.
"Mom!"
I ran and embraced her, but something felt off. Her arms stayed stiff, cold.
"Lyra, this is all your fault!"
"Huh?" I stepped back, eyes wide.
"Mom, what are you saying?"
"You failed."
"Failed on what?"
"Everything! You think you're so smart, better than everyone else. I wish you were never my daughter in the first place!"
Her words cut deep like a blade straight to my heart.
"Because of you, I could have died back in Lunaris! Some protective big sister you are," Lily snapped.
"Lily…"
"All you had to do was listen to my warning, but instead, you chose revenge on the werewolves. You're such a disappointment!" My father yelled.
"No…"
"You never listen. You're the reason why Osvaldo took his own life!" Levi's voice echoed.
"Honestly, Lyra," my mother sneered, "you were only made to be an heir. Your father and I never wanted you in the first place."
I placed both hands against my ears. "Stop!"
"What's wrong, Lyra? Aren't you happy to see your family again?"
"The truth hurts, doesn't it?"
"You were always such a brat."
I looked up, trembling. "Uncle Jake? Aunt Linda?"
"Because of you, my siblings are dead!" Amir's voice thundered.
"Amir, I-"
"They were all I had, and you took them for me!"
My breath hitched. My chest tightened. My heart pounded violently, too fast. Why now? A panic attack? Not here, not now.
"It looks like our girl is having a panic attack," one of the shadows mocked.
"Here, take this, Lyra," another sneered, holding out a small bottle. "It takes panic attacks away just fine."
"Stop trying to give me pills!" I shouted, swatting it away.
"You are nothing but a worthless princess," my mother's voice spat. "A broken mess with too many problems."
The ache in my chest grew sharper with each word.
"Failure, failure, failure. How many times must i repeat myself before you finally understand?"
"Mother, stop it! This… this isn't you!"
"Isn't me?" Her voice twisted. "This is who I've always been. I was just hiding my true feelings about you."
Tears burned my eyes.
"You were always weak." Aunt Linda hissed.
"I am not weak!" I screamed, standing from the ground.
Their laughter echoed through the abyss.
"I don't understand," I said, voice shaking. "I thought you just wanted to show me my family. What did you do to them?"
"Nothing," one shadow said flatly.
The pain. in my chest grew unbearable. Wait… chest pain. They're trying to take my soul.
I turned and ran away from their faces, their voices, the lies. Their words chased me through the endless dark.
I ran, I flew anything to escape. I reached what looked like the edge of the abyss and pounded against a shimmering barrier.
"Hey! Let me out of here!"
"This Lyra girl is stubborn," a shadow muttered.
"What shall we do?"
"Send her back, of course."
I kicked and struck the barrier again and again until suddenly I was back where I started.
"Oh, Lyra," a voice purred. "It's truly sad to seeing you struggle so desperately to escape."
The pain returned, worse than before.
"See, Angelica?" Another voice mocked. "You should've gotten rid of her when you had the chance."
"I know," my mother's voice said coldly. "To think I went soft on my daughter."
"Truly annoying to be around," Levi added.
"Levi…" My voice trembled. "What did I do that made you so angry?"
"Your entire existence makes me angry!"
I had no words. Hearing my own family speak such hatred it was like my worst nightmares had come to life.
But I couldn't let them take my soul. There had to be a way out.
"I hate everything about you!" Lily screamed.
Their voices grew louder, heavier, until it felt like they were inside my head. My knees buckled. Somebody, please… help me.
I know I'm afraid of being alone but I won't let them use that against me!
Lyra… Lyra, can you hear me?"
My eyes snapped open.
"Brittany?"