Love is so short, forgetting is too long

Sierra finally stepped inside the city back to her home. She knew perfectly the routine patrol of the guards and how she could answer if someone stopped her. No one asked for the reason why a worker was going outside the gate since it's old news. They go to have shameless evenings under the stars and the guards knew that. They turned a blind eye to anyone going inside the forbidden forest and Sierra had a black wig on her head. She was known for being the ginger head girl and she didn't want to attract attention.

Outside, the two guards bowed to Duncan as he intended to create a distraction for her to sneak inside. Her black attire would give her advantage as long as no vampire looked her way. Crossing a stone pavement, she arrived at her house. However, instead of just going inside from the door, she climbed to her room. Duncan smirked thinking this was the reason why she had easy to climb the school fence.

As she stepped inside her room and changed her clothes to regular ones, she slipped inside her bed. Sierra tried her best to sleep; she knew what was going to happen again. Her parents were both home and it was unexpected. She must sleep for her to not be the subject of her mother's anger.

'Sleep. Sleep my mind. Sleep. I need you to be sleeping like a dead,' she repeated in her mind countless times as her hand clenched the tip of her blanket.

Her father was the first one to arrive. He was a successful man belonging to the fifth rank, with reputation no one would reach, with experience he fought hard to achieve, with a will that shook with time and was torn by his wife's behavior. She hated him openly for what he did. He loved her but his choice ruined the small love they had and she chose to ignore his pleas. They went further from each other and nothing could shape their bond to a lovely one again.

Duncan knew about him; he was one of the candidates to become an executor. He was an ambitious man that life beat into a pulp. He was taken from the list of candidates after his behavior turned to laziness and drinking. He wasn't a mighty man anymore. He wasn't Sierra's hero anymore.

She flinched as her ears heard the sound of glass shattering all around the place. It was serious this time. They argued over existence and the need to not see each other. Anger was the feeling that fueled her mother each time she saw her husband. She always acted that way, ruining every good atmosphere. The only time when she didn't act like a monk was when she met someone new. She has many friends with benefits and she aimed to ruin her husband's reputation.

"You are lucky I didn't kill you. The hatred I have of you is bigger than the remorse you feel. I don't want to see you. Divorce me and give her up. Why did you stop her from being a condemned? She is already acting like one."

"How can you say that, you heartless woman? She is innocent from all the things you believe in. She is still a child. A sixteen years old girl is still a child. Stop being harsh on her. I am asking you this little request. Do you think I didn't see the new blues you put on her skin? What will her future husband say?"

Sierra cried under her blanket as she repeated the words to sleep. The home she didn't call home anymore was an everyday battlefield. Their argument added more to her sadness. She was judged for what she didn't do and her mother was acting like she didn't have a daughter.

Sierra prayed for any God existing outside to help her out of this. She prayed she would be ignored and left alone. She wished being a condemned for a while, but seeing the life of the condemned she didn't wish for it anymore. Her body curled into a ball and her hands pressed against her ears, keeping the evil thoughts away.

'I should stay still. I mustn't move. A sleeping person does not move. I must act like I am sleeping if she comes. Maybe I should end my life tomorrow. Maybe I would succeed tomorrow and I won't have to hear this again. Maybe it's better for me to be dead. Everyone is suffering…'

Her chain of thoughts was stopped by a hand who removed her blanket. Sierra looked at the hatred that poured from her mother's eyes. Her father left to get his revolver from his car and she took advantage of that to drag her daughter down. Her hand yanked her from her hair as Sierra grabbed her hair back to keep the pain away.

"Please, spare me tonight. I swear I will sleep soundly," tears dwelt in her eyes as she watched her mother ignoring her pleas.

"What are you doing?" her father yelled. "Let her go," he darted towards both of them and separated them with his strong hands. He pushed his daughter behind him and pointed the revolver at his wife's head.

"Instead of pointing it at me, put it on her head. Look at her! Look at her!" she yelled. "She isn't worth keeping. Do you think that the world will stay better if she stayed alive? You can't strip me from my own rights. Divorce me so I can be free."

"Do you want a divorce? Very well. You won't take a dime from me. Don't even dream about making a fortune from me. I hoped you would be back the way you were and leave the past behind, but I think it was futile hopes from me."

He turned to his daughter. "Go to sleep and close the door tightly behind you. Use the key!"

"Give me that revolver, father. I will keep it in my room. Please! Don't do something bad! Who will stay with me if you go to jail? Please," she begged and he seemed to return to reason. He had a daughter to keep safe. He let his arm fall down as his mood calmed down.

"Don't worry! I won't shoot it at her. She isn't worth it. Go ahead. Go upstairs and stay in your room."

"But the revolver?"

"Go!" his eyes were intimidating. She rose from her place and ran upstairs, glancing back sometimes towards them. Her mother had her face directed at the door. She picked her bag and went outside, not caring about the rules.

The man made sure his daughter was tightly shut in her room and returned to his seat, holding his drink as the door stayed wide open. She was a lovely woman when he met her. She was bright and beautiful. Nights like these often didn't end badly but since she knew of what he did, she turned bad and prayed for his death every day.

He loved her and she loved him too. They had a lovely bond that everyone envied. Through nights like this one, he often held her in his arms and she laughed expressing how it was silly arguing between them. He wanted her to forgive him and continue living as they once were. He thought time would heal her wound and she would be appeased and accept the current situation. However, she hated him now.

The memories flashed before his eyes like salvation to his soul. Who thought that the man everyone saw in great height would be brought down by love? To think that he loved her… To think that he didn't have her anymore, that he lost her for good. What does it matter that his love could not keep her?

His soul wasn't satisfied that he had lost her. His eyes searched for her silhouette to bring her closer but she wasn't with him. She left and wanted a divorce. Love is so short yet forgetting is too long. He was thinking for a moment that he would kill her and follow after her, forgetting he had a daughter. He was grateful for her for bringing his daughter in front of him, even if it was brutal.

He saw how she was trembling, asking for a hug and warmth he could provide for her. She was a mistake he had to live with. Yet, it wasn't her fault. He had to stay with her until she reaches adulthood. She had still two years to go. Two years to wait for love to die, for his to seek salvation from death.

Duncan watched everything and heard all the words that were said. He pitied her. Was it because she looked so bright that he couldn't imagine she looked like that at home? He blended with the night going back to being an executor. She was about to be condemned and he didn't know that. To think that the life of a condemned was better than her current one, he would reach for her, certainly, tomorrow. He would talk to her and this time, he won't leave for class.