Prologue: Hiding

Lexx woke up to a loud crash. The front door had been slammed shut. Lexx could see the kitchen light pouring in through her cracked open bedroom door. She knew her mother was home when she heard a sound like shattering glass. Lexx got up to see if her mother was okay.

“Mommy,” she spoke quietly peering into the kitchen.

            Her mother hadn’t heard her. Lexx watched as her mother got a new glass from the cupboard, sat down at the kitchen table, and poured a maroon colored liquid into the glass.

“It’s big people juice,” Her mother had always told her. It was her favorite drink, and she drank it all the time.

“Mommy,” she said again, only louder this time.

Her mother looked over at her.

“What are you doing up?” She snapped.

When Lexx didn’t answer her, her mother stood up abruptly. Lexx was afraid. She knew when her mother got angry her or her big sister got hit. Her big sister usually did when she was around, but tonight she wasn’t. She was out with her friends for the last time before they moved. Tonight, Lexx was alone.

“Well?” Her mother asked.

“I-I-I heard a loud noise so I-I came to see if you were okay,” Lexx replied just above a whisper.

“Speak up,” Her mother all but shouted.

“I- I woke up when you came inside. I heard a-a loud noise so I came to see if y-you were o-okay.”

“Quick your stuttering. You sound retarded.”

“Daddy says people shouldn’t say retarded because it’s not nice.”

Lexx knew the second the words left her mouth that she was in trouble. Her mother hated it when Lexx’s father was mentioned, and she hated it when a child corrected her.

“Who do you think you are? You can’t speak to me like that.” The more she spoke, the louder she got. “I am and adult. You are a child. You will not speak to me like that. Do you understand me?”

“But—”

SMACK!

Her mother slapped her across the face leaving a big red hand print on the side of Lexx’s face. Lexx backed up until her back hit the wall.

“I am an adult. You will respect me!” The more she spoke, the close she got. The closer she got, the angrier she looked.

Her mother raised her hand high above her head. Lexx closed her eyes and shielded her face with her arms as her mother swung to hit her again. Lexx was waiting for it, but it never came. Her big sister, Sky, had shoved her mother back. Her mother fell to the ground knocking a chair and her bottle juice over in the process.

“Run, Lexx,” Sky whispered to her.

“What about you?”

“Don’t worry about me just get out of here.”

Lexx ran and hid in an empty cupboard under the TV. From her hiding spot she could see and hear everything.

“Who do you think you are?!” Her mother shouted at Sky.

“I am your daughter. I am trying to protect my little sister from the horrible likes of you. She is six. She is afraid of you. No one should ever be afraid of their mother. No one should ever have to hide in their own home—” Sky was cut off when her mother had hit her.

“Don’t you ever speak to me like that! I am an adult—”

“We know!” Now it was Sky’s turn to cut her off. “That’s all we hear. We get it. You’re an adult. We are kids. We shouldn’t speak to you like that. You shouldn’t hit us the way you do, but you do it anywa—”

CRACK!

Their mother shoved Sky back into the wall Lexx was backed against just moments ago. Sky’s eyes were shut tight and she held her stomach where their mother had pushed her.

“Sky!”

Lexx came out of her hiding place, and ran to her sister’s side.

“Lexx, get out here.”

“I’m not leaving you.”

“Now!”

Lexx was scared. Sky had never yelled at her before. She ran back to her hiding spot and began to cry. The tears ran down her cheeks like a water fall as she watched her mother and sister fighting. Sky had stood up straighter, no longer leaning on the wall, and she held her hands at her sides ready for anything her mom threw at her. She didn’t look scared at all, until their mother picked up a knife.

            Sky turned and ran for Lexx’s room. Her room was the only one with a lock on it. Their mother followed closely behind Sky.  Sky was just about to make it to safety when their mother grabbed the collar of Sky’s shirt and yanked her back. Sky fell flat on her butt. Their mother approached her, and Sky scooted back more and more until her back was pressed flat up against a wall. Their mother smiled an evil smiled and brought the knife up next to her ear. Just as she was about to stab Sky, the front door was knocked down. A bunch of people came running in, crowding their small apartment.

“Freeze! Drop the weapon!” Lexx heard a man yell.

Two people wrestled their mom away from Sky and onto the ground, while another took the knife. A girl with firey red hair kneeled down next Sky.

