Accidents Made Right 1: Pistanthrophobia

Chapter 4: Rowan's Perspective

"C'mon Rowan, it's time to get up."

...

"Rowan, get up."

"Mmmm," I groaned.

"Don't make me get the air horn."

"Alright, I'm up," I yelled, sitting up so fast the covers flew off.

I looked at the person who woke me up, my twin brother Alexander, and I frowned as he laughed. When Alexander's laughter was reduced to a chuckle, he said "C'mon, you gotta admit... that was kind of funny."

"Y-Yeah, I guess it was," I responded, just about chuckle.

"Alright, I'll wait outside while you get dressed."

"A-alright."

As Alexander exited our bedroom, I sat on the edge of my bed, in the direction of Alexander's bed, and looked around our room. There was a long dresser in between our beds, with a large mirror on top.

Behind my bed was posters of different musicians and bands like The Beatles and Ed Sheeran; behind Alexander's bed was posters of superheroes, including Iron Man, Captain America, and War Machine.

I hopped off of my bed, grabbed dark blue jeans and a t-shirt of a guitar out of the dresser, and switched out of my pajamas and into the clothes I pulled out. When I was done changing clothes, I tossed my pajamas into a laundry basket below my bed, and turned to the mirror.

Looking at my reflection, I put my right hand on my hair, slowly stroking my hand down the hair until I reached my neck, to a burn mark in the shape of a snake.

Most people assumed it was done to me so my father could "prove I was his" but I was one of the few who knew the real reason, or at least what I thought to be the real reason.

In truth, it was actually to cover up a birthmark on that side of my neck, a birthmark of a yellow carnation flower, which symbolized rejection.

After looking at it for a minute, I then looked at the birthmark on the other side of my neck, of a yellow rose, which symbolized friendship. I looked at that birthmark for a couple seconds, thinking to myself Gee, what a great fortune.

It can't seriously mean that, right, a voice inside my head said.

I think it does. What else can it mean, a second voice added.

The second voice sounded almost exactly like the opposite of the first one. While the first was energetic, nice, and respectful, the second voice sounded... odd. Sure, mean can describe it, but it seemed to be something more.

Uhh, I don't know, maybe it's that he's afraid of being friend-zoned, Hope said, annoyed.

Pssh, what would make you think that?

Maybe the fact that your name means FEAR?!

I don't know how that matters, Fear responded.

"Hey, Rowan, you almost done," Alexander asked loudly.

"Yeah, I'm coming out now," I responded before heading out the door.

Once I exited the wooden door, I was at the beginning of a hallway with two other doors, one to the left of the door to our bedroom, and another door at the end of the hallway. In the middle of the hallway were some stairs leading down into an area in between the kitchen and the living room.

I could hear my parents arguing from inside the living room, and they were having a pretty heated one too.

I heard my mother yell "For once in your life, will you please at least act like you value your children over your plan?!"

Alexander gestured towards the stairs, so we both started walking down them. The stairs didn't creak, so our parents couldn't hear us over their yelling.

Though, even then, their yelling was so loud, it could outmatch fast food workers.

"Well, I'm sorry I started the plan before I started this family!"

"Stop trying to prove this to yourself, and just be happy!"

We finished walking down the stairs, and were immediately greeted by our father slamming his hand into the long, wood table in the middle of the living room, breaking the table but not hurting his hand.

"I told you already! I don't deserve happiness." He stormed out of the room.

"Ugh, you stubborn...," our mother groaned, before she turned around and saw me and my brother. She looked a lot like an older female version of us, including the green eyes and brown hair that we both had.

She crouched down, looking at me, and said "Hey, honey, I need you to do something for me."

"What is it? I can do it for him," Alexander offered enthusiastically, but our mother looked at him and said "I'm sorry honey, but I need your brother to do this."

Continuing, she looked back at me and said "Rowan, I need you to go collect some water."

"Water? Me? Do we even need it?"

"Please, just do it."

...

"Alright, I'll go do it," I said before heading out the front door.

"Why wouldn't you let me do it," Alexander asked, watching along with our mother as I went to the garage and easily pulled a wagon filled with empty buckets out.

My mother turned to Alexander again, explaining "It's part of the plan we made, the one to cheer your father up."

"Can I know what this plan is?"

"I'm sorry, but no. Your father will try to get it from you, and... well, we both know how he's your favorite parent."

"He's not my-"

"Shh, don't. I'm your mother. I know you more than you know yourself."

30 minutes later

I was almost done pulling the cart full of empty buckets to the river; I was probably a minute or two away. Strangely, I was having no trouble pulling the cart. I figured a cart full of buckets wasn't as heavy as it looks, and, shrugging, I kept pulling.

Eventually, I passed between some trees into a small clearing, between two forests. In the middle of the clearing was the river. It wasn't a large river, and it was pretty quiet, but it was still large enough so it could be considered a river.

Across from the river was a male, 6-year old kid with cute brown hair, blue observing eyes, white skin, and a distinct birthmark on the right side of his neck which was of a white gardenias flower, which symbolized gentleness and family.

I saw the child was staring off past where the river dropped down a cliff and into another forest. It took me a moment, but eventually I realized the kid was staring at a deer and it's fawn, who were sleeping together.

I looked back at the child, and he looked in my direction at the same time, causing us to lock eyes and my heart to flutter.

They slowly observed my appearance, and when they saw the snake mark on my neck, they started to unholster their Smith and Wesson.

Welp. Time to go get some popcorn! See ya!