Skinwalkers

The Start of It All

Lexi's POV

Being woken up in the middle of the night by your younger sibling is never pleasant, but it becomes truly terrifying when that sibling is having a severe asthma attack. That's exactly how I found myself jolted awake. My brother, Timmy, has always struggled with asthma, but it's become progressively worse since he turned twelve. When I first heard the labored breathing, I thought it was just some background noise. But then I realized the sounds were coming from the room next door.

I leaped out of bed and called for our mother, Rachel. As soon as she saw Timmy's condition, she immediately dialed for Will. I stayed by Timmy's side, desperate to help but feeling utterly helpless. "Come on, baby, breathe," our mother urged, trying to soothe him while we both worked to calm him down. Timmy had been struggling for about twelve minutes, and his inhaler seemed to have no effect. "Please, Timmy, just breathe," I pleaded, gripping his hand tightly.

I grabbed his inhaler again and administered another dose, but it didn't help. "Come on, Timmy, just calm down. Breathe, please," I begged, rubbing the back of his hand. Will soon arrived, carrying a steaming bowl. From where I stood, the smell was unpleasant, but I didn't question it.

"Will, he can't breathe. He had his shot this morning; what's going on?" Mom's voice was laced with frustration. I moved out of Will's way so he could assist. Mom wrapped her arms around me, looking worried. "His inhaler isn't working, Will. He just keeps getting worse," I explained.

Will crouched beside Timmy and placed a towel over his lap, setting the bowl down. "Rachel, Lexi, it's going to be okay," he assured us. I watched anxiously as Timmy began inhaling the steam. "Come on, Timmy," I whispered.

After a few tense moments, Timmy's breathing began to normalize. My shoulders sagged with relief. "Thank you, Will," Mom said, her gaze filled with gratitude. Once Timmy finished the steam treatment, he looked over at me. "Man, this stuff smells awful," he complained, setting the bowl aside.

I laughed softly and playfully tackled him onto the bed. "You little twerp, you scared the hell out of us," I said, ruffling his hair. Our mother watched with a fond smile before following Will out of the room to discuss things privately.

Turning back to Timmy, I pulled him into a gentle hug. "You really scared me, Timmy. I thought I was going to lose you," I said, my voice trembling. He looked up at me with a small smile. "I'm sorry, Lex," he whispered.

I shook my head. "It's not your fault. I'm just really glad you're okay." I pulled him into another embrace. "Hey Lex, do you think you could sing a song for me? You know, to help me go back to sleep?" Timmy asked. I chuckled softly, settling beside him under the covers.

"Sure, any request?" I asked, helping him get comfortable. He shook his head, so I thought for a moment before beginning:

I can almost see it

That dream I'm dreaming, but

There's a voice inside my head saying

"You'll never reach it"

Every step I'm taking

Every move I make feels lost, with no direction

My faith is shaken

But I, I gotta keep trying

Gotta keep my head held high