“Are you alright?” She asked.

“I’m fine,” Sky told her.

Lexx watched as people wrestle their mother outside and into a white car with flashing red and blue lights. The girl with Sky began to take her outside.

 “Where’s my sister?” Sky asked. She sounded worried.

“Sister? There’s someone else in the house?”

“Yes. My little sister. Where is she?” Sky sounded scared.

“Lexx crawled out of her hiding spot and ran to her sister. Lexx hugged her tight around the waist and began to cry. Sky pried her off and kneeled down so she could look into her eyes.

“Are you alright?”

“I’m okay.”

Sky breathed out a long breath, and picked up her sister. She carried her outside and sat down with her on the side walk. Together they answered the questions the people asked, and waited for their dad to come get them.

Nightmare

Sky crouched down behind the big oak tree, trying to catch her breath. She stopped when she heard a stick snap. She sat trying not to make a sound. Trying to listen for the source and the cause of the noise. Then she heard it. There on the other side of the tree he stoped. Sky slowly crouch down lower causing a few leaves to crunch under her feet. He probably heard it because he started to make his way towards Sky. Strangely, he started smelling the air. Can he smell fear?, Sky thought. No that isn’t it. It can’t be it. She wasn't afraid of him when they came face to face earlier today, and she most certainly was not afraid of him now. All she want to do was scream, actually.

She want to scream so badly, she could actually hear the scream in her head, but it wasn't her screaming. It sounded like the person screaming was letting every negative emotion out all at once. This scream sounded painful. When she heard this scream, however, she saw a girl. She saw her screaming, only she wasn’t actually screaming. She was smiling. Sky then saw a tear silently roll down the girl's face. Then She realized she was the only one who could hear her scream, and see that tear. I can see every negative emotion she feels, while they remain hidden from those around her. To everyone else, she is happy. Sky knew, however, the girl was only pretending. Sky knew they had no idea how much she was actually hurting. She also knew she would get the chance to let all of that pain out, in the dead of night, while everyone else was asleep. Until then those feelings would remain hidden. Sky felt her pain.

He made her know what it’s like to feel the pain that girl feels every single day. Sky felt every negative emotion she has ever felt trying to escape. The only difference between her and the girl in her head was Sky didn’t have friends and family to hide it from anymore. He took them away from her. He made her watch as he killed them. As he ripped them apart, limb from limb. As he took the ones she loved most, and made them disappear from the world as if they were nothing. Sky was anything but afraid. If anything, she was more angry than afraid. She was so angry she actually felt a tear slip from her eye and slide down her cheek. No, She thought. Not here. Not Now. She was certain of one thing though: he must die. She wasn't exactly sure how to kill him though. No one really did.

There were others who have tried before her, but none of them ever lived to tell their story. Some have tried shooting him to death. Others have tried burning him alive. Few have tried ripping him limb from limb, just like he did to their loved ones. Each time they alll thought they killed him, but they just made him stronger than he was before. And each time he hunted and killed them; their deaths being more gruesome than those of their loved ones. Now he was finally going to pay. He messed with the wrong girl. 

Suddenly finding her courage, Sky stood up. She took one step out from behind the tree, and came face to face with him for the second time that day. He looked just as she remembered him. He wore dark blue jeans, a white shirt, with a black crucifix on the front of it, under the leather jacket his brother had given him almost a year ago. He was 5’4” and skinny, he had pale skin, wavy dark brown almost black hair, that looked almost like he had just woken up, and about an inch from the base of his neck, was a thick red line with a span of, roughly, three and a half inches across.

Sky couldn’t help but look into his eyes, those golden brown eyes with just a hint of green around the iris, and remember a time before that red line was there. When the two of them were almost inseparable. He was her brother and best friend all in one. At one point she even loved him. Now, stand here with him, she couldn’t help but feel the anger annulled by sorrow and guilt.

“Natey,” Sky whispered so quietly she didn’t think he’d heard her.

She hadn’t realized she was crying until he reached out to wipe a tear from her face. And she let him. She wanted to bury her face into his chest the way she always did when she was upset. She wanted him to wrap his arms around her and tell her everything was going to be okay.

“Sky, sweetheart, what’s wrong?” Nate asked her with a smirk playing across his face.

She took a step back so she was just out of his reach.

