The Summer I Disappeared Chapter 04

The Summer I Disappeared Chapter 04

No lights on in my room.

The bleeding from my forehead had stopped. Dried blood crusted on my eyelashes, pulling at the skin. A dull ache.

Through the door, I could hear Mom’s soft coaxing. Leo’s low voice telling jokes to cheer Tally up.

A wall between us. Two different worlds.

I rummaged through a drawer, found half a pack of alcohol wipes. Facing my phone screen, I cleaned the blood off my face bit by bit.

It hurt. I didn’t make a sound.

Late. The noise outside finally died down.

Then a sliver of light appeared under my door.

A pack of gauze and a tube of antibiotic ointment slid through the gap.

“Winter. You asleep?”

Leo’s voice came through the door. Low. Gentle.

“Put some medicine on it.”

“Your dad feels terrible. He was out on the back porch smoking for a long time.”

“Your mom left your favorite food in the fridge.”

I stared at the supplies on the floor. Something stupid and hopeless stirred in my deadened chest.

Did they actually care?

“Just apologize tomorrow. Make nice. This whole thing blows over.”

Leo sighed. His voice shifted. Regretful. Almost pained.

“Tally was so shaken up seeing you bleed. She couldn’t eat dinner. She’s been crying from nightmares all night.”

“Tomorrow, go talk to her. Calm her down. She always listens to you. Don’t let this leave her with trauma.”

It hit me like a bucket of ice water.

The medicine was real. Dad’s guilt was probably real too.

But all their concern, every last drop of it, circled back to one thing. Soothing Tally.

My computer didn’t matter. My wound didn’t matter. My future didn’t matter.

What mattered was that Tally must not be traumatized.

I stared at the stuff on the floor. Didn’t answer.

After a long moment, I picked it all up and dropped it in the trash.

My ticket was already bought. Tuition? I’d figure it out when I got to the West Coast.

Early the next morning. Mom knocked on my door.

“Winter. Dress is outside.”

“Your forehead has that cut. Cover it with your bangs. We’ve got a lot of guests coming today. Don’t make people think something’s wrong in this family.”

“We’re heading to the banquet hall first. Call an Uber.”

The front door shut a moment later.

I waited half an hour. Made sure they were gone.

The cleaning lady opened my door to start her work.

“Miss Winter…”

She saw the dried blood and the bandage on my forehead. Paused.

“It’s fine. I’m heading to the party.”

I slung my backpack over my shoulder. A couple old t-shirts. Toiletries. Nothing else.

I walked out of that house without a single thing they’d bought me. Without a trace of that family.

The July sun was blinding enough to make your eyes water.

I hailed a cab. Straight to the Greyhound station.

The terminal was crowded. I sat on a plastic chair in the corner, ticket clutched in my hand.

My phone started buzzing like crazy.

I watched “Mom” flash on the screen.

I turned it off. Took out the SIM card.

The boarding announcement crackled over the intercom.

I tightened my backpack straps and joined the crowd moving toward the platform.

The Greyhound’s engine rumbled to life. The wheels started to turn.

Outside the window, the scenery began sliding backwards. The city that had trapped me for eighteen years shrank and blurred into nothing.

I leaned back against the hard seat and closed my eyes.