Sarah Bell

close call

When I walked out of the room I was unexpectedly overcome with the scent of popcorn. I had no clue how he could eat anymore, right after such a large dinner.

"What movie are we watching?" I asked as I sat right next to him on the couch.

"I don't know, something about cowboys." He pulled me into his lap; I was almost fourteen that's too big to sit in his lap. At least that's what I thought. He held me there, I had no wiggle space, what so ever. I realized now that after I hardly ate dinner and knew my sister was safe, I was starving. I ate most of the popcorn in the first ten minutes of the movie. I wasn't really paying attention to what was going on. I couldn't tell you were the good guys, and who were the bad guys. I let my mind drift. My thoughts stopped on my mom. I found my self thinking about her a lot. I was always wondering if she found a new guy, had new kids, a fancy house, what her new job was like, and what she looked like nowadays.

Dad asked my something but to me it sounded like a mumble. "What?" I asked bringing myself to focus.

"The movie is over, what'd you think?" He said again

"It was fine." I didn't watch it so I had nothing else to say. He just nodded. "I'm tired, may I please go to bed?" I asked hoping he was happy enough mood to let me.

He tilted his head back as he thought. Finally he said, "You've been good all day, I think I will let you go to bed now." He said it as if he was doing me a favor, and in a way he was.

Sarah was asleep once I got in the room, and as I glanced at the clock catching a slim glimpse of the numbers I knew I should have been too. The clock had no light on it but the room was bright enough due to the yellow poring in from under the door and through the window. I pulled the blinds tightly shut, trying to block out some of the streetlights, and noisy car sounds.

I snuggled into bed next to Sarah, and soon fell asleep.

The next morning the house remained quite till later than usual. By now dad would have gotten us up to make breakfast, or send us to school. It wasn't a weekend. Sarah was up and had her nose buried in a book. 

"Hey Sarah, where's dad?"

She looked up with her big blue eyes, "I don't know."

"Have you eaten anything?" I said as I swung my short legs over the edge of the bed.

She shook her head no.

"What are you reading?" I asked

"It's a tale about some prince, who wants to marry a poor street rat." She smiles, and her eyes just pour light and excitement. With all the happiness life brings her it was hard to imagine what would happen if she had a normal life, with two loving parents. Not this single piece of trash we currently called family. My theory would be that her head would explode with happiness leavening rainbow confetti and silver glitter everywhere.

"I'm going to go get some breakfast, do you want some?"

Sarah doesn't need to be asked twice when it comes to food. She put the book down almost to fast to be true, and hoped up from her spot in the middle of the room.

"Can we make pancakes?"

"As long as Dad isn't home, and we have the stuff." There was just no way to say no to her especially when her crystal blue eyes are half the size of her head. I gently turned the doorknob and pushed the door open. If the door were to swing any faster than a snail it makes an awfully loud creaking sound, I think is to be the result from one to many slams.

As we crept out of the room, I was pleasantly surprised to find that dad wasn't home. I'm sure after the movies he went over to one of his friends' houses, or maybe he was on a long drive (he started to do more often now). I wasn't sure; then again I didn't really care. I told Sarah to look for all of the supplies in the cupboards while I looked around the house a second time.

Sarah had found it all okay it seemed. I helped her, and soon we were laughing and eating pancakes. Sarah's eyes only got bluer when she was happy. Her eyes were shining, but I said we should clean up and return to our room before dad came home.

"Awwwww" Sarah said as soon as I told her.

"You don't want to deal with dad when he gets home, do you?"

"No" she sighed. We washed our plates and returned them to the dryer, and put all of the ingredients back in their proper places. Just as we had closed our bedroom door we heard the front door open. Sarah jumped on bed, and laid down. I sat cris-cross on the floor and opened the book that Sarah was reading before, flipped to a random page and began reading to her.

"That was so close. Too close." I said in my head, I didn't even want to imagine what would have happened if we were caught. I could hear dad talking with some people. Then our door opened. My dad's head peaked in.

"Awwww what nice sister your being." He said, as he opened the door farther, showing his friends the same people he took me to see yesterday.

I closed the book and spun around to face the door, "Hey dad. Sarah got off the bed and sat behind me.

"That's my other daughter, Sarah." Dad gestured to her, "Come her."

Sarah slowly got up and crossed the room. She looked scared. I stood up and followed her.

"Sorry she's shy." I tried to cover. My dad placed a hand on each of her shoulders. The girl didn't look at her very long before walking into the kitchen,

"Where's the beer?" She asked. My dad nodded at me. I left to get her one. Sarah looked really scared. I grabbed the beer from the fridge, opened the top, and gave it to her. I then returned to the hallway. Dad's arms were still on her shoulders. The younger guy with the tattoos put his arm around me again. I looked at Sarah.

"You to are still in your pjs?" My dad finally noticed. Sarah looked up at him, and I looked down on the floor. " Ill go help them get dressed you guys wanna watch some TV?"