“Scared now, are we?”

“No,” Sky stated firmly. Although, inside she was shaking with fear.

          He was dead. There’s no way he should be standing here right now, Sky thought. It’s not possible. But he here was. Standing there, looking her dead in the face.

“Oh, but you are.”

Sky hesitated before she said, “You’re not real.”

“Ouch. That really hurt my feelings.” He waited a minute before continuing. “But you know what hurt them more?”

“Nothing hurts you.”

She thought she saw a flash of hurt cross his face, but just as quickly as it appeared, it was gone.

“You weren’t there,” He stated simply.

Sky knew exactly what he meant. Instead of telling, him that, however, she said, “I don’t understand.”

“You know, you were never very good at lying. Especially to me.” Sky was silent so he continued, “Do you ever lie awake at night, thinking about how you could’ve saved me, but you didn’t?”

“It wasn’t my fault.”

“Yes it was. You know it was. Now it’s your turn.”

He took a step forward, took her hand, and placed a knife in it. It was the very knife he used that night. The blood was still there, staining the knife, only it looked fresh. Sky went to touch it.

“Oh, I wouldn’t do that if I were you. It might upset your loved ones to see their blood on your hands.”

Sky’s grip on the knife tightened. “You killed them,” she screamed. “Those were your friends, too. They were your family. How could you?”

“The same way you could let me die,” he replied coldly.

“I didn’t let you die. I did everything I could.”

“I needed you! You weren’t there!”

“I tried!”

“You said you’d be there. Where were you?” He sounded vulnerable. He looked away when he whispered, “I believed you.” Sky saw a tear fall from his face and land on the ground.

“I was at your front door, when I heard your body hit the floor. I did everything I could.”

“You weren’t fast enough!” He looked her in the eyes. “Now it’s your turn. It’s your turn to die knowing I didn’t do everything I could to save you.”

“No. I can’t.”

“Why not. All your friends and family are waiting for you. I’m waiting for you.”

Sky shook her head, “No.”

“Do it.”

“No.”

“Do it.”

“No.”

“Do it!” The more he said it, the louder he got, and the bigger his smirk grew.

“No...” The more she argued, the quieter she got, and the more tears rolled down her face.

She glanced down at the knife. It was no later that she looked away that she felt a sharp pain in her back. She fell to her knees and hit the ground with a thud. She looked up at Nate. He was smiling.

“I did it because I love you,” he said.

Everything went black.

Goodbye

Sky sat up straight, quick and out of breath. Her face was red, puffy, and sticky with tears. Her eyes were a bright jade green color. She took a minute to take in her surroundings. The room she was in looked familiar, but she couldn’t quite place where exactly she was. She was sitting on a dark green futon in a small room with shaggy white carpeting, and light purple walls. The ceiling fan was on and the flat screen TV was quietly playing country. There were a couple steps at one end of the room leading to, what looked like a small closet, but on either side was another room. Her older cousin, Jonny, came in from the room on the left.

          That’s when she remembered where she was. Her and her little sister, Lexx, had stayed the night Jonny’s house after their mom was arrested the night before. Dad will be here soon, Sky thought to herself.

“What’s wrong?” Jonny asked her.

“Just a bad dream,” She replied looking at her hands in her lap.

“Must’ve been pretty bad. You were screaming and crying in your sleep again.”

“Sorry.”

“Don’t apologize for something you can’t control.”

“Sorry. Force of habit I guess.”

“Not anymore I hope.”

          Sky didn’t answer. She remembered when her mother would hit her for crying or screaming in her sleep. One time her mother hit her while she was still sleeping, and Sky was out for three days. Sky remembered the day the doctor told her father that it was her way of working things out, and that it was best not to wake her up when it happened because it was almost like waking a sleep walker. Her mother refused to believe it. She said Sky was just looking for attention. That it was all fake. Her dad left not long after that. He said he was done with her bull shit, so he took Sky’s brothers and left. We’re moving in with them soon, she thought.

“Hello?” Jonny said snapping her out of her thoughts. “Any one home?”

“Huh? Yeah.”

“Where do you go in that head of yours?”

“I don’t know.”

“Well, I tried to ask when Uncle Daniel was gonna be here to get you guys.”

“Dad will be here around noon, he said. Why?”

“I thought I would help you guys pack.”

“We would really appreciate it.”

