Page 3 of Vexed

CHAPTER THREE

Lily

Things have been really rough the last couple of months. Daddy has gotten worse. A few weeks ago he could barely get out of bed. And Mommy had to help him out of bed, help him eat, brush his teeth. Everything.

And now, he doesn’t get out of bed anymore. He doesn’t have hair anymore, the sparkle in his eyes is gone. He lost so much weight, it’s like a skeleton with only one layer of skin that lays in that bed.

I’m too scared to go into the room. Not because of how he looks, but because I can see him slowly dying. I don’t want to remember my dad like that.

I want to remember him as the big and strong man who always carried me on his shoulders. The dad who always chased me through the house and played hide-and-seek with me. Not this.

It’s unfair. Life is so unfair.

“Lily! Lily, call the ambulance. Now!” Mommy’s voice echoes through the house. The tone in her voice tells me there’s something wrong. Oh no . I run through the hallway from my room to theirs and as I enter, I see her slumped over Daddy, sobbing. He’s not moving.

Tears brim my eyes and my heart beats like a drum against my chest as I slowly step forward and then I see him. His eyes are open like he is staring at something in the far corner of the room. His skin is already turning pale, a white-yellowish color and his eyes look like glass.

“Mommy?” I softly say and she whips around, her face wet with tears as she looks at me before grabbing me and holding me tightly against her.

“He’s gone, baby.” An uncontrollable sob rips through me as I collapse in her arms. Tears stream down my little face as I stare at Daddy over Mommy’s shoulder.

I’m so sorry Daddy. I’m so sorry that I couldn’t help you. I love you so much.

After Mommy held me tight for what felt like an eternity, she slowly let go of me and headed to call the police and ambulance. The silence that followed her was deafening, punctuated only by the ragged breaths I tried to take. I was alone with Daddy.

I carefully crawled beside him on the bed. His face was so peaceful, but so unfamiliar without the usual sparkle in his eyes. With trembling fingers, I reached out and gently closed his eyelids.

As the light vanished from his face, a heavy weight settled in my chest. Before his eyes were completely shut, before the reality of the moment crashed over me completely, I whispered a promise.

I would look after Mommy. He had always been the strong one, the one who built our home and chased away the monsters under my bed.

He was the one who looked after us, kept us safe and warm and loved.

But now, he’s gone. The finality of it resonated deep within me, a chilling understanding that he is never coming back.

My protector, my hero, was gone. And now, it was my turn to try and fill that void, to be strong for Mommy, even if I didn’t know how.

A few days after Daddy passed, I headed to the playground to be alone. The swing set, usually echoing with my joyous shrieks, was deserted under the overcast sky. The house doesn’t feel the same anymore.

It’s quiet, a hollow silence that amplifies the absence of his booming laugh and the gentle hum of his presence. The air feels suffocating.

Mommy hasn’t stopped crying, her sobs a constant, heart-wrenching soundtrack to our unbearable new reality.

Some of our family members have come to pay their respects, and to help with the overwhelming arrangements for the funeral. But their presence, though well-intentioned, just adds to the feeling of being trapped.

It is too hard for me to be in that house. Every room holds a memory, a ghost of him lingering in the air. Everything is just a mess—emotions, paperwork, the lingering scent of his cologne.

I needed to escape, to find a small pocket of peace, even if only for a little while, beneath the watchful eyes of the silent playground equipment.

Why did you have to go, Daddy?

Sitting on the swing by myself—as usual, the familiar deep voice breaks the silence and I don’t even have to look to know who it is.

“Need some company?” He asks, his voice a low rumble that seems to vibrate through the wooden planks of the old swing as he settles beside me.

The rusted chains groan in protest under his weight, a mournful sound that echoes the ache in my own heart. I turn to look at him, but my vision is blurred, the world swimming behind a wall of tears that were threatening to spill.

“What’s wrong, little one?” He frowns, his brow furrowing with concern.

“My daddy died,” I choke out, the words a ragged sob tearing through the quiet afternoon.

