It was poorly lit. The shutters were falling from the windows, and the porch steps had seen better days. The foundation crumbled beneath the heaviness of the home, making it appear depressing.
I took the steps two at a time and found myself in Genesis's room.
She had books everywhere. Books about vampires, werewolves, and sirens. Then finally, Dark Ones.
"Are you studying?" Her mother's voice sounded from the other side of the house.
"Yes!" Genesis yelled, tugging a piece of licorice through her teeth. "Almost done for the night."
Her mother appeared at the door, took one look at Genesis, and scowled. "Candy makes you fat."
The licorice fell from her lips as tears welled in her eyes. "I thought you said I could have licorice if I skipped breakfast?"
"Ugly." Her mother sighed. "And now you'll be fat for them."
"But a number hasn't been called in years!" Genesis argued.
Her mother stilled. "Are you challenging my authority?"
"No." Genesis hung her head. "I'm sorry."
"I do this because I love you."
Bullshit!
Instead of staying in Genesis's room, I followed her mother to the other room where she sat down at a kitchen table and started pouring over bills.
Most of them were overdue.
"Stupid girl," she said under her breath. Her hands shook.
I glanced harder into the mother's eyes.
Jealousy stared right back.
"My number wasn't called." Her mother sniffed, still talking to herself. "Of course hers won't ever be called. It's all because of that stupid bitch."
She wasn't talking about Genesis.
Confused, I moved away from the mother and made my way down the hall again. Pictures lined the walls.
I smiled at the pictures of Genesis as a child.
Something about her struck me as familiar. Almost oddly so.
Her mother was in one picture.
And then another elderly woman. She had pretty, almond-shaped eyes.
The pictures went on, years and years of pictures. The color turned to black and white.
When I reached the end of the hallway, there was one final picture.
It was ancient. I leaned in.
My knees buckled as I braced myself against the wall.
"Ara," I breathed.