A Not So Perfect Life

A ɨs ʄօʀ Aʊtʊʍռ

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! I rolled over in bed and groaned. My hand came down on the alarm button with a THUD and shut off the beeping noise. I sleepily rubbed my eyes and sat up in bed, starting to yawn, but then abruptly stopping. It was too quiet in the house. My tiredness snapped right out of me as I jumped out of bed and ran down the hallway. My heart beat so fast in my chest, that I thought it would burst through me. I stopped at the end of the hallway and put my ear against the door on my left. I listened..but all I could hear was the lonely yet loud thumping of my heart. Tears filled my eyes. Why hadn't he woken me? Every morning he jumps on my bed and wakes me up to make him breakfast. Was he hurt? Did someone take him? Did he run away? I opened the door and looked inside. His room looked exactly as it did yesterday, everything neat and in its place. I walked over to his bed and cautiously pulled up the blanket, and all that was under it was a bundled up towel. I fell to my knees and started to cry, clutching the towel close to my chest. When all of a sudden, I heard a giggle and,"Why are you crying, Sha Sha?". I looked up towards his closet and felt my heart stop. There, in front of me, was Korben. My five year old brother. I ran up and hugged him, smoothing his light brown hair. Once I stopped crying I knelt in front of him and put both hands on his shoulders. "Korben, you had me worried sick. Please don't ever hide from me again. I thought that maybe you had been hurt or kidnapped or that.. " I said, stopping and shuddering at that final thought. Korben put his hand on my cheek and said,"What does it mean when your eyes turn light green?" I smiled and got up, putting his hand in mine,"That means i'm happy, remember?". He nodded, and it wasn't until then had I gotten a good look at him. Korben had on black pants and a blue sweater, and the black and white converse I had given him. His short hair was combed and he had a backpack on. Maybe he had been planning to run away, I worriedly thought. "Korben, why are you all dressed up? And why do you have a backpack on?" I asked him. His dark brown eyes looked confusedly into mine, "Today's is the first day of school Sha Sha. Don't you remember?" I thought back for a second and realized that he was right. Today would not only be the first day of kindergarten for Korben, but the first day of eighth grade for me. And if I didn't hurry, both of us would be late.