Crystal Cave - Exerpt

“Abel, grab your mother some medicine. You know, the pink pills?” His mother calls from the kitchen. Abel nods obediently, treading over the wooden planks and following the white paint into the sparkling bathroom. He could smell the bleach evaporating from the room’s pores and it was mixed with the acidity that came from the freshly painted walls. The room was filled with the sense of nervousness and uncertainty, as if it disliked the taste of the newness that surrounded its insides.

Abel opened the medicine cabinet. He scanned over the yellow bottles with white caps and read through the gibberish and randomly placed letters to find one specific pattern. In bold, roman letters, LITHIUM could be read. Abel opened it, making sure the pink pills were pink, as mother had said. When it was deemed the truth, he closed the bottle and clutched it tightly in his palm. He walked over the wooden planks and followed the white paint back to his mother. He could feel her tremors from where he was, and hurried to her side.

As he approached the kitchen with a silent anxiety welling in his stomach, he poked his head through the door. He saw his mother curled on the floor; her entire body shaking. Abel could feel the perspiration falling from his brow as a new sense of fear replaced his anxiety. However, knowing his duty far too well, he shed his cowardly skin and placed a courageous facade. He walked slowly towards his mother, and he bent down to hand her the pink medicine. When he was giving the medicine to her, she immediately stood up and towered over him. He sweated as she opened her mouth to speak.

“What are you doing in my clean kitchen? Out, out you go!” She screeched. He yelped and placed the medicine on the counter before turning around to flee. The woman had yelled after him, but didn’t bother to follow as his feet carried him upstairs to his shared room with his older, twin brother.