---------------------------------------------

 

It was almost ten by the time Lexx woke up, and they had all eaten breakfast. It had only taken them two hours to pack their things. Now it was almost noon and the three of them were sitting on the front lawn surrounded by boxes and bags in silence. All of Lexx’s clothes were packed away in Sky’s duffle bag and the few toys she had were packed into a box. Sky’s clothes were packed in a small trash bag, her books were packed in a box, and her pictures and fragiles were packed into a shoe box. Her backpack was half full of the stuff she had left over from school last year.

“It’s almost noon,” Jonny said breaking the silence. “Uncle Daniel should be here any minute now. Are you guys excited to go live with your dad?”

“It will be different, but I think we’ll like it. Huh, Lexx?”

Lexx nodded. “I’m gonna miss you, Jonny,” She said in her quiet voice.

“I’m gonna miss you too, kiddo.”

“Daddy!” Lexx squealed when she saw his bright red, extra cab Dodge pickup pull up to the curb. Lexx ran up to greet him when he got out.

“Hey, kiddo,” He said kneeling down and hugging her.

He looked over at Sky still sitting on the grass with Jonny. She was leaning on him, resting her head on his shoulder.

“I’m going to miss you,” She said just above a whisper.

“I’m going to miss you too, Cuz,” He replied wrapping his arm around her shoulder, giving her a side hug. “I’m going to miss you too,” He whispered again, more to himself this time.

“I wish you could come with us.”

“I do too, but I’m starting school at Stanford in the fall.”

“I know.”

“Tell you what. I’ll come visit on breaks and every summer.”

“Promise?” She asked holding out her pinky.

“I promise,” He said wrapping their pinkies together. “Now come on. I think your dad is waiting for you.”

Sky stood and slung her backpack and duffle bag of her shoulder, and picked up the box with Lexx’s toys. Jonny picked up the box of books and Sky’s trash bag of clothes. Lexx ran over and picked up Sky’s shoe box of fragiles. Together, they walked over to the truck. Jonny and Sky put all the boxes and bags in the back and Lexx placed the shoe box in Sky’s seat.

“All set?” Their father asked. All three nodded. “Then we’ll be on our way. It was nice seeing you, Jonny. We would stay longer, but we’ve got a long rip ahead of us.”

“I understand.”

Lexx gave Jonny a hug and climbed into her booster seat in the back. Sky gave Jonny a hug, and he wrapped one around her.

She pulled away and pouted, “I want a real hug.”

“That is a real hug.”

“No, That’s half a hug. I want a real hug.”

Jonny wrapped both arms around Sky’s waist and picked her up, giving her a tight hug, and spinning in a circle before placing her gently on the ground.

“Better?” He asked.

“Better,” She beamed.

Their father beeped the horn to tell her it was time to go. Sky sighed, and hopped in the truck, looking at Jonny one last time for a long time. To her, Jonny was home. We’re leaving home, Sky thought. And with that a tear slipped down her cheek as she waved him goodbye.

New Home

“Girls. We’re here,” Their father beamed.

Sky woke up as the truck slowed to stop, and looked out her window. The farm was just as she remembered it. The red barn was half repainted and its doors were open. The cows were out grazing in the field that needed to be hayed, while the pigs and chickens were in their pens eating and laying in the warm sun. The only animal remaining in the barn was Sky’s horse, Jazmine, just itching to get out.

When she looked at the half painted Blue house, she saw her brothers, Jake and Nate, on the front porch waiting with a bunch of their friends. Looking out the screen door, was their cat, Shadow, and their Husky, Pepper.

“Lexx,” Sky said to her sister, but when she looked back at her she was still sound asleep.

“I’ll wake her,” Her dad said.

“No, don’t. I’ll get her.”

Sky unbuckled Lexx, and hoped out of the truck. With her backpack and duffle bag on her shoulder, Sky picked up her sister, and carried her to the house.

“I’ll take her,” Jake said meeting Sky half way.

“I’ve got her.”

“I know you had to protect her from your mom, but you don’t have to protect her from us. You know that.”

“I also know that she’s your mom too.”

“Prove it.”

“Do you really want to have this conversation right now?”

“Enough you two,” Their father said giving them both a stern look. Turning to Sky he said, “You just got here, and you’re already going to start? Really? Grow up a little, would you?”

