The Fallen Shadow

Avery's eyes fluttered opened, greeted by the gentle rays of the early morning sun. 

She lay still reluctant to leave the sweet warmth of her bed, her heart heavy with the weight of another dismal day ahead. 

Avery's mother, Karen, had married Fred a year after Avery's father passing and Avery had been excited about the promise of a complete family but her expectation turned out more of a fantasy than a reality. 

Fred, a stern and unyielding man always made it clear that she was an unwelcome member of his household. 

Karen, once a warm and caring mother gradually became cold and distant towards Avery as if all her maternal instincts had given sway to Fred's overbearing presence. 

Thoughts of her father always passed through her mind whenever she was alone. 

She would reminisce on the warmth of her father's smile, the gentle way he would tuck her into bed and the comforting sound of his voice; a voice gradually fading away with the passing of time. 

Dragging footsteps could be heard growing with each passing moment outside her room. 

Avery groaned inwardly because she knew that Karen was on her way to wake her up. 

The door creaked open and Karen's stern and hollow face appeared, her eyes narrowed in disapproval. 

"Get up Avery. You are not going to sleep all day now, are you?" Karen snapped, her voice devoid of warmth. 

Avery threw off the bedcovers hastily and rose from the bed. Her eyes stung as she rubbed the sleep from them. 

She knew better than to dawdle lest she faced Fred's wrath. 

She quickly got refreshed and made a beeline for the dinning room. As she descended the stairs, the aroma of burnt toast was strong in the air; obviously her mother had no business been in the kitchen. 

Fred sat at the kitchen table, his eyes fixed on the newspaper, his face forever etched with a perpetual scowl. It made Avery wonder if Fred was like that because of her or if her mother suddenly had poor taste in men to have blindly fallen in love with such a bitter person. 

Karen busied herself at the stove, her back turned to Avery. 

"Avery, sit down and eat your breakfast" Karen ordered, her voice firm but detached. 

"Good morning mom, good morning Sir Fred" Avery greeted before sliding into her chair. 

Fred never permitted her to address him as dad. She was told to call him 'Sir Fred' from the moment her mother got married to him. 

As Avery scanned the merger spread of food before her, her stomach growled in protest. A slice of burnt toast, a scrambled egg and a glass of orange juice. 

She knew better than to complain so she ate her breakfast quietly. 

As the days quietly went by, Avery found comforting solace in the town's old library at the end of her street. 

She revelled in the musty smell of the old books and the atmosphere so serene; it provided a much welcomed though brief escape from the bleakness of home. 

Mrs Emma, the friendly librarian took a liking to Avery and encouraged her love for reading. 

As she read, she began to see there was more to life than what she already regarded a frustrating existence living with her mother and Fred, her stepdad. 

Avery had once asked Karen how her father died. She had always been curious to know. 

The official story told by Karen was that her father died after a brief illness. 

Karen cried while recounting the story and she asked Avery to refrain from talking about her father henceforth as the memories were excruciatingly painful. 

Although Avery felt sad about her mother's request, she respected Karen's wish and never asked about her father anymore until one fateful evening, she unexpectedly stumbled on a conversation. 

It was an evening that would forever sprout fear and doubt in her and shatter her faith in relationships. 

Avery had returned home from the library to find Karen and Fred embroiled in a heated argument. 

The air was laden with tension thick enough; you could cut a knife into it. 

Avery slipped unnoticed into the kitchen. She grabbed a glass of water and stealthily began to make her way back to her room hoping to avoid being seen. 

Fred's voice boomed from the living room making her to pause at the stairs "And another thing, Karen, that useless child of yours, Avery, is a constant reminder of your past mistakes!" 

"Fred!" Karen cried helplessly "Please don't do this. Avery has done nothing wrong. Already, I feel guilty that I can't do anything more than give her food and shelter; at least till she's old enough to go live on her own. WE both owe her that much!" 

"After all this years, what are you still feeling guilty for? Fred replied angrily "Her father deserved to die and yes, I owe that useless girl nothing!" 

"Shuuush!" Karen frantically whispered "Please lower your voice! The walls have ears, please" She pleaded. 

"I will still say it; I owe her nothing. Her father felt because he was rich, he could act as he pleased. I don't mind getting rid of the daughter as I did, the father!" 

"Please, lower your voice. You will only get us into serious trouble with your words. You must remove all thoughts of getting rid of Avery. Don't forget the Will her father left behind. If you send her away now or worse kill her, we would loose everything we've worked so hard for all these years. You have tried, I know, my love but you'll just have to bear a little longer, please my love" Karen said with so much passion in her voice. 

Only then did Fred relent "For your sake, my love, I will try and tolerate some more though I just can't stand to look at her; she looks so much like him!" 

Their voices gradually calmed down till all Avery could hear were passionate kissing sounds. 

Avery's heart shattered into a million pieces. She quickly but quietly ran into her room. 

A myriad of feelings kept churning within her at the eye opening revelation.