Spring Falls When Summer Wins - 1987

Chapter 5.

Unknown. April 25th, 1987. 3:30 in the morning.

My brother William walked through the bright red door that led into our house. I flicked on the light and sharpened my eyes. Where the hell would he have been? My brother shot me a glare and stalked to the kitchen, rummaging around. With one heave I pushed myself off the couch and walked to the kitchen, stopping to lean in the arch way. My brother began setting up the toaster.

"Stop standing there and chew my ass already." My brother turned to me and flipped the butter knife. I didn't say anything, just stood and watched him. He rolled his eyes and went back to making toast. "I took a few extra shifts and decided to wander the park. I talked to a sweet girl for an hour then walked home. Is that okay with you?"

I stayed silent, studying his shaky hands. There was more to the story he wasn't willing to tell me. Our mother left the day our father died, 3 years ago. He was 11 and I was 15. I dropped out of high school, learned how to fake my age, and became the lead money maker in the house. I got fired 10 months ago so I began working at the coffee shop. William joined me a few months later to work across the street. "Fine. Get back by 11next time. I'm getting tired of your lies and staying up."

"You don't have to stay up. You do that on your own." He slammed the lever on the toaster down. I was close to breaking him.

"What happened?" I crossed my arms over my chest.

"Fuck." He dropped the knife back on the small dish that held the butter, the clanging filling the few moments of silence. He pressed his palms into the counter, sinking his head. I clenched my jaw and lowered my chin, I got to him way too fast. "I saw something I wasn't supposed to, alright?" I let out a hum and walked up to the island, watching him closely. He went on without me even having to ask, "What the hell was I supposed to do? The guy had a gun on him. And by the time I-" He was interrupted by a banging on out bright red front door.

"I'll get it." I held my hand out to him as a "stay put" before making my way through the living room to the front door. I looked through the peep hole and immediately ducked down. Bang. My ears echoed with the loud sound of the gun. I quickly reached up and slid the chain on the door right as my brother ran in. He was holding a large kitchen knife. I motioned for him to go up the stairs as the door moved behind me. He was about to protest but was interrupted by another ear ringing Bang. My brother sprinted to the stairs and I followed. "The phone," I whispered over to William as we kept low to the ground.

We snuck over to the dark red rotary phone and I slowly stood up. Another Bang, glass shattering. Shit. We need to move faster, I thought. I quickly grabbed the phone and called 911 but there was no sound. There was nothing. No sound, no ring, no annoying beeps. My eyes drifted to the cut cord hanging next to my forearm. This was planned. We need to run.

My lungs felt like they were going to collapse. I looked down to my little brother, who has struggled with anxiety and panic attacks since he was 5, begin to clench his shirt, right over his heart. "This is my fault, all my fault. I shouldn't have been there..!" He murmured, running a sweaty palm through his hair. I heard the door wiggle and I pushed the table the held the phone, setting it up at the top of the stairs. The door burst open with another Bang. Just as this hooded gunman saw me and began making his way up the stairs, I pushed the table.

I didn't even wait to watch the aftermath. I had to get my brother out. Breathe. Patience yields focus. I barely noticed my feet were already flying to the window, throwing it open and grabbing my hyperventilating brother. "Go." I shoved him to the window, another Bang flying past our head. My brother jumped out the window. I flung myself after him.

We ran. We ran for hours, adrenaline pumping through our veins. We had no where to go. No friends, no family, no where. When dawn approached we stopped running, collapsing in front of the supermarket on Yelm Highway. That's when I noticed I was shot.

Summer 8:30 pm, April 25, 1987

"I don't know what to say..." Elliot was sitting on the floor, leaning into Kaladin's legs. I stared at my hands. Keely was missing. I looked to Carol, who was draped gracefully on the couch behind Elliot, messing with his hair. I admired her before walking over and sitting next to Elliot. Kaladin slid down and pulled Elliot to his chest. I didn't know what to do.

"Shhh," Kaladin whispered into the top of Elliot's head, his glasses fogging up. "Just let it out."

"That... bitch." My eyes widened. I couldn't figure out if he was talking about the kidnapper or Keely. I held Elliot's hand, the most support I had ever given him when he was emotional. Carol shifted behind me, wrapping her arms around my neck. We sat there for a while before Kaladin got up, looking through the records.

Elliot sniffed. "What are you doing?" He sat up, not letting go of my hand. Carol got up and walked over to Kaladin, watching over his shoulder. There were a few quiet words exchanged, Carol did some pointing to records, and then music began blaring though the living room. I couldn't help my goofy smile. That bugger.

I stood, pulling Elliot up. Kaladin, Carol, Elliot, and I all began dancing. The perfect way to cheer any one of us up. We were all silly and loved the same music, once one of us started dancing, all of us started dancing. I was a wonderful moment of bliss, the world disappearing around us. Carol snuck into the kitchen and came back with two bottles of wine. I let out a laugh, getting the corks off. We drank and danced the rest of the night, trying to help Elliot forget.

The only problem was... there's still a murderer out there. One who was kidnapping girls only in our class.