Heartless People

FIFTEEN

Insanity is relative. It depends on who has who locked in what cage.
—Ray Bradbury

CHRIS

Stepping out of the closet, I watched while she gazed at the rising sun. She held herself tightly as if she were trying to hold herself together. She hadn't even
bothered to get dressed or fix her hair. She just stood there, staring. It was like we were mourning and I didn't even know why.

"Mina," I called out to her.

She turned around, and looked me over with no emotion on her face.

"Where are you going?" she asked.

"Lauren wants to go for a run."

She shook her head before she turned back to face the window. "She calls and you go running like her dog."

"Mina—"

"You make me sick sometimes, bending over for your little sister, hoping that hell finally bring you into the fold. When will you get it? She hates you. She will never love you. She only puts up with you, with us, because we are family. Sometimes I wish you would be a man. Why is that so hard for you to even attempt?"

My first instinct was to wrap my hands around her neck and twist it off.

Instead, I took a deep breath. "Why is it so hard for you to understand that you are not important?" I calmly asked her as I put on my watch.

"Excuse me?" She turned back to me.

"You. Are. Not. Important," I said slowly. "You want me to be a man? From the very moment Mila came into this family, you've been jealous. No, this
is beyond jealousy. This is insanity. No matter what you do, you will never be on that level. When will you understand? Why is that so hard for you to get?"

"Screw you and Mila!" she snapped before she stormed off into the bathroom.

Without a word, I walked out the door to find Lauren waiting. She looked at me, but said nothing and I wasn't sure whether or not she'd heard us. If she did, she didn't make it obvious. Setting the timer on her watch, we began our silent run outside the door with Monte following close behind.

I had no idea where we were going, but for some reason I wasn't worried. If She was going to kill me, she would've thought of something much more fucked up and intricate than going for a run. Ten minutes later I finally understood; she wanted to race.

"I don't even fucking know where we're  going!" I yelled as she sped up.

"Not my fucking problem," she shouted in reply, running faster.

Just as I was about to pass her, the son of a bitch turned the fucking corner and ran on towards the bridge. Unless she planned on jumping off, I knew I could pass her and I did, but she easily came up next me and matched my speed.

From somewhere behind us, Monte passed us both, which caused us to pause for a moment, though we keep jogging in place to keep our legs from tensing up.

"Isn't he your bodyguard?" I asked her.

"Bloody Italians. All of them are out to piss me off," she replied before she sprinted forward, and caught up to Monte. As she passed by, she looked back and
glared at Monte, causing the dark haired man to smirk.

Finally we reached the Arlington National Cemetery and Monte fell back. We ran on until Lauren stopped at the base of two of the white graves.

'Edward and O'Neal Callahan' the gravestones read and I felt a chill run up my spine.