Winter Swan

Frank and Valter looked shocked and anxious as Silje's arms and legs stiffened and whitened.

"Let's take your sister to the hospital right now, Valter. I will get the car ready, so help her out."

Frank also seemed concerned for once and he decided to go with them as well.

In the hospital, Silje received a sedative and saline. She was released the next day and by the time she arrived back home, it was dark in the house.

It was broad daylight, but Olga had all the curtains down.

"…"

Silje knew things were not alright, and she was correct. Olga, who was sitting in the kitchen by herself, called for her.

"Come and have a seat, Silje."

Olga didn't even ask about her hospital visit. She just seemed determined as she asked, "What is your plan for the future?"

Without waiting for Silje's answer, Olga continued, "Frankly, I don't even want to talk about this, but we need to. It happened, and I had some time to recover from the shock of it all. I have thought carefully, and here is what I think, Silje."

Silje was still pale and thin from the recent ordeal, but all Olga did was glare at her. Silje bit her lips silently as Olga said to her, "I can tell you now that what happened yesterday… I knew for a long time that something like that would happen to you. I cried because I was in shock, but now, I don't care. Whatever, who cares? You got pregnant with that boy's baby. You got pregnant with Bruntland's baby and they did this to you. Am I right?"

Olga laid it out for her, and Silje didn't reply. Perhaps it would have been better if she tried to give an excuse, but Silje remained silent. Her face was deathly pale, but she looked stubborn as she glared back at Olga.

"I can see that you think it's all okay because you loved him, right? That boy and you were in love, and so what happened is nothing to be ashamed of. But Silje, I am ashamed of you. You have brought shame to our family. You need to realize this, don't you think? Even God must be ashamed of you."

When Silje continued to just stare coldly, Olga's face crumpled in fury. Olga shook her head and raised her voice.

"That is all I have to say, so now you need to pack your bags and leave this country. I don't ever want to see your face in this house again. You refused to attend school when you were younger, and you worked at that stupid cafeteria without our permission. And now, you got pregnant with another classmate's child without even getting married. A Bruntland baby no less…!"

Olga reddened and panted, but she pretended to be calm as she continued, "Frank and I give up. We are done with you."

Olga handed Silje a plane ticket.

"As I said before, you will go to New York. Aunt Skina moved to America when she was young and has been running a small grocery store in the east side. When I learned about what you did, I called her and told her everything. She said she is willing to take you in, so you are to go to New York. However, you need to help her out with her store. You have to wake up early in the morning every day to receive the vegetables and work all day at the store. Do you understand? You can't be lazy there."

So this was it.

It was an exile.

At this point, Silje didn't care anymore.

She felt guilty and sorry for her parents and leaving was her way of apologizing and making things better for them.

Most of all, she wanted to leave. She wanted to escape this place.

This country named Norway had been harsh to her. She wanted a fresh beginning. This was what she had been working for. She had been working at Niels' cafe so she could leave Norway.

This was an unexpected and a horrible turn of events, but ultimately, this was what she had wanted for a very long time.

"…"

Remembering what Ingrid did to her, Silje smiled bitterly. She knew she wasn't in her right mind after such a traumatic event.

'… Mom, Mom.'

Silje couldn't forget the cold, frightening feeling of the hospital bed sheets against her skin. When she woke up from the anesthetics, her body screamed from pain and instinctively, Silje looked for her mother for comfort.

Mom.

But when Olga finally came, all Silje got from her was a cold glare.

Looking at Olga's rigid face, Silje nodded slowly.

"Yes. Alright. I will go to New York, Mom."

She decided to obey her mother one last time.

Besides, her body refused to remain on this land anymore. It was a reflex after what happened to her. Her body was violated, and her baby was murdered.

This was not the place for her. Continuing to live in Norway would be torture for her body and mind.

"I will do it, Mom. I will go to New York."

She couldn't stay here anymore.

Yes, this was what she had to do.

Silje bit her lips till they bled.

She had to leave and go to New York.

"I will go to New York."

Silje took the ticket from Olga. Frank was the head of the family, but Olga was the one who took care of the majority of the things in this household.

Within half a day, Silje was on her way.

"Silje, do you have a passport?"

"Yes, mom. I had it made a long time ago."

Silje had been planning to leave Norway for years. With the passport taken care of, things moved quickly.

"Then I will change the ticket to tomorrow morning. I already told Frank about it, and no matter what Valter asks you, don't answer him. Go get your bags ready. Do you understand?"

Olga wanted her gone as soon as possible, before the neighbors found out.

Returning to her room, Silje quickly packed her bags.

Now, she had no home and no family.

In New York, Silje knew she would belong nowhere.

Revenge?

She had no time or energy to think about it right now. All she could do was never see any of the Bruntland family members again.

… She still loved Kail.

However, if she never met him, something like this would've never happened. If she never met him, she would've never lost a precious life inside of her.

Her hands shook and she became pale.

She couldn't forgive herself. She didn't even know she had a baby inside her. Silje should've protected it with her life, but she failed. She could never forgive herself for it.

If she stayed with Kail, he was going to be a constant reminder for her of what she lost.

Silje's lips bled profusely.

Everything changed. They couldn't be together anymore.

She couldn't love him anymore.

Silje wanted to sob and scream, but she remembered Ingrid's evil smile and stopped herself. She wouldn't give that bitch the satisfaction.

… She didn't love Kail.

And most of all, she didn't want to be part of the Bruntland family. She didn't want to be associated with any of them. Her soul was ripped into pieces and so she refused to be with him.

No matter how much she thought about it, she realized that this was the right thing to do.

She just had to take on everything and live. She had to take all the guilt and anger with her and leave. This was the best thing to do.