Leaving the Shadows, Falling from the Light

Chapter 1

        It would never be considered anyone's fault. Sometimes, bad things happen, and there's no way around the fact that it must have been because the universe is cruel or bored or perhaps a little of both.

        "I can't believe you're actually going to college next year," Annie said

        Her oldest brother dropped his mechanical pencil and mouthed a swear word. "Can you grab that?" Jesse asked, flipping pages in his Physics text book. A blue notebook, open on the desk in front of him, was covered in his impossible-to-read scrawl. "I need it for notes."

        "Thanks, Jesse. I wasn't sure for a minute." Rolling her eyes, Annie dipped down and grabbed it. She was laying on his bed, her feet at the head and her head at the end, hanging down and looking at him. "It's Saturday. Why are you so busy?"

        He took it from her and clicked out new lead. "I have a few tests tomorrow. I need to make sure that I'm ready for them.

        "On a Monday? Sheesh. Even Ms. Tucket waits until Friday for our quizzes."

        "Ms. Tucket's class," said Jesse with an easy smile, "was a piece of cake."

        Of course Pre-AP Geometry was a piece of cake for Jesse. Though he'd never admit it, Annie was pretty sure that he was some sort of genius. People like him go down in the books. People like him save the world. "When are you going to do applications?"

        "I finished up both of them for the home schools," he said around the pencil in his mouth, "but I need to send Vanderbilt's soon."

        "Email it tomorrow." She grinned. "You should be done studying by then."

        Jesse's response was interrupted by a violent beat that shook the door frame. It was so sudden Annie fell off of the bed and hit Jesse's tennis shoes. "Ow!" she yelled. "My eye!" Slapping a hand over her left eye, somehow stabbed by an aglet, she grabbed the bed to pull herself up. "I think Billy's finally awake."

        "Turn that down!" yelled their mother from downstairs.

        The music continued, and now some man was singing something about blood in the heart of a flaming, dying beast. Jesse looked vaguely frightened. "What the hell is that?" he asked.

         "Probably a guy named Razor or Bullet." Annie kicked his shoes under his bed.

        Billy passed in front of the door, no doubt on his way for a bowl of cereal. He was wearing black pajama pants and no shirt. His too-long blond hair was messy, and he looked at them with tired blue eyes. One hand was up in greeting.

        "Turn down that racket," Jesse told him.

        "No."

        "Billy, somewhere, a dog just started giving birth because of that music."

        "Good. The world needs more puppies." He saw the homework. "Still working, dork?"

        Jesse closed the book and made a final note. "I was. After all, Vanderbilt only accepts the best."

        Billy glared at him. He was only a junior, and seemed to be craving the college experience more than Jesse was. Or, maybe it was more than that. Her second brother had always been hard to read. "Whatever."

        He left for his cereal, and Annie got up. She was hungry as well, and Billy certainly wouldn't be bringing her a bowl of cereal or even a piece of toast. Before that, though, she went out of her way to go into Billy's dangerously messy room, dance around the Mountain of T-shirts, and turn the stereo way down. Now it was only a dull hum. A couple of books sat on his bed or on the floor: various classics or fantasies that he would never admit to liking. She stepped over The Tale of Two Cities and closed the door behind her.