At The Corner Of The Room

I was switched on, after a week in this dark room.

They were seated at the couch, their usual friendly and loving demeanour replaced with stoic expressions. They were seated at the couch, fidgeting restlessly, yet their expressions never changing. They were seated at the couch, eyes raging, fists clenched, mouth trembling with anger. She was finally back.

She leaned against the counter, her usual friendly and loving demeanour long gone, only replaced with indifference plastered all over her porcelain face. She leaned against the counter, eyes cold, fingers kneading at the hems of her top, mouth sealed tightly. She leaned against the counter, a million thoughts ran through her mind, emotions took a toll on her. They already knew.

It was dark, with only a few of us lighting the dusty room.

It was like their heart, ever so dark, ever so lonely.

Screams filled the room, they were so engrossed with their views to even hear the cracks that emerged in her heart. As they took a step forward, she took one back. They were playing an elusive tango, just like how words, so quiet yet fuelled with anger and venom, were spewing out. Her shoulders were shaking, fear and confusion running through her veins as she wiped angry tears, trying to fight back. She felt so small, yet she protected her heart from shattering what’s even left from the people who should have been by her side but the very one holding the gun.

A photo frame flew across the room, the glass shards flew across the marbled floor, just like how they were so close to being broken and shattered. There laid a photo with yellowed sides but not entirely devoid of colour. A family of four, with smiles plastered over their faces, happiness radiated from within. They were happy. It was the same time when they bought me home, I remembered. They sat me in this exact same corner for the past ten years, having witnessed all the warm and cozy times the family shared. It was perfect, but too perfect to be real.

“You were a mistake.”

She flinched as silence devoured the room. All that could be heard was the raging carmine that surged through her entire entity as the words rang in her head. Their eyes flickered to hers that bore hurt and betrayal before they turned around to slam the door.

Her legs finally gave way and her lungs faltered, choking with her cries for herself and her brother.

She stood with all her strength as she walked over to me.

The light was out.

Rachael Fong

2L