The car was silent as we rolled into the streets of Hazel Ridge. The crumbling yet comforting cobble road shook me in my seat as the tires of the battered jeep drove through the town centre.

I clutched onto the sleeve of my leather jacket until my fingers ached. There was no avoiding her here. I could feel her everywhere; in the patchy, concrete sidewalks she used to play on. Once dusted with chalk pictures she drew, now dusted with autumn leaves. She shone in the face of the rising sun. She whispered secrets through the breeze, the warm breeze, gentle like her soul. She lived on in the town. Frozen in perfect silence forever.

“Eloise?” My mother interrupted my thoughts. “Come on baby, we’re here.”

I took a long breath. In… and out. I had to face the facts. Nora wasn’t coming back. Slinging my bag over a shoulder and stepping out into the fresh morning air, I followed my mum up to our house. It seemed fixed in place exactly as we’d left it 5 long years ago. Same old white paint peeling at the edges. Same front porch forever sprinkled with newly fallen leaves. Same sprawling oak where… where Alfie and I would play.

Alfie. 3 years and not a word. Not a word of sympathy, of regret, of apology, sadness, anger or any other worthy emotion. Nothing. Not that I had made much of an effort myself. But he was the one who had murdered my baby sister. He was the one who had ruined everything. He was the one who should have written to me. And oh how I hated him for that.

And yet, as if on cue with my thoughts, I noticed him. Hunched over his sheet music at the piano. Pouring his whole heart and all his passion into his music. My heart fluttered. He was taller, his hair fluffy and longer. He brushed it out of his eyes with a quick flick of his hand. Last time I saw him we were 14. Still so young and wide eyed.

I didn’t realise I was staring until he saw me through the stained glass panels. I almost jumped backwards as he moved from his place at the piano over to the front door. And before I could run he was there. Standing less than 3 feet away, so tall and lean, his eyes shining bright blue in the sun, was Alfie.

“Lulu… you’re here,” he gave me a small grin and began a light jog toward me. I stumbled backwards. The thought of a conversation with him made me want to curl up and sink into the earth.

“Leave me alone Alfie.” I muttered, stuffing my hands in my pockets.

“So, how have you been? You’ve been away for so long!” He clearly hadn’t sensed the hostility in my tone.

“Alfie I can’t talk to you right now. Not like this.”

“But… what do you mean?” He smiled.

I slowly moved closer to him, “Look, just because you’ve moved on doesn’t mean that I’m ready to be friends again. My sister is dead because of you!” I could feel the anger rising in my chest, ready to explode out of my mouth.

“Hey, I thought we were past that. The cops said I was innocent.” He adopted a frown.

“That doesn’t change the fact that you were a shitty friend! Just please go away Alfie.” I snapped, beginning to walk away.

“Lulu! Let me fix this! Just let me talk!” He called after me.

“It’s too late for that…” I whispered as I joined my mum on the front porch