The Breakaways

Chapter 3

I walked over to the gray house that was our home. It wasn't much, but it was plenty enough. Flowers lined the walkway, and I rang the doorbell before entering.

I came inside, stomped my shoes off, and looked up to see my Mom and my Dad, gathered at the couch on either side of my brother. They were inspecting his wrist. At first, my heart lodged in my throat, but as I came closer, I realized that this was my innocent brother, and I probably shouldn't be too worried. Probably.

When I walked over and stood directly in front of Gavin, I asked, "What's your genre?"

My sweet twin brother looked up at me with shining eyes. "Genre: Superhero. Story #33. Role: sidekick."

My eyes widened in surprise, and I sat down next to my dad.

"Whoa. That's... a lot to take in. Story #33?"

He nodded, his curly dark chocolate hair bouncing.

"That ones been running for....over 10 years, if I remember correctly."

"23," My mom corrected. "I researched it just barely."

"Whoa," I breathed out again. "That means you're a fairly new addition, right? That means you're probably a game changer, and that that story's probably gonna end soon."

When stories ended, that didn't automatically mean the characters at the end died. That meant they were released from their stories, to live back in the non-story world, where you lived until you were sixteen. My parents had been and met in the same story, Romance #55. It had ended suddenly last time, so it had been fairly new when my parents had turned sixteen. Even though it wasn't a romance story about them, they had ended up dating and getting married in the 9 year span. They had Gavin and I, the twins, only a short 2 years later.

I shook myself out of my thoughts, just in time to hear my parents agree, "Yes, and that's why we're worried about him. Game changers can die." If you died during a story though, then you were gone for good. I felt a pang, remembering what Ferret had said about his parents.

I asked, "What does your wrist warn you about?"

Gavin looked down and rubbed at the tattoo-like words. They were written in silver on his dark brown wrists. "It just says watch the hero's back. Meaning, it probably doesn't care much about me. The hero is what matters in this story. But, it is proof I'll likely get to be the hero's sidekick."

"And in the most danger," Mom said, eyes concerned, her hands grabbing Gavin's wrist.

"No, Mom, that job belongs to the hero." His eyes began sparkling again. "And if I watch the hero's back, he'll watch mine too, and we'll both make it back." I smiled at Gavin's excitement, but I also couldn't imagine my innocent twin brother fighting crime. And in that story, the police didn't like the vigilantes. He'd have to be fighting fire with fire- as in fighting crime with more crime.

I hope he's ready, I thought. Then I looked down at my own wrist, covered by the bandage. I hope I'm ready.

My mother looked at my uncovered wrist and, wordlessly, Gavin and I switched places. Now I was the one huddled by Mom and Dad, and Gavin was on the end.

I felt bad for him, but this was my moment, and he could choose to sit on the floor in front of me if he wanted.

I pulled at the tie of the bandage on my wrist, and it came loose immediately, onto the floor.

I heard a sharp intake of breath on both sides of me. I was mildly aware of Gavin looking over Dad's shoulder, trying to get a better view. When he did, I heard the same intake of breath from him.

Don't overplay your role

It was written in pretty cursive, and the gold shone brightly on my dark brown skin, but it was the words that mattered right now.

"Everyone knows not to overplay their role, the government would be furious if they did," My mother whispered softly. "If they felt you needed an extra warning, you must be extra careful."

I wanted to assure her I would be, but I didn't know how. I already knew I'd struggle with it. That's why I'd fit a main character better. They could only underplay their role, and I wouldn't be underplaying anything.

Now they felt I needed an extra warning.

What would my future hold?