A wish to live or die

Angela's Point Of View

It only takes but a single second to shatter someone's entire world. One moment, I was so happy, living myself to the fullest, my heart light and my smile always on my face. Then, in the blink of an eye, all that happiness slipped through my fingers, leaving me alone in a darkness so heavy I could hardly breathe. Sadness wrapped itself around me, filling every part of me with endless tears and silent cries I couldn't hold back.

I stood there, staring at the house, my heart breaking as tears streamed down my face. That place had been my world, and in just moments, everything inside me had changed.

"Mom, where did you put the board? I can't find it," I called out as I searched the storage room, hoping for an answer. But the silence stretched on, and an uneasy feeling crept over me.

"Mom!" I called louder, straining to hear any response, but there was only silence. I turned my head, trying to pick up any sound, any clue. Something didn't feel right.

Then, like a whisper across my mind, I heard her voice. "Don't come out of the storage," she warned the words echoing in my head.

"What? Why?" I asked, confused and worried.

"Stay put. I'll be there soon," she said, her voice tight. My chest tightened too as confusion swirled into fear. I took a deep breath, catching a faint scent that made my heart race. The blocking powder we used on hunts to hide our scent was already in the air.

Then, the storage door creaked open, and there she was, my mom, standing there with eyes wide, her breath coming fast and uneven. She looked as if she'd seen something terrible, something haunting.

"What's happening, Mom?" I tried to ask, my voice barely steady, but before I could finish, she raised a finger to her lips, silencing me.

"Not now," she whispered.

"Baby girl, you have to do me a favor, okay? You have to stay here, quiet. Quiet! Without saying any word out, okay?" She said in a rush, constantly looking out the door.

"What's going on? At least just let me in on what's happening, the atmosphere is tense and why is the powder used in the house? Do we have uninvited guests?" I asked non stop.

"My love, this isn't the right time to be inquisitive. Keep your curiosity to yourself or you will end where you don't wish to be," she said to me.

"What's wrong with wanting to know what's wrong?" I asked her, trying to hide my anger.

"I'm sorry but I can't let you know anything," she said in a rush. She looked back again and turned to look at me with urgency.

"Use this on yourself to hide your scent, I have to go back before they start looking for me. I don't want them to discover you," she said looking outside as she pushed the little tube into my hands and rushed out, securing the door.

Who are they? I walked quietly towards the door but before getting to the door, it opened suddenly. I gasped but sighed immediately I noticed my mom.

"I told you to stay put, didn't I?" She said angrily.

"I was just worried about you, I don't..." I tried explaining to her but she suddenly grabbed the tube in my hand and poured the contents of the tube on me.

"Don't worry about me, worry about yourself," she said lightly, caressing my face calmly. She pushed me lightly into the corner.