Remember When

Remember When...

Of all the sorrow-filled stories in the world, few compare to the tale of the Fenton family. Nobody knows the true story of what happened those few months last summer, but guesses have spread like wildfire through the town of Amity Park. All we know for sure is the aftermath: lives were torn apart, families were devastated, and heroes vanished.

Who would have thought that the mind of one young teenager could change the destiny of the thousands?

One piece of evidence has surfaced, lending credence to a few of the more seemingly insane theories. A small journal managed to survive the horrible fire that consumed the Fenton's home. The words, written by the Fenton's son, sent the world into a spin.

All that remains of the family is that journal, a charred picture, and a single rose that was left on the grave of their youngest child.

A brief excerpt of the journal follows.

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I stumbled down the stairs to the kitchen, my vision blurred from the tears. I didn’t really know what was going on. I couldn’t remember what had happened. All I knew what that I had to get away from it. I couldn’t stay in my room with it anymore.

My parents were sitting at the kitchen table. They were eating supper – a supper that I had skipped out on. Mom looked up when I entered the room. “Phantom?” she asked softly, concern in her voice.

It was the sound of her voice that drew me to look up and meet her eyes. Instantly, a wave of disgust blew through me. Of course she was worried about Phantom. She didn’t know.

I blinked at her a few times, trying to clear the tears from my eyes. All I succeeded in doing was knocking them loose from my eyes and letting them trickled down my cheek. “I’m sorry,” I whispered. “I didn’t mean to…”

Mom smiled gently at me. “It’s okay.”

Dad pushed a chair out and asked me to come sit down and talk. I just shook my head. “I’m sorry,” I repeated. I turned my gaze down to the ground and watched one of my tears sparkle against the linoleum.

I felt a hand on my shoulder. Mom was looking at me strangely, her eyebrows furrowed. “What’s wrong?”

I glanced back at the stairs that led upstairs. She followed my gaze, her eyes narrowing as she contemplated what secrets the stairs might hold. I trembled slightly as I repeated the only thing I could think of to say. “I’m sorry.”

Mom had finally caught on. Her eyes widened. “Danny?”

I nodded slightly. My throat was closed up. I couldn’t talk. Not even to say those two precious words. Those two words that meant so much.

She pushed me out of the way as she raced up the stairs. Dad almost knocked me over as he followed her, his bulk making the floor rattled and creak. I stood there, in the kitchen, shimmering tears trickling down my pale cheeks as I realized what had just happened. I was alone. Again. They had left me.

They didn’t really care about Phantom. In the end, what does Phantom have over Danny? Nothing. After everything I had done, I was still in the way.

I sank to the floor and buried my face in my hands, finally giving in to the pain that was racing through me. Nobody cared. No matter what I did, I was just in the way.

Only now I could remember very clearly why it was upstairs in my room.

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Ah yes. Talk about a VERY dark and depressing story. It's written... I just don't want to post it. It's THAT depressing. It's too angsty for ME.

That's saying something. I'm the queen of angst.

hm...

Totally computer-drawn. My first attempts at the various members of the Fenton family, thus they don't look quite... right... Other than that, I'm pleased with it. I like the rose.

Leave your comments please!

--Cori