I didn’t start it, she wanted to say, but instead she said nothing. She was always the one who had to grow up, even though she was the second youngest.

“Boys, go get you sisters’ things. Jake, show your sister their new rooms.”

“Rooms?” Sky had always shared a room with Lexx. She had to. She never knew when their mom would come in during one of her drunken rages.

“Sky it’s alright. There’s no need to worry. Okay?”

Sky hesitated before nodding. Still carrying her sister, she followed Jake past all the people, and into the house. She could tell they had been busy because the house was a mess. There were dishes in the sink, the house needed to be swept and dusted, and there was laundry everywhere. Sky followed Jake through the living room and upstairs.

“How come we don’t have the downstairs room anymore?” Sky asked her brother.

“That’s Dad’s room now. He thought you would want to be upstairs with the rest of us.”

“Us?”

“Me, Nate, and Lexx. Dad was going to give you the downstairs room by yourself, but he thought you’d feel isolated, or something.”

“Oh.”

“This is Lexx’s room,” Jake said leading her into a small pink room.

          The room had a bed, a dresser, a closet, a book case, and a toy box in it. The mattress was bare, except for a pillow. There was a pile of blankets and sheets on the floor next to it. Sky laid Lexx down on the bed and covered her up with a thin pink blanket. Even though it was summer time, and it was hot outside the room was cool.

“Everything’s pink,” Sky stated as a matter of fact.

Now that she took a closer look around she realized everything really was pink.

“Yeah. That was Dad’s idea. He thought she would like it. What do you think?”’

“I think she’ll like it.”

“Good. Ready to see your room?”

Sky nodded, even though she wasn’t. She didn’t like the idea of not being with her sister. She knew Lexx was safe, but it just went against Sky’s better judgement.

          Jake led her down the hall two doors, and across the hall into a large room with freshly painted white walls. All the furniture was covered in sheets, and the floor had cans of paint, of all sorts different colors, on it. There were stencils and paintbrushes, and sponges, and newspapers all around her.

“What’s going on?” She asked suspiciously.

“Dad didn’t know what color to paint your room, so I talked to Jonny. He said you and him painted a mural in his room, and thought it would be a good idea to let you do something like that in your room.”

Sky smiled. Her brothers and Jonny were always looking out for her. They always knew what to do and say. They always knew what she liked. They understood her.

“Thanks,” She said to her brother hugging him.

At first he was surprised because she hadn’t hugged him since they were small, but then he relaxed and hugged her back.

“Aww. How cute,” A voice said behind them.

Sky pulled away from her brother only to find her other brother and a bunch of other people holding boxes and bags in their hands.

“What goes where?” One of them asked.

He had brown hair gelled up in a messy way. He was dressed in jeans, a Doctor Who t-shirt, and a black vest. What caught her eye though, was his golden brown eyes. They were beautiful.

“Sky?” Nate said breaking her from her thoughts.

“Oh, uh, the box with the toys goes in Lexx’s room. Be careful not to wake her, please. I have her clothes. Umm, the small box goes in her room too. The book labeled “books’n’stuff” and the trash bag are in here.”

Nate handed Sky her shoe boxes marked “fragile”.

“Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.”

          Sky set the box down on a sheet covered shelf, and hugged her oldest brother. He was only a year older than her and Jake, but Jake was only five months older than Sky. When Nate pulled away, she turned to the far wall with the window. There was a seat in the window where Sky could see herself siting and reading her books or drawing.

“So, what are ya gonna paint, sis?” Nate asked putting his arm around her shoulder.

Sky ducked out from under his arm, opened her “books’n’stuff” box, and pulled out one of her sketch books. This one was a black with a purple feather painted on the front. She flipped through the pages until she found a landscape drawing.

“This one,” she said, pointing to it.

“Can’t wait to see it.”

And with that, Sky began to paint.

---------------------------------------------

There was a knock on Sky’s door.

“Sky? Are you in there?” Sky recognized the voice as her oldest brother, Nate.

“Yeah,” She replied.

“Can I come in?”

“Just a second.”

Sky picked her way around the many open buckets of paint all the way to the door. Using a red rag, she unlocked the door for her brother.

“It’s open,” She said already making her way back to her project.

