The Changeling

Chapter 1

"Boys, breakfast is done!" mum calls down the hallway from the kitchen, and my little brother and I are in our shared bedroom where the light flickers before mum calls; the flickering light is to gain my attention. 

"Come on," Arizona says with a small smile as he stands from his twin bed that is opposite of my twin bed. 

He has been reading a book for school, and I was drawing in my sketch book. Silently nodding at him, I close the sketch book where I have been working on a portrait of mum in a field of wild flowers while wearing a flower crown, and a flowing red dress. Following my little brother from our room, down the hall to the small kitchen where mum has made french toast and turkey bacon. 

"Smells good, mummy," I compliment, giving her a soft kiss on her left cheek in thanks before grabbing a plate to place one piece of french toast and three strips of the bacon. 

"That is all you are eating, Ka?" she worriedly asks as I head to the island to stand to eat, so she and Arizona can sit while eating. 

Nodding, I ignore the worried expression she has as I lower my gaze to the plate while digging in. They sit with their plates, and begin eating, too. I know it worries her that I don't eat much, but I have a hard time eating a lot of unorganic foods. Mum would buy more organic foods, but she has been financially struggling since dad left us five years ago. I know he left because I am constantly ill, and he couldn't handle that. 

"Alaska, are you felling alright?" mum asks, worry dripping from her tone, and she speaks loud enough for me to hear since I am not looking at her. 

Bringing my eyes up to her, swallowing my food to answer; "Yeah. I am not that hungry is all."

She frowns as she studies my face before placing the back of her hand against my forehead to check for a fever. 

"Mum, I promise that I am fine," I softly say, pulling back slightly causing her to drop her hand on top of the counter. 

"Okay, but you will tell me if you are getting sick, right?" she replies, worry lingering in her eyes. 

Nodding, I promise her that I will, but in reality I won't unless it becomes necessary. I am constantly sick with colds, sinus infections, bronchitis, and pneumonia. I also have hearing loss due to constant ear infections when I was a baby and a young child. I was 5-years-old when I had tubes placed into my ears, but the damage had been done, but it prevented any further damage. 

"I have a shift today at the hospital," mum says changing the topic of conversation. 

"When will you be home?" Arizona asks with a sad expression as he angrily stabs a piece of french toast, and eats it. 

She sadly smiles at him; "I work a twelve hour shift, so I will be done at midnight, and home around 12:30."

"Can I invite Mason over to possibly stay the night?" he hopefully asks, but you can tell he is still upset about her shift.

Mum nods with a faint smile; "Sure baby."

"Thanks," he smiles. "I will text him once I am done here."

Mum nods as she focuses on me; "You can invite Gil over, too, if you want."

Shaking my head; "Nah, I'm good, thanks."

Mum and Arizona frown at me, but neither say anything further as I am not in the mood to have my only friend come over today. Yes, I only have one friend at my age, and I already know he is hanging out tonight with his other friends, and I don't want to admit this out loud to my mum and brother. 

"What are you gonna do while I am at work?" mum asks as we clean up from breakfast.

"Lots of stuff," I answer, and I hope I don't sound boring when I tell them what I am going to do today. "I am gonna tend to the flower and veggie gardens, draw out on the grass, stuff like that."

"Sounds like fun," mum comments with a bright smile as Arizona rolls his eyes playfully.

They don't fully understand my love and fascination with nature, but they don't say anything negative about my love of nature. 

"I know it is stupid," I grumble with pink tinted cheeks. 

Mum throws a small glare at her youngest son before telling me; "It isn't stupid, Alaska. You just really enjoy nature is all."

Humming at her in reply, I leave it alone, not knowing how to respond to her. I have always felt different from those around me including my mum and brother. The thing is mum, Arizona, Gil, and most of mum's family try not to make me feel horrible about my nature loving obsession. 

Wandering up to the bedroom, I change from my pajamas into a pair of dirt stained, ripped blue jeans, my dirty work boots, and a tattered white tank top. Once I have changed, I head outside to the veggie garden to first weed, pick the ripe veggies, and then water the plants as I double check the progress of the plants. An hour later, I have finished the veggie garden with several bushel baskets filled with food that won't bother me, I move on to the flower garden to weed and water, and I finish this about forty minutes later. 

I decide to mow the grass after taking care of the food in the bushel baskets in the kitchen. I mow the grass with a person powered mower that is older than my grandparents. I finish mowing the grass in two hours, and I head inside to shower once I have cleaned off and placed away the mower in the small shed by the veggie garden. Out of the shower, I dry off and dress in a pair of light gray cotton sweats, and a long sleeve lilac colored shirt. Grabbing my drawing pencils and my current sketch book, I head outside to side in front of the flower garden that is against the tall, wooden gate to draw. 

"Alaska, I am heading out now, and Mason's mom is dropping him off in about an hour," mum calls as she steps into the fenced in back yard from the house. "I left thirty dollars on the counter for you to order dinner tonight."

Nodding, I give her a small smile; "Bye, hope your shift runs smoothly and quickly. Thanks, and I love you."

"I love you, too, baby, and thanks," she replies with a soft smile. "Have a good night."

She waves before leaving the gate in the fence toward her car. Softly sighing, I focus on the blank page of the sketch book. Bringing my gaze to the flowers in front of me when I hear a deep male voice speaking to me from the empty house next to us. 

"Hey, what's your name?"