Shadow Born (#1)

Chapter 2

 What is he doing here? I think. I hadn’t heard a word from him in two years, I don’t think anyone had. Why is he here now?

Micah is grinning, but Kamali looks worried. He knows how I feel about Daniel. Daniel had been one of my best friends, but when he disappeared…

I turn, grab my drink and go back downstairs. No one says a word, or even tries to follow me. I grab a bottle of tequila, not caring which flavor, and lock myself in my room. I hit a few buttons on the keypad next to my door and Three Days Grace is blasting through my room, so loud I can’t hear my own thoughts.

I bring up an old war game, Call of Duty, on the hologram and start playing. It’s not long before I lose all thought, a mixture of getting lost in the game and the alcohol.

I hadn’t wanted to face the twins, but this… this was much, much worse. Daniel... Who does he think he is? A thought slips into my barely there consciousness around three a.m. It’s been eight hours since I saw Daniels face for the first time in two years. He looks older, much older. He’s lost some of the baby fat he’d held onto through his teens, he looked bulkier, more muscle, his eyes were darker.

Another hour passed, and I stopped playing the game to take a shower. Another and the sky was lightening. One more and the skies are lit brightly with the morning sun. Another and I hear someone leave, probably my Aunt for work. She wasn’t home often, left early in the morning and didn’t get home until late. I didn’t know what she did exactly, and I didn’t really care. I did as I pleased, if she was home or not. She was our caretaker, but she didn’t really take care of us, all she did was pay for things. Kam and I made sure the boys, Toby and Wyatt, were doing well in school and doing their homework and not getting into too much trouble. Not that we really had to, all they wanted to do was be left alone. If they had to do some homework and keep their grades up to do that then they would.

At about nine I decided to leave my room. I turned off the music I’d become deaf to. The silence caused a ringing in my ears, I just ignored it. I went upstairs, I’m not sure why, but I did. I ended up making a smoothie.

I was pouring it into a glass cup when Toby came into the kitchen. His hair was messed up from sleeping, and he wasn’t wearing a shirt. “Hey Kit.” He says. “What’s for breakfast?” he asks. Momentarily I’m confused, but then I remember it’s Saturday. I always make a big breakfast on Saturday. I started that when I was ten, after our dad died. He’d done it because our mom had done it when she was alive. I picked it up from him, trying to keep some normalcy for the family.

“Um, I'm not sure. What do you want?” I ask, trying to cover for what I forgot.

Toby closes his eyes and hums while he thinks. “Hash-browns, eggs, pancakes.” I chuckle, I knew he was going to say that, he loved pancakes.

“Blueberry?” he nods animatedly. “Wanna help?” I ask. He nods, smiling and starts moving around to get some of the stuff. I start heating up the griddle to make eggs and pancakes, and a pan with oil for the hash-browns.

“So,” he says slowly, “Dannie’s back, huh?” he asks, trying to sound nonchalant. I'm sure he’d heard about last night and my freak out. I nod. “Are you okay?” he’s the only one to ask so far, he’s also the only one I’ve seen since last night, so I couldn’t be too mad. I clench my jaw and don’t answer, just ask him to pass me the bowl of blueberries he'd thawed. “Kit…” he says.

“I’m sorry T, I really don’t want to talk about it.” I try to be gentle, but I think I sound angry. He looks down and swallows.

“Okay, just… I'm here if you wanna talk.” He looks at me for confirmation that I understand.