Nate opened the door and looked around. The room was a mess. There was a big blue tarp in the middle of the floor covered in open cans of paint, and an old white sheet lay on the floor in front of the far wall. The sheet was covered in paint brushes, roller, sponges, and more paint cans, only these one were about half the size of the others. There was paint covered red rags everywhere, and pieces of card board boxes used as paint pallets here and there.

“Sorry about the mess. I’ve been busy,” Sky said.

“You haven’t even unpacked yet?” Nate asked, noticing the unpacked boxes and bags on the bed. He sounded surprised, but this was normal for Sky. She always seemed to have something packed away.

“I’ve been busy,” She shrugged.

When Nate looked at the far wall, he could see why. The far wall had a window in the center of it, and painted around it was a mural. On the left side on the window there was a fall tree losing its leaves with a swing hanging from one of its limbs. On the right side was a grassy hill with a foot path leading to an old farmhouse on top of the hill. The Sun was shining, and the sky was the perfect blend of baby and sky blue. 

"Wow," was all he said.

Sky turned around to face him, and saw another boy standing behind him. He had dark chocolate brown eyes, and dark brown, messy, gelled up hair. He was wearing faded dark blue jeans, and a Doctor Who t-shirt under a black vest. He was definitely shorter than her brother, but he only looked to be a few inches taller than her. 

"Who's your friend?"

"Toby."

"Okay."

"Not gonna question it?"

"Nope."

"Okay."

"Did you paint that?" Toby asked.

Sky looked at the wall behind her, then looked back at him. Instead of answering him she said, "Who's your favorite Doctor?" 

"Huh?"

"Who's your favorite Doctor?"

Toby still looked confused.

"Your shirt", Nate clarified.

"Oh. Ten, by far."

"Smart kid."

"Sky, He's older than you."

"So?"

"So you can't call someone older than you 'kid'."

"Sure you can. It just won't make sense."

"That's my point."

Sky just shrugged and went back to her project.

Nate and Toby left, and Nate was shutting the door behind him when he said, "Dinner's ready," almost as an afterthought. He waited for Sky to say "I'm not hungry," before he finished shutting the door.

My Sister

Nates POV:

When Nate and Toby got down stairs, everyone had already started eating. 

"Where's your sister?", asked their father.

"Busy," Nate replied. "What's for dinner?"

"Pizza."

"Again," added Jake. "I'm surprised you couldn't smell it."

"Sky's room smells so strongly of paint that you can smell it half way up the stairs."

"So letting her paint her own room was a good idea?" asked their father.

"Yeah."

"Sky loves to paint," Lexx said.

Everyone, except Toby, stopped and starred at Lexx. 

"What?" asked Toby.

"She never talks to anyone that isn't Sky. Especaiilly when Sky isn't around," explained Jake.

When he looked back, Lexx was pointing at something. They all followed her gaze to see Sky walk around the corner. Sky stopped in her tracks when everyone turned to look at her. Everyone quickly went back to what they were doing. 

 "Did I miss something?" Toby asked.

No one answered him. Sky got a bottle of water out of the fridge, while her father handed out pizza to every one.

"Sky? Pizza?" He asked her.

Sky shook her head no and made a disgusted face.

"Right. I forgot. Sorry."

"It's okay. I'll make something later, or something."

"What are you working on?"

"Nothing," Sky replied before running back to her room.

“Where are you going?” Jake asked Nate when he got up from the table.

“With Sky.”

“Aren’t you hungry?” asked his father.

“Not really.” Toby got up to follow Nate, plate still in hand.

“You can’t go up the with that,” Jake said.

“why not?”

“Sky can’t stand the smell of pizza.”

“Oh.” Toby put his plate down. “Save it for me, please?”

“Yeah. I’ll be up later. I’m waiting for a friend.”

“Alright.”

By the time Toby got upstairs Nate was still standing outside Sky’s bedroom door. Apparently, it was locked.

“Sky!” Nate yelled as he knocked of the door. “Sky!?”

Nate knew it was no use. He could hear her music loud and clear. She wouldn’t be able to hear him until there was a break between songs.

“What is that?” Toby asked.

“Another language.”

“She’s really pretty,” Toby half said to himself.

Nate looked at Toby like he was crazy. “What?”

“Sky. She’s really pretty.”

“No. Don’t even think about it.”

“What?”

“She’s my sister. Not gonna happen. That’s final.”