The world shrinks to the size of the knot in my throat. He doesn’t say anything, doesn’t offer any platitudes or empty reassurances, and the silence hangs heavy between us. The only sounds audible are my soft sobs, punctuated by occasional, hiccuping sniffs.

“I am…so sorry, Lily,” he finally says, his voice laced with genuine sorrow, making me turn to face him fully. His expression is gentle, his features softened with empathy.

“Everything will be alright,” he comforts me. He places a gentle hand on my shoulder, the warmth of his touch seeping through the thin fabric of my dress.

His silver eyes, usually sparkling with mischief, are now filled with a profound softness, staring at me with an unwavering kindness. I always found his eyes so mesmerizing, like looking into the depths of a clear, moonlit lake, and even now, through my tears, they hold a strange comfort.

He slowly leans down, kisses my forehead softly, and gets up off the swing. I don’t look at him as he disappears from my view, too lost in thought about what we’re going to do without my dad. He was the one who made sure we were taken care of. He was the best dad ever and now… he’s gone.

A gasp escapes my lips as a giant, black crow lands on the ground before me.

“Oh my—Vex, look,” I exclaim, turning around to where I thought he would be, but he’s gone.

“Vex?” Looking around, my eyes scanning around the playground, he seemed to have vanished…again. Why is everyone leaving me? I know I didn’t really talk to Vex, but I didn’t want him to leave. He didn’t have to say anything. Him being here would’ve been enough.

I look back at the crow and notice it staring back at me, tilting its head before suddenly taking off, flying away into the distance.

Everything went silent. Not even a sound of a breeze in the air. All the sounds of chirping birds have gone silent too. I get up off the swing and wrap my arms around me as I look around the playground.

And here I stand, all alone—again.

Sitting on the cool, dewy ground, I cross my legs and feel the blades of grass tickling my fingertips.

It’s been two long weeks since Daddy’s funeral.

The scent of freshly turned earth lingers in the air as I begged Mommy to bring me here today.

I wanted to see his newly placed headstone.

I fix my gaze on the words engraved in the stone, my fingers tracing the smooth surface.

‘William Bennett, loving husband, brother and father’— those words perfectly describe who he was.

He was the most cheerful and loving person you’d ever meet.

Always there to lend a helping hand, always ready to brighten someone’s day.

The sight of his name etched in stone brings a mix of sadness and pride to my heart.

I close my eyes for a moment, letting the sounds of chirping birds and rustling leaves fill my ears. Memories of Daddy flood my mind. He was the type of dad that other kids would dream of having.

He never raised his voice at me, never laid a hand on me. His patience was boundless, as he listened to my childish ramblings as if they were the most profound words he had ever heard.

I inhale deeply, taking in the earthy scent of the grass beneath me. Daddy always said that there was something special about being different. Mommy, on the other hand, always worried and took me to countless doctors in search of answers.

But Daddy, he taught me to embrace my uniqueness. He would say, “People fear what they don’t understand, pumpkin. Don’t ever change who you are just to fit in. Stand tall and be proud of your individuality.”

A gentle touch on my head brings me back to the present. Mommy’s delicate fingers brush against my hair.

“Are you ready to go, honey?” she asks, her voice filled with a mix of sadness and tenderness.

“Just a few more minutes, please?” She offers me a small smile before turning and slowly making her way towards the car.

As I turn back to the headstone, my breath catches in my throat. A black crow perches on top of it, its shiny feathers glistening in the sunlight.

Caw!

The piercing sound startles me, causing me to jump to my feet, but I can’t tear my eyes away from the bird.

“Are...are you the same crow from the playground?” I ask, half-expecting it to respond. The crow tilts its head, its beady eyes locked with mine. Slowly, I raise my hand, my heart pounding in my chest.

Please don’t peck me.

With trembling fingers, I tentatively brush the soft feathers on its head, a smile spreading across my face.

Caw!

Startled, I quickly retract my hand, and the crow takes flight. I lift my head, watching as it soars away, becoming a mere speck in the vast sky.