Bone Chilling Truths

(Arata)

Mom? She was Ranold's mom, but why could I sense such intense hatred from her? I was sure I had never seen the woman before. 

She was tall and just like Ranold, she had blonde hair, which had thinned over the years. 

She turned her attention towards her son and placed a tender kiss on his forehead, making Ranold beam. 

"I am so proud of you, my son. If your dad had been alive, he would be too. But he is not with us." 

With those words, her hatred-filled glare returned to me. Taking quick steps, she approached me and her hand swished in the air and landed a slap on my face. 

It connected half to my cheek and half to my ear, making it

 ring. 

The pain, the humiliation, the rage. Everything accumulated as my eyes snapped towards her.