A Family Podcