Shadow-Land by Heather Parsons (best books to read for teens .txt) 📕

the pillow to muffle her cries, she waited. The moment the door began opening, she held her breath and prayed. Wishing for Travis to sneak in and everything to be back to normal.

"Oh Sierra, my dear. How are you doing?" Kathryn asked, her eyes red and swollen from crying. Closing the door behind her, she walked over to the side of the bed and sat. Facing Sierra she brushed her hand against her cheek in a motherly fashion.

"I miss him." I cried. She opened her arms and Sierra reached out and held her. "I can't live without him." Her hold grew tighter as Sierra shook in her arms.

"I know dear, I know. I miss him too." Kathryn said. "I'll help you, if you help me." She felt Kathryn's tears fall on her shirt.

"I can't breath without him." Sierra said. Trying to take in a breath but failing. "I can't live.... " She cried, sobbing so hard she couldn't finish.

"You can't think like that. Sierra, promise me you won't do anything?" She asked pulling herself away from Sierra to look at her face. Sierra don't know what she saw but whatever it was scared her. "Phillip!" Kathryn yelled.

When no one come to the door, she looked Sierra in the eyes. "Don't do anything. You hear me?" Sierra didn't nod to answer her just shook where she was sitting. Her arms won't even move to wipe the tears away from her eyes.

Sierra watched as she slowly got off the bed and run to the door. Opening it quickly, and leaving it that way. Sierra heard her footsteps as she raced down the steps and into the living room. "Phillip!" Kathryn screamed again. This time it echoed through the house. But she heard no response back. Did everyone leave? Was she dreaming this whole thing? She had to question herself a couple of times but still she couldn't give herself a clear answer.

For some reason the room she was in was suddenly crowded with people. But she couldn't make out their faces. They all looked blurred or out of focus. And she tried again to reach up and wipe her eyes but her arms wouldn't budge. Remembering this feeling from before and also remembering who'd held her together had her screaming. But as she opened her mouth nothing come out. The screaming she did was from the inside.

Figuring she couldn't do anything else, she laid back down. Actually she fell back on the bed and closed her eyes. The voices that she heard were slowly fading, leaving her in her own private hell.

TWENTY-SEVEN:

Lost

A couple of weeks passed and she hasn't found a reason to leave her bed. Dreaming of Travis walking in and comforting her has only resulted in Phillip having to medicate her with higher doses. The nights are the worse, waking up screaming and not having him here to comfort her. Putting his family through unnecessary worry and grief. She has never been one to be selfish or in the need of constant supervision until now.

Sierra talked to Caedman about him returning home until she needed him again. Hating herself more for needing him. That resulted in him growling and fighting her until he pretty much gave up. He didn't need to see her falling apart the way she was. No one did. But of course they stayed by her side throughout everything. Her nighttime screaming, her fits of rage and her endless tears.

The worst part about this is everyone is trying their hardest to make her smile, to make her into the person she was when all she wants is to cry. Even Teri and all her excitement can't break through the walls she's built up.

Today she did manage to get out of bed only to walk to the window and look out. The world outside held no interest but she kept looking. Possibly he'd walk out from one of the trees and shock everyone.

The skies have turned from the cloudy summer days into a white wintery mess. Fresh snow covers the ground and the trees. And out of all the seasons of the year this one used to be her favorite. The way the snow covered everything gives it all a different look. Bringing a quick small smile to her face. Watching Dean and Carmen outside playing like children in the snow. Reminded her of days exactly like this one where Travis and her used to do the same thing. Have snowball fights only to end up cuddle together after wards.

Out of nowhere a smile creep on my face while she looked back on her memories. Seeing him everywhere she looked and sometimes even when she wasn't looking. There are so many different things there in this town that Travis is attached to that it makes it that much harder to leave. She didn't want to leave him behind.

After standing at the window for awhile and not wanting to climb back in bed. She figured that she would make an appearance let everyone see that she was still alive. At least breathing anyway. Without her heart by her side to hold her together, there's not much life left in her.

