Obsidian Secrets

**E**

I barely recognised Skye when she walked into my room. She looked so different; her hair was ruffled and messy, her makeup smudged and uneven and she wasn’t wearing her typical shit-eating grin.

She came over to my bed, where I was sitting in the corner and sat in front of me. The look on her face was of hopelessness and sadness. She didn’t say anything to me before she enveloped me in a hug and we sat there in our misery.

I already felt better with Skye there beside me.

A sound at my door popped our metaphorical bubble, and we both turned sluggishly to see who it was.

I expected to see another police officer or a medic but I don’t think I fully realised who he was until he was staring straight at me with an expression I had never been looked upon with in my entire life: awe.

He was the man from my painting, utterly and completely and even more handsome.

Why was he looking at me like that? I couldn’t understand it; I probably looked like crap right now. I was too distraught to feel the shock that I would have, had it been a normal day.

He started to look kind of embarrassed when I didn’t stop staring at him curiously.

“Um… hi. I’m Corbett, Skye’s big brother.” He said as he walked further into my room and stretched his hand out to shake mine.

I unfolded myself carefully from my position in the corner of my bed and started to stand but did so too quickly and began to sway. Corbett rushed to my side, put his hand around my waist and his other hand grasped my hand that wasn’t wrapped around his neck and gripping his shoulder weakly.

When his bare skin touched mine, waves of energy and shocks went through my body, taking the pain and bad emotions away. He started to pull away and disentangle himself from our embrace, but as soon as we lost contact the pain and misery came back, and this time I fell.

“What the hell was that?” I heard Corbett ask while I just stared at the ceiling and wallowed in grief.

“What the hell was what? Nothing happened you dumb ass! Help Ebony she’s just lying there!” Skye said as the bed creaked under her moving weight.

“Oh my god! Ebony, I am so sorry, are you ok?” I felt his breath on my neck as he leant down to check if I was still breathing.

I didn’t see the point in answering; my internal agony was consuming me.

“Corbett we can’t just leave her here, let’s take her home.” Skye whispered. “She’s obviously a mess and so am I, can we just go?

“I don’t want mum and dad to know I am in Brisbane they’ll fuss over me the entire time and insist that I stay with them in a house that is barely big enough for three.” Corbett whispered back.

“She’s coming to Cairns with us, it would be even better for her now that she has a reason to get away.” Skye said, louder this time.

“I agree; I don’t even know her and I can see that if we leave her here she will barely survive. But it wouldn’t be good for her to stay with you guys; mum and dad will baby her and she won’t be able to get over it if she’s being reminded of it every second.” Corbett said “Has she got any other friends to stay with?”

“Peter’s parents are super strict and even under these circumstances would say no, she doesn't really have any other friends and she has no other living relatives; me, mum and dad are pretty much the only thing close to family she has.”

“It’s only a week til you go to Cairns right? She can stay with me, I’m catching an earlier flight and she can come with.” Corbett replied. “You should tell mum and dad then, tell them about… what’s happened and that I’m looking after Ebony and why.”

“Yeah I suppose.” Skye said with a sigh.

The pain was suddenly gone again and was replaced with a buzzing energy. I opened my eyes not realising that I’d closed them to see Corbett clasping my hand and trying to pick me up, but not having much success.

I pushed my legs from underneath me and stood steadily without swaying. Seeing that I was standing Corbett tried to let go of my hand but I clung to him for fear that the agony would return.

I turned to Skye, “I was conscious you know. And I think it would be better for me to stay with Corbett, I need to get away, to stuff that’s unfamiliar otherwise I’m just going to wallow.”

They both just looked at me strangely.

“What?”

“Ebony, your mother just died. Aren’t you meant to be like silent for week or starve yourself or go all antisocial?” Skye just kept looking at me like I was a freak.

“Firstly, stop looking at me like that; it gives me the creeps. And secondly, I feel heaps better when I have contact with your brother. It’s like he absorbs my pain.” I looked up into Corbett’s eyes curiously. “It’s quite a pleasant feeling.”

Corbett still just looked bewildered that I was speaking at all let alone what I had said.

“Also, do you have any pictures of Corbett in your house Skye?” I asked remembering my painting that was leaning against the wall next to my cupboard.

“Um…” she was still looking at me strangely but I let it go. “No, mum pulled them down after he left; they were making her feel bad.”

“Ok…” I said with a frown.

“Wait, mum pulled all the pictures of me down.” He just looked really sad as he said that and his shoulders slumped slightly.

“Then how on earth did I paint this at art this afternoon?” I tugged Corbett over to where the painting was leaning, careful not to lose contact with his hand. I picked the canvas up and turned it around so they could both see it.