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Description
“Are you sure you’re going to be okay?” Daphne asked, her hand still on Austin’s arm.
He only nodded, still staring at the books in the walls, his hands clasped behind his back.
“Okay,” she sighed, shifting her feet nervously.
A rustling sound came from the dining room as Johnny sauntered out, his guitar clanging against his hip. He stopped in the middle of the room and paused, looking straight at his friend, the one brother he ever had, that one brother who had always been there.
Never before had Johnny seen Austin so stone, so dark, and so serene. He knew better than to interrupt this empty space, allowing the silence behind it all to speak for itself.
After a few more moments, Johnny silently motioned to Daphne to come with him. Within a couple of seconds (what seemed like hours), both of them were out of the manor, leaving Austin alone in the dimmed, dusky dark.
Another tear streamed down Austin’s face as he silently blinked, his facial expression motionless. He was still getting over the shock of Echo’s suicide. How could the one person you love, that one spark of life and energy, suddenly collapse to the bottom in an instant? How was something so erratic, so unexpected, turn out to be the one thing standing right in front of you?
Suddenly, he heard a whimper coming from upstairs.
Startled, Austin turned his head, snapping out of his mourning trance.
Again, there was a whimper, followed by a few attempted words… “M-Ma ma ma.”
Mama. Mother…Echo.
A sear of pain ripped through his chest. With tears spilling out uncontrollably now, Austin broke down on his knees and began to sob, his head in his hands. He then leaned back against the chartreuse couch behind him, taking in a heavy breath. Sniffing, he glanced at his left hand, specifically at his ring finger. On there was a golden wedding band, symbolizing his eternal bond with Echo and their everlasting devotion.
“Eternally,” he whispered to himself. Then he took in another breath, attempting to calm down and focus. Echo would have wanted that, he thought.
“Mama!” The faint whimper grew into a small, desperate call. “Mama! Mama!”
Mama is not here, Austin painfully pondered, keeping his gaze focused on the window in front. It would be one of a few distractions refracting him away from his wife’s death.
Another solution would be to move on, to find a way to bring Echo back, not only back in life form, but also in a new state of comfort, confidence, and contentment. No more nightmares would haunt her soul anymore.
But first thing’s first.
Immediately, Austin got up, brushed off the dust from his trousers, and began to climb the stairs to the second floor. As he got closer to the top, the surrounding lamps brought more light into view. With one additional step, he could feel a new force growing stronger, a novel pull similar to that of Echo’s presence.
Finally, he entered a small room filled with pink walls and white curtains. To the right was a white dresser complete with an oval mirror and stuffed animals. To the left was the window, including a ledge for a bed of red roses. From behind the white curtains, Austin could see the sun rays gently seeping through the thin fabric and lace, touching the dark brown wooden floor. Above the rays was a small black crib, complete with a little bat mobile and a magenta blanket.
Underneath the blanket lay a squirming little infant, her tiny hands in her mouth, her brown soft hair styled in a small pink bow.
Austin stopped in front of the crib, taking a moment to gaze into his daughter Rose’s large brown eyes, before gently picking her up. With her in his arms, he rested her against his chest and kissed the top of her head, reassuring her that there would be hope. Somehow, just by looking at the tiny baby in his arms, Austin knew that everything would be alright, that Echo would be back again.
Echo would have wanted him to believe so.

Description
“Are you sure you’re going to be okay?” Daphne asked, her hand still on Austin’s arm.
He only nodded, still staring at the books in the walls, his hands clasped behind his back.
“Okay,” she sighed, shifting her feet nervously.
A rustling sound came from the dining room as Johnny sauntered out, his guitar clanging against his hip. He stopped in the middle of the room and paused, looking straight at his friend, the one brother he ever had, that one brother who had always been there.
Never before had Johnny seen Austin so stone, so dark, and so serene. He knew better than to interrupt this empty space, allowing the silence behind it all to speak for itself.
After a few more moments, Johnny silently motioned to Daphne to come with him. Within a couple of seconds (what seemed like hours), both of them were out of the manor, leaving Austin alone in the dimmed, dusky dark.
Another tear streamed down Austin’s face as he silently blinked, his facial expression motionless. He was still getting over the shock of Echo’s suicide. How could the one person you love, that one spark of life and energy, suddenly collapse to the bottom in an instant? How was something so erratic, so unexpected, turn out to be the one thing standing right in front of you?
Suddenly, he heard a whimper coming from upstairs.
Startled, Austin turned his head, snapping out of his mourning trance.
Again, there was a whimper, followed by a few attempted words… “M-Ma ma ma.”
Mama. Mother…Echo.
A sear of pain ripped through his chest. With tears spilling out uncontrollably now, Austin broke down on his knees and began to sob, his head in his hands. He then leaned back against the chartreuse couch behind him, taking in a heavy breath. Sniffing, he glanced at his left hand, specifically at his ring finger. On there was a golden wedding band, symbolizing his eternal bond with Echo and their everlasting devotion.
“Eternally,” he whispered to himself. Then he took in another breath, attempting to calm down and focus. Echo would have wanted that, he thought.
“Mama!” The faint whimper grew into a small, desperate call. “Mama! Mama!”
Mama is not here, Austin painfully pondered, keeping his gaze focused on the window in front. It would be one of a few distractions refracting him away from his wife’s death.
Another solution would be to move on, to find a way to bring Echo back, not only back in life form, but also in a new state of comfort, confidence, and contentment. No more nightmares would haunt her soul anymore.
But first thing’s first.
Immediately, Austin got up, brushed off the dust from his trousers, and began to climb the stairs to the second floor. As he got closer to the top, the surrounding lamps brought more light into view. With one additional step, he could feel a new force growing stronger, a novel pull similar to that of Echo’s presence.
Finally, he entered a small room filled with pink walls and white curtains. To the right was a white dresser complete with an oval mirror and stuffed animals. To the left was the window, including a ledge for a bed of red roses. From behind the white curtains, Austin could see the sun rays gently seeping through the thin fabric and lace, touching the dark brown wooden floor. Above the rays was a small black crib, complete with a little bat mobile and a magenta blanket.
Underneath the blanket lay a squirming little infant, her tiny hands in her mouth, her brown soft hair styled in a small pink bow.
Austin stopped in front of the crib, taking a moment to gaze into his daughter Rose’s large brown eyes, before gently picking her up. With her in his arms, he rested her against his chest and kissed the top of her head, reassuring her that there would be hope. Somehow, just by looking at the tiny baby in his arms, Austin knew that everything would be alright, that Echo would be back again.
Echo would have wanted him to believe so.