Project X

The Way it Began: Red

Act I

The Way It Began

CHAPTER ONE

RED

My story starts at eight years old. I'm sleeping on the pull out couch-bed in the mobile home I live in with my mom. I feel her warm hand on my shoulder, and I blearily open my eyes. I hear her sweet voice,

"Hey, Sweetie..." I feel a gentle shake,"A.J. ... Jason, wake up. Mommy has a surprise for you." I rub at my eyes,

"What is it?"

"Do you remember what you told me you wanted for your birthday?" I'm confused, my vision is still blurry from sleep.

"What are you talking about?" But then I suddenly remember. A few days before, when she'd asked what I wanted this year.

"I want a brother and a sister!" I had shouted eagerly. I loved traveling with my mom, but I was lonely too. I wanted siblings, kids my age I could play with. I knew it was impossible, but I had asked anyway. At the time she laughed and said,

"Oh, not just a brother?" I laughed and shouted back,

"No!" She laughed again,

"Not just a sister?"

"NO! A brother and a sister!" She had laughed again and said,

"Alright, we'll see. Good luck, kiddo."

At the time, I thought I knew she was joking. But, now, as my blurry vision cleared I could see something that made me think that wasn't quite so.

Behind my mom are two kids. They have white hair and pale skin, their clothes are messy and torn and they're covered in dirt. They look thin, like they haven't eaten properly in a while. When I look closely, I can see a thin, white scar beneath the dirt on their faces. The girl's is on her left cheek, the boy's is on his right. It wasn't very hard to figure out that life hadn't been very kind to them, even at my age.

I stare at them for what feels like forever, but is probably only a few seconds. The girl keeps her eyes on the boy, but I can't help but feel like she's somehow watching me at the same time. The boy keeps his eyes to the ground.

'A sister... A brother...?' I think to myself,

"Do you..." I hesitate, "Do you guys... Get to stay?" The boy's eyes float up to meet his sister's, there's silence for a moment, then her eyes flick towards mine. I don't know what I expect to see in them, but I'm taken aback by the softness and vulnerability that's there.

"Can we?" She turns her face up to look at my mom, "We don't have anywhere else." My mom smiles slightly and gives a big dramatic roll of her eyes,

"Why do I get the feeling this is only the first time of many that I'll get these three pleading faces?" Her face softens and her smile widens, "Of course you guys can stay."

"You guys are really gonna be my brother and sister?" They both look at my mom, my mom smiles reassuringly at them. The girl's face breaks into a huge smile and the boy looks back at me and nods emphatically. I jump up and wrap them both in a giant hug. They smell like they haven't had a bath in years, but I don't care. I have siblings. I have friends.

"Now that that's settled," my mom interjects, laughing, "Why don't you guys introduce yourselves?"

Oh, right, that part, haha...

The girl beams and proudly announces, "I'm Kaili!" Then she points to her brother, "He's Pooh Bear!" The boy blushes bright red and pushes her slightly, exclaiming,