Peculiar

Chapter 1: Ida

It's obvious my brother is hiding something from me. I can tell by the way he anxiously fiddles with his fingers and how he tenses up whenever we speak with each other, which is quite often. I watch his eyes dance around looking at our surroundings, like something might jump out at us. But I can't blame him for being so tense I guess, the city is full of gangs and violence. The Great Wars destroyed every ounce of civilization that was left in the Republic, well except for our strict and violent city. I look at Scout again, I notice his clenched fists and grab his hand.

"Ida, what are you doing? Don't touch me!" Scout snaps. I quickly pull my hand away, shocked. He's never snapped at me like that before, ever.

"Nothin'" I mumble, rubbing my arms and stare at my feet, refusing to look at my brother. Out of the corner of my eye I see him clench his fists again. Upset and startled by his unruly attitude I run ahead of him. I hear him call my name but I don't turn around I just keep running. I can hear the thud of my feet hitting the ground along with Scouts.

Suddenly, someone yanks on my school jacket and I stumble backwards. "Ida what the heck were you doin'?!?" Scout shouts at me.

"I was running, gotta problem with that?" I ask quietly yanking my jacket out of his hands. I glare at Scout. "You know, Scout, you don't have to protect me. I'm a big girl, almost a teenager. Heck, I'm five minutes younger than you!" I say.

"Well five minutes is enough Ida! I'm older than you and your my responsibility! Momma and Papa died in that war and I'm all you've got!" He shouts pointing a finger at me.

Anger wells up inside of me. "What? So I'm your responsibility? Something you have to look after? A burden that was left on your shoulders? Momma and Papa would have wanted us to take care of each other! They wouldn't have wanted you to treat me like I'm five!" I scream at him, hot tears threatening to fall down my cheeks.

"Don't pull that crap with me Ida! You're younger than me and that's all that matters! I'm the boss, I run this place! NOT YOU!" He screams in my face. This time the tears fall, blurring my vision. "Well fine sir," I say and rip off the necklace I was given when I was a baby, "I guess this means nothing then!" I shove it into his hand then run off again, running towards the decaying building we call our home. I turn a corner to take a short cut through an alley. At that moment I see a bright flash, then my world goes black.