Stephen is dead

"What a shame, I didn't want to murder two people tonight,"

"Don't come near," Dawn said as she pulled herself backward, sitting on the ground. Her voice rattled, and her knees felt too weak to stand. "Get away from me!" she shouted.

He kept moving toward the little girl until she reached the bottom of the downhill without realizing it. Dawn didn't look back, which caused her to roll down the creek's edge.

She was in so much shock and pain that she couldn't move, but she had no choice but to escape as he bellowed, "Run! Run now!"

"No, mom," she murmured as she attempted to stand.

"I SAID RUN!"

2022

"No! Leave me alone!" She sat up on her bed, grabbing her knees and pushing herself against the headboard. "Just leave me alone!" she yelled.

"Dawn!" the door swung open wide.

"Please don't come near me. Leave me alone!" She screamed even harder when she saw the man standing in the doorway.

"No, Dawn! It's Iris, Iris!" Her tears streamed down her face. It saddens Iris so much to watch Dawn like this. "Dawn, please calm down," she cried quietly.

"Please stop chasing after me!" Dawn continued to defend herself, nevertheless.

"Dawn, you're safe," Iris said gently, holding out her left hand. Hand down, with the other hand under, supporting her wrist. "Don't worry, you're safe! Hold my hand," she said.

Dawn couldn't get that picture out of her head. It wasn't Iris she was seeing, but Stephen, their stepfather. Dawn sideswiped the table lamp when she spotted him approaching, causing it to strike Iris's knee hard before shattering into fragments on the floor.

"Dawn..." Iris bit her lower lip to keep from groaning in pain; she needed to bear it and calm Dawn down. "Please, hold my hand." "Just listen to me," she added, "He's dead, Dawn! Stephen is dead! It happened a long time ago, and you are safe now!"

"He's dead?" Dawn seemed to calm down a little after hearing that.

"Yes, he is. D-do you remember it now? Dawn, it's m-me Iris, your younger sister," she sobbed, "Take my hand."

"Iris?" Dawn slowly lifted her hand until their fingertips touched. "You're Iris. God, I'm sorry," she muttered.

"I am your sister. Do you know who I am now?" Iris questioned, completely grasping Dawn's hand.

"I'm sorry, Iris," Dawn said as she crept onto the bed to hug Iris. "I am so sorry."

Iris couldn't help but cry as she returned Dawn's embrace. "Don't be afraid; I'm here to protect you," she said.

Dawn was now standing in the corner of the room, staring at the sketches and attempting to figure out who those people were. "I only know Iris," she said quietly, before resting her palm on the image.

"Still recognize no one?" Iris returned to the room, bearing an ice pack for her bruised leg.

"I just recognize your face," Dawn replied, looking at them one by one. "I'm still not sure who the others are," she said.

"It's okay, you don't have to force yourself to know; if they offer you a hand—or a hug, you'll recognize them eventually," the younger woman stated as she sat on the couch.

"Iris, aren't you tired of me?" she asked, her voice tinged with shame.

"Dawn, I'll never get tired of you," she said. "Not happening," she assured the other.

Dawn smiled and took a seat next to her. "I won't remember you again tomorrow, and if I have those same nightmares, I might hurt you again."

In Dawn's instance, whenever she rests her mind, such as by napping or sleeping, she ultimately forgets people's faces, even her own. People's faces seemed new to her every day, as if she'd never seen them before. But after she comes to recognize them again by using these three ways: a touch in the hand, a wrist-hold to a particular spot to analyze their heartbeats, or a hug to bring their hearts closer together, she will remember that face for the rest of the day.

"Look here, Dawn. You haven't recognized me every day for eight years now. You've bruised me more than a hundred times already. This is a part of my life like you are, so why would you think I'd get tired?" she asked with her forehead wrinkled.

Dawn couldn't help but smile and say, "Thank you, Iris."

She is grateful to have Iris in her life, because even though they are only half-sisters, she feels how strong Iris's love is for her.

"I know you'll conquer everything and be fine again eventually. Let's just wait until that day, okay?"

"Yes, Iris, I will heal, not only for myself, but for us," she said, wrapping her arms around Iris' shoulder.

"By the way," Dawn said, "have you finished your painting?"

"Which one? I have a lot," Iris chuckled.

"Don't tell me you haven't finished even one yet?" Dawn inquired, taken aback. And that sly smile from Iris told her something. "Hey, are you starting with a new one again? How can you even make another when you aren't finished with the others yet? You are just piling them up," sighed Dawn.

"It's simply that I don't think my ideas are that great."

Dawn scratched her forehead, "What do you mean? They're not finished yet, but they're already looking so magnificent."

"Because I'm your sister! If I were any other person, you'd definitely say I'm doing shit!" Iris exclaimed.

"Hey, Iris Windrow, I'm trying to encourage you here! You should be thankful," Dawn said, leading the other to laugh. "Ah, what time is it?" she asked abruptly.

"Nearly eight-thirty," Iris said after checking her phone.

"What?! Why didn't you tell me? I have to be at work at nine o'clock!" Dawn got up and walked to her closet. Her clothing is also limited to black and white, with the majority of them being plain.

"You didn't ask, so basically it's your fault."