MISGUIDED MAGAZINE SPRING 2020

LONELY
BY KALYNN JOHNSON
SHORT STORY
My dress from last night was no longer wet and clinging
to my skin, but airy like it never touched a drop of water.
The house was crowded with people I knew and didn’t
know. My mother, held by my father, as she sobbed into
his black suit rocking back and forth on the silver couch.
I’ve never seen my father cry, but his face turned deep
mahogany as his chin quivered attempting to keep his
composure. My brother with his hands balled into a
tight fist, and his mouth clamped together trying not to
sob out loud. “What’s up with everyone?” I asked aloud
looking at my grandmother. A sob escaped her lips as
she turned away from me to go outside. A group of kids
from my school pooled inside from the front door in all
black. What the hell? I barely talked to them, so why
are they just showing up in my house? “Thank you for
coming,” said reverend Smith sullenly. “What’s going
on,” I began to ask again when the Reverend walked
towards me but looked ahead like I wasn’t here; like a
boulder rolling through grass, he walked into me going
through me like I was smoke.
My body began to shake. “What, what’s happening?” I
asked shakily. I walked up to my mother who cried even
harder as she tried to heave air in and out. “Mom?” she
continued to cry, “Dad, guys stop you’re scaring me?” I
said as he held my mother tightly with his eyes shut. Fear
and confusion coursed through me like a river. “What’s
going on?” I shouted, trying to get people’s attention,
waving my arms and stopping in front of them just so
they can walk through me.
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