“That’s her decision,” Toby said, rather defiantly.

“Unless you feel like dying, you wouldn’t try.”

“Challenge accepted,” Toby smiled.

Nate glared at him. “Dude I really don’t want to have to burry my best friend, but I won’t hesitate.”

The song was over, and before another one could begin Nate quickly and loudly knocked on her door once more.

“What?”

“Can we come in?”

“We?”

“Toby and I.”

Nate heard her sigh before saying a murmured “yeah”. When the door open Toby didn’t hesitate to step into the room. Nate glared at him the whole time. The music was turned down, and it was in English. Nate watched as Toby checked his little sister out as she walking back to her project, singing along to Temporary Home by Carrie Underwood. Nate’s patience was growing thin with Toby, but looking at Sky’s project made him feel better. And listening to her singing softly, hitting all the notes made him almost forget his anger.

Around her closet, on the left wall, Sky was painting another mural. So far, it was a dark blue, almost black, base with, what looked like sponge splotches, of purples and pinks. He watched in silence as she continued.

Nate often forgot how talented his sister really was. He only got to see his sisters during the summer and school breaks; after their father took him and Jake and left their mother, leaving the girls behind. He always told them he’d bring them to live with him, but never actually followed through with it until he didn’t have a choice. Their mother was an abusive alcoholic. Unfortunately, Sky got the worst of it. Their mother’s most recent episode almost got Sky and Lexx killed. Jake hated their mother and refused to admit that she was his mother. But, to tell the truth, neither Jake nor Nate liked their father very much for leaving the girls behind. And if it wasn’t for the resemblance between him and Jake, Jake would deny him being his father too.

“You busy?” Jake asked Sky, poking his head in the door.

“Nope,” She replied, even though she clearly was.

Sky put down her paint brush and turned the music off. She stopped and only looked at Toby and Nate.

“Alright, I can take a hint. Come on, Toby. Let’s go”, Nate said dramatically, grabbing Toby’s arm, leading him out of the room.

Once they were out and the door was shut Toby tried to pull his arm from Nate, but Nate only tightened his grip. He got in toby’s face and said between gritted teeth, “Now listen here. She’s my little sister. I want you to put any thoughts of her out of your head right now.”

“You don’t have a say. It’s her choice.”

Nate grabbed Toby by his shirt, slammed him against the wall, and walked away with his fists in balls.

Jake’s POV:

 Jake never like to admit it, but Sky was his favorite sibling. They just had a bond that the other kids just never had.

“What’s up?” Sky asked him.

“How are you holding up?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well you’re starting school Monday at a new school where you’ll know almost no one. A few weeks into the term, may I remind you. And your mother did just try to kill you.”

“I don’t mind being the new kid. It’s a chance at a clean slate. It’s Lexx I’m worried about. She doesn’t really do too well with new people. And about Sarah, don’t worry about it.”

“Oh so she’s Sarah now. What happened to ‘she’s your mother too, you know’?”

“You were right.”

“How does your pride feel?” Jake teased. You could see the laughter in his icy blue eyes.

Sky hated to admit she was wrong, especially to Jake. Because, quite frankly, she wasn’t wrong often.

“Shut up.”

“Want help?” Jake asked, gesturing to her work in progress of a room.

“Thanks.”

Jake picked up and a brush, and she picked up a sponge. Together they set off to finish painting Sky’s room.

The Boy in Black

For as long as Sky could remember, when people thought of her the first words that came to mind were: tomboy, nerd, freak, loner, and loser. Now that she was the new kid, she could finally change all that. And Sky was excited.

 It being late September, the warm summer months were quickly turning to fall, which would quickly become winter. Sky knew the weather changed quickly there, so she decided on a fitted pair of faded blue jeans, and a fitted white t-shirt that came to a stop just above the waist of her jeans. After brushing the knots out of her straight, shoulder length, jet black hair and putting on a pair of black converse, she grabbed her bag and a fitted blue, zip-up hoodie with a white stripe down the side, and headed out the door.

She fished the keys to her dad's old blue 1967 D-100 Dodge pickup truck out of the front pocket of her backpack. Hopping into the front seat, she put the key in the ignition. But before she even had a chance to start the car, her two olders brothers jumped in beside her.

 

Impressum

Tag der Veröffentlichung: 05.10.2016

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