The silent pain

The clanging from the shovel was the only thing that broke up the rumbles of the storm and the silence of the earth. The aunt lay wrapped up in the rug from the bottom of the stairs. It was a grand exquisite rug with ruffles at the end and was a mix of bright reds and greens all harmoniously threaded together.

"Did you know Gertrude and I were siblings?"

Finally breaking the silence. Bethany nods.

"Of course, you did. She didn't know I lived upstairs. One day I came to visit her after years and I just couldn't endure to be looked at by her and see the disappointment in them... so I sneakily went up there, and there i stayed"

Motioning to the small balcony. We used to play there as kids, she always hated going up there she would say it is to creepy. I knew I wouldn't have to worry about seeing her... she didn't even know I was blind, neither did your mum"

There they stood in the rain and the mud behind the house, memories of Bethany's mum were ringing in her head pounding at her brain; constantly making correlations of today and that day.

Silence echoing the space; with each swing from the shovel felt like a dagger stabbing at within her stomach.

"I'm sure she didn't think you were a disappointment"

She states knowing full well that those were the opposite words her aunt had used to describe him.

Moving his gaze from the dirt back at Bethany:

"it is easy to speak in past tense and to speak for someone who now know longer has a voice to contradict with. Who I am now wasn't who I was in the past, I was obsessed with materialistic objects, sparkling bobbles, the outer beauty of women, and I always wanted more; never having enough... I have done things, terrible things; things that cannot and should not be forgiven. "

...

Do you know why I'm blind...?"

A burning gaze not daring to flicker out until he heard an answer of some form. Aware of the situation he rephrased the question before she could answer.

"do you want to know why I am blind, now?

I do want to know why, but he is in so much pain and given the current situation do I even have the right to ask? what right do I have anymore?

"do you want to tell me?"

Turning the question back on him was probably the best solution, but a dissatisfying one.

"I did it to myself... I gouged at these eyes till I could know longer see the sparkle of any beauty. I decided that if I was going to live a better life and not fear my sister or anyone's gaze I would need to get rid of the root of temptation. Having been blind for all these years I have realized the value of other senses and to place a value on other forms... It's all wasted now..."

Hastened by fear Bethany quickly replies

"I'm scare those word make it sound like you don't want to be a part of this world, wont you stay? Please stay with me?"