The Outsiders

The Outsiders: Chapter Four

Soum Menjivar

Mom yelled at me as she cleaned my wounds with a wet rag.

Crying with tears running down her face, Mom rubbed away her tears away as she stared at me. Matty and Maddy stood at my side as they held my hands. Though I healed quickly, the wolf milked its time with Matty before it ran off with its friend. Matty was quick to come to my aid once they were far enough. Even though he wad a head smaller than me, through quivering legs and aching arms, he helped me back to the house where Mom awaited us.

"I told you not to go there!"

Mom took off her shoe before she thwacked my arm with it for the second time since we arrived home. Whispering a sorry through her tears, she aided to my small cuts and the burn I had received from the otherworldly purple flower. I took the blow with a bowed head, letting her do as she pleases. As Mom cried, I could only acknowledge the pain I caused with demented regret.

            "W-we were fine for a while," Matty began as he stared at my wounds, "Soum was being a great protector."

            "Yeah, before the stupid, buzzkill dogs came," Maddy murdered with a pout.

"J-just promise me you'll never go back there again!"

Staring into Mom's bloodshot honey eyes, I gulped. Though I knew Maddy and Matty had a good scare, there wouldn't be anything I could do to stop them from going. Even if it meant disobeying Mom's pleading, I knew I would have to go with them. Aching, my chest only palpitated at the sight and thought of Mom's cries. I hated every time she cried, especially if it was my fault. With every tear she shed, the tighter my chest grew. Nodding, she stared into my eyes before leaving the room.

I was only thirteen when she cried in front of me. Mom had gotten laid off from her job, leaving her with three kids and no income. Though she was single when she adopted us, she had enough money for the four of us. Utterly distraught, Mom tried her hardest not to cry in front of us. That was the night I promised I'd protect her before any pain made her cry, yet there I laid as I stared at the doorframe.

The twins and I sat in silence. Mom's cries filled the room with scorn as we stared into the glum air. The emptiness in my chest grew larger as the mournful gale blew so freely.

"S-Soum?"

Turning towards Maddy's pain-struck voice, I could only offer a sorry smile.

"I-I'm s-sorry!"

The twins shouted in unison, crushing me in a hug. Though my body was sore, I hugged them back as they stained my shirt with tears. All my ears took in were sobs and sniffles. Tired of the tear-fest, I pull away from the hug and faced their tearful faces. Matty's calmness was tainted with fear and regret. Maddy's toughness was tantalized with tears and small breaths.

            "It's okay. I'm fine."

            Matty shook his head, picking at their fingers with a scowl. Though tears still fell from his cheeks, they gulped back their sadness and looked me in the eye.

            "You couldn't walk! I had to carry you!"

             With a small breath, he looked down.