Never Bend

Chapter 1: Life, eternal flow

time,

we can't hold it in place,

we can't rewind it.

Every second is precious.

MJ1

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    ¸.•✿Annie✿✿•.¸¸
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Summer vacation is over, and life has slipped back into its usual rhythm, but this year, it feels different. I'm not going to school, while all my friends are. That alone is a sharp reminder of how out of place I am in the world I once knew.

Instead, I find myself helping my sister with her homework, my mind already weighed down with the thought of dinner. It's not even started, and Mom hasn't shown up yet. She might not even come at all, like so many times before. All summer long, we held onto the hope of seeing her, of being together again, like we used to. But the days passed, and the empty space she left behind grew wider. It never happened.

Lost in the silence, I move toward the sink, the sound of water running as I wash the few dishes that have accumulated, hoping the simple task will drown out the thoughts gnawing at me. But nothing really helps, and the loneliness settles deeper into my chest. One truth rings loud and clear: Mom doesn't want us anymore. When she does come home, it's never with warmth or affection, only orders and complaints, as if we're nothing more than obstacles in her way. She treats us like employees, not children.

The list of chores grows longer with each passing week, and now it's not just the endless tasks. It's the hunger that's settling in. We don't have enough food. She forgets to buy groceries or simply doesn't give me the money to buy them myself. I can't help but wonder, are we such a burden to her that she'd rather see us go hungry than lift a finger to care?

Our father left when I was eleven, and now, six years later, my mother is preparing to do the same. We live parallel lives in the same house, barely speaking.

Was she being taken from us? Objects disappear, but I'm the only one who notices. I remember things others don't. I'm not crazy! It's all real, written in black and white across the pages of my journal. I even have proof: an unregistered butterfly hidden in one of my mother's books. One thing is certain. It didn't come from Earth. Somehow, my dreams seem to hold the key, filling the gaps between reality. What am I? Am I even human?

As I dry my hands, I catch sight of Julie chewing on the tip of her pencil. A smile tugs at the corners of my lips. Whatever I am, I'm not ready to find out. I walk over to her and run my fingers through her hair, making her stop. I love being an older sister.

"Annie, why can't Mommy help me with my homework?" She looks me in the eye, lifting her chin. She has so many questions, and I have so few answers.

"You know she's working. Come on, let's get this done, and then we'll warm up the bed so Mom can sleep in it with you." I nibble at a piece of my nail, hoping to distract her.
She meets my gaze for a brief second, then grabs her pen and starts writing the answers in her book. The sound of a zipper draws my attention. Luc has finished his homework. The mischievous little brat has grown up well. His raven-black hair stands out against the rest of us, but his eyes. Those are his mother's eyes.

"I agree with Julie. Mom's overworked. We hardly see her these days. What are we going to do? Annie, I have papers to sign. At this rate, Child Protective Services will be knocking on our door." His deep voice reminds me that he's slowly becoming a man. It's hard to tell from his tone how he really feels about all of this.