Please

18

DAYS PAST

I sat up in my bed, the house was dead. Everyone who lived in its walls were sleeping.

I gently set my foot down on my floor, evening my breath to make me seem invisible.

My fourteen year old mind had already memorized every single creaky floor bored and how to avoid them. I know that the slots raised slightly were bound to moan under my weight.

As I slowly made my way down the hall, I could hear my dads loud snoring telling me he was knocked out and in deep slumber. But I knew I still had to even my breathing and step lightly, as even a man like him could snap awake at any moment.

That's the Pro in him.

I slowly but surely made my way to my little brother Shoto's room. My senses on high alert and waiting for just the moment to slip into the shadows.

A noise sounded from a room, and I paused. Holding my breath and stiffening my limbs, making sure I didn't move. It wasn't until my lungs were burning that I decided that it was probably nothing and continued on.

I crept past my older brothers room, catching a glimpse of his high school photo.

I felt a wave of sadness as I looked at my brothers face. He was my age when he was caught in the fire.

I'm sorry I couldn't save you sooner Touya Nii-Chan.

I turned back, the smell of his burning flesh was wafting to my nose and I felt a brief flash of nausea as I always did when I thought of Touya. Too much longer and I'd throw up.

I couldn't even sit at his funeral properly, I bit my tongue until the metallic tang was making its way down my throat and my jaw stung from bile rising.

Of course my father made me attend. We were the perfect family after all. Even if his son was crying that his one role model was gone. His daughter assured her other siblings it would be okay, while also sobbing. His youngest son sat confused but sad nonetheless, over the brother he never knew and would never know. And his youngest daughter couldn't even open her mouth without throwing up.

We were the perfect family after all.

I grabbed the knob of Shoto's door and opened it slowly. Slipping in when I could make my body fit, then releasing a breath of relief.

"Nee-Chan. I've been waiting!" Shoto exclaimed quietly, immediately shooting up in his bed.

"Sorry Shoto. It took me longer to sneak away this time." I apologized. "I have the books tonight." I grinned as I took two books out from under my shirt where they were hiding in case I got caught.

"Which ones did you bring this time?" He asked, scooting over to make room for me on his bed as I sat down beside him.

"'The Secret Garden' and 'Beauty and the Beast'." I read the titles.

"Read the second one! It sounds good." Shoto demanded, his eyes wide.

I smiled down at my seven year old brother, sadly glancing at his large scar before turning and opening the book.

I read the book and made up voices, Shoto giggling softly when I did a funny impression and gasping when I made something more dramatic then it is.

My mouth was beyond dry by the time Shoto's breathing started to slower and he fell asleep, his head leaned against my shoulder and hands gripping my arm.

I bookmark the book a few pages back and set the book down, gently preying his hands off of me and laying him down. I opened his shirt drawer of his dresser and set the books down before covering them with cloths so dad didn't stumble upon them.