Wrapping a robe around her body she opened the door. The light shinning from the hall light was blinding. Staying in a darkened room for a good length of time she never would allow light to shine in. Light was hope and she didn't have any. But now standing in the opened doorway, blinking to adjust her sight and pushing the fear down deep inside to continue on. Her legs felt like jello, being weak with not walking around enough but still they held their own. She was pleased that she was able to do that. The stairs were another story all together.

"Oh Sierra let me help you." Kathryn said running up the stair just in time to catch her. She'd only taken one step, the first step and lost her balance. The fire rose in her cheeks showing color on her pale skin. Again something that hasn't happened in weeks. She was blushing. Embarrassed by this and not being able to do a simply task of walking down the stairs.

"Thank you Kathryn. I thought it was about time I joined everyone else." Sierra whispered. Her body was nothing but skin and bones from not eating and even to herself she felt fragile. Kathryn's arms were wrapped tightly around her waist. And she gasped silently to herself from the pain. At the bottom step, Kathryn loosened her grip but didn't let go.

Walking like an eighty year old woman into the kitchen. Sierra's steps were very slowed and extremely cautioned. "Sierra, dear. Have a seat. Can I get you anything to eat? Or drink?" Kathryn asked with a smile on her face. Sierra hasn't seen her or anyone else smile since they found out about Travis. Seeing this now brought a smile to her face. Thinking now she was finally making them happy. Could her coming out of her room be the reason? Or is there something else?

"A glass of water would be nice and thank you." Sierra said with a smile matching her's. Keeping her eyes focused on what Kathryn was doing. Not wanting to look around and see the things that would most definitely bring the tears back. "I'm so sorry for acting the way I have been. I've not been fair to you or anyone else and my selfishness is ending now." Sierra said as a final goodbye to her pain. She'd lock them up and never return.

"Sierra you haven't been selfish, not at all. We all have been grieving in our own different ways. I for one have found comfort just sitting by his piano and playing music that he used to play. Phillip goes to work to preoccupy himself so he doesn't have to think about it and everyone else has been sticking together. So really you have nothing to apologize for." Kathryn turned her back to her as she said this. But Sierra could see the tears streaming down her cheeks. She quickly tried wiping them away but she wasn't fooling anyone. Sierra's eyes started watering and she stood up with great ease. Walking around the counter to where Kathryn was and held her. Both of them crying in each others arms. "I just can't believe he's gone." She cried shaking in Sierra's hold. Not coping with her pain.

"Kathryn you can't hold this in. I can't promise you if you let it out, you'll feel better but you can't hold it in. His your son, you have all the right in the world to cry over him." Sierra said finding the strength deep inside to hold her tighter. "I just wish he would walk in the door and say ha ha gotcha. Like he used to do." They laughed together remembering when he pulled that prank on them. Making them both worry to death thinking something had happened to him.

"Kathryn, Sierra you have to come outside. You won't believe who we found in town this morning." Teri said in hyper mood. Her excitement was flowing off of her in waves. Both Kathryn and Sierra looked at each other and then turned to her.

"Teri I'm not dressed to go outside. Can't you invite them in where it's warm?" Sierra asked looking down at her robe and then up at Teri again.

"Oh come on. Your fine Sierra." She said pulling both their arms towards the door. She opened it and what they saw outside was Phillip and Joseph. Dean and Carmen all standing in a circle surrounding someone. But neither of them could tell who that someone was. "Everyone look who decided to join us and at the perfect time." Teri exclaimed, jumping off the front step.

Everyone turned to look and that's when they both saw him. Out of all the people in this world, they'd managed to find the one that took her breath away. Standing in the middle of all her friends and family was Travis, alive and breathing.

Sierra felt a sudden tightness in her chest. She couldn't find the air she needed to breath. Holding her chest the world started tilting in an odd way. Her legs felt stiff and wouldn't move to allow her to touch him again. "Sierra breath!" Teri screamed. Sierra couldn't look away from him. He's finally here but is he really? Every night she's dreamed of this. But how is this possible? How could he be standing there?

"Travis." Breathing out her last breath before she collapsed. Seeing