Spring, Summer, Winter, I Am The Forgotten Autumn Chapter 04

Spring, Summer, Winter, I Am The Forgotten Autumn Chapter 04

After landing at Mistbridge International Airport, I wheeled my suitcase out of the arrivals hall.

No one waited for me outside. I hadn’t expected anyone to show up.

Over the next five days, this so-called family graduation trip had devolved into a surreal solo survival drill.

On the first day, we visited Luna Belltower Square. I only stepped away to use the restroom. When I came back, my family was gone.

I called Marina. “Where are you?”

“We were busy taking photos of April and the others, and you vanished. We’re already on the sightseeing shuttle. Explore the area on your own, and don’t go complaining we left you behind again.”

She hung up right after.

I paid for a ride to the location they’d sent photos from. Summer met me with an immediate complaint. “Could you move any slower? The lake shuttle left while we were waiting for you.”

I didn’t argue. I simply took my place at the end of the line.

At the hotel that evening, something even more absurd unfolded.

The front desk clerk checked the reservation and spoke up. “Ms. Grey, you’ve only booked two twin rooms and one single suite.”

Winter lowered her voice. “Mom, I’m used to sleeping alone. Sharing a room keeps me up all night.”

Marina handed room keys to father and my three sisters, then turned to me. “Calvin and I will share one room. April and Summer take the second twin room. Winter gets the single. Autumn, you can crash on the lobby sofa, or ask if they have a rollaway bed.”

Once again, I was the one sacrificed.

I slid my bank card across the reception counter. “Please book a private single room for me.”

Marina curled her lip in disdain. “Throwing money away for no reason.”

The next day we traveled to Birch Lake. On day three, we toured Froststone Township. Everywhere we went, they lost track of me within minutes.

I tracked them down to a café using navigation.Five place settings for afternoon tea were arranged at their table. One for each parent, one for each sister.

When Marina spotted me, she said casually, “I figured you weren’t keeping up, so I didn’t order anything for you.”

“It’s fine,” I replied evenly. “I’m not hungry.”

This pattern persisted until the trip’s final day.

The whole family was supposed to check out at ten a.m. and head for the airport.

I finished packing at six o’clock, tucked my Hyperion acceptance letter safely inside my jacket, and waited for them in the lobby.

Eight o’clock arrived. No sign of anyone.

Ten o’clock arrived. The elevator doors never opened.

I called each of my parents and sisters one after another. Every line went straight to voicemail.

I walked over to the front desk. “Could you check if the guests staying in those three upstairs rooms have checked out?”

The clerk tapped at their keyboard and looked at me in confusion. “They checked out four hours ago.”

Four hours ago. They’d left the hotel at six in the morning. No wake-up call. No text message. They hadn’t even noticed there was still one empty seat in their vehicle heading home.

I stood frozen, then let out a quiet laugh.

It wasn’t grief. Not even surprise. The last thread tying me to the idea of “family” had finally snapped cleanly.

I dragged my suitcase out of the hotel.

A sharp early-autumn chill hung over Mistbridge City.

A black taxi pulled over to the curb. The driver lifted my luggage into the trunk. “Heading to the airport?”

Through the taxi window, I glanced back at the hotel entrance. “No.”

I turned my gaze forward. “Take me to Hyperion University.”