Wings of the Walker - CoraLee June Page 0,376

my mother’s belongings ever again. I wanted to hear the bones crack under the force of my blow.

"My father sold his grandfather's watch to buy my mother that necklace. You aren't even worthy of the chain that gemstone hangs upon," I hissed while giving her a predatory growl. “Besides, it doesn’t even fit. How’d you even get it past that giant head of yours?” I asked. I wanted to rip it off her neck and slap her. I couldn’t believe that Ashleigh was so careless to give away such precious jewelry. Especially to filthy, unworthy Walkers.

With shaky fingers, the Walker removed the necklace and handed it to me while frowning. I felt tears gather in my eyes, and I pushed my anger to the surface to prevent any from spilling down my cheeks. I put the necklace around my neck, but the comfort I hoped to feel evaporated. It felt hollow. The magic of my mother’s touch lost to the Walker. Lost to Ashleigh’s carelessness.

“Enjoy your day everyone. I want my dresses back tonight. If I have to rip them from your dead hands, I will!” I screamed before walking outside, slamming the door behind me.

Once I was away from the Dorms, I collapsed in a heap of sobs against the base of a large tree, close to town. Today was hard enough as it was, but seeing my mother’s dresses and jewelry on complete strangers was too much.

There once was a time when I would play dress up in her gowns and spend my evenings at tea parties with my dolls. I remember covering myself in her clothes and inhaling the faint scent of her perfume. I remember sobbing in my closet, grieving alone. All I had of my family were those dresses.

“Jules?” I heard Cyler ask. I raised my head from my hands and watched him approach me with caution. “What are you doing out here?”

He looked tired and withdrawn. There was an unnatural stillness about him that echoed how I felt. I knew that he preferred to avoid his feelings, which meant today he’d find somewhere to hide while the rest of us suffered. It was easier to go off the grid than confront our issues as a family.

“What do you care?” I asked. I tried to lace my words with venom, but the exhaustion caused by my tears made it difficult. I wanted to be mad, but the pain was too numbing. Grief doesn’t ever leave. It waits for your vulnerable moments. It waits until you think you’ve gotten your life under control, then it hits you with the sadness. It clings to your happiness. It steals it and leaves you feeling lonely. Abandoned.

“I care plenty, Jules. What’s wrong?” he asked again with an exasperated sigh that felt like gravel against my nerves. I don’t care what he says, he didn’t really care.

“Your little Walker Whore gave away mom’s dresses and jewelry to the other Walkers. I woke up this morning to find them all wearing her clothes. I-I wasn’t prepared for that. Not today. She had no right to do that, Cy,” I cried out. I noticed him clench his right fist in frustration.

“First, don’t fucking call her that,” he hissed. I rolled my eyes in annoyance. I hated how Ashleigh controlled them so much. Even when it was me that was hurting, his first instinct was to defend her. Cyler crouched down close to me and handed me a napkin to wipe my eyes. “Second, those clothes were gathering dust in your closet, don’t you think Mom would have wanted you to give them to someone that needed them?”

I wiped my eyes, but the tears still fell. “It was still my call to make, Cyler. She had no right,” I whispered. Cyler nodded in brief understanding. His empty eyes slipped into something that almost looked like sympathy.

“You’re right. You should have been the one to make that call. I’m sorry, sis,” he said. I flinched at the nickname. He hadn’t used it in years. “But I’m still kinda glad she did it. Those women have never owned nice clothes. Mom loved making others feel beautiful,” Cyler said in a sad tone while holding out a hand to me. We stood there by the tree awkwardly. Neither of us knew what to say. Anger still simmering beneath the surface.

I wiped my face again and frowned. I’m sure the whites of my eyes were red with emotion. According to my brothers’ teasing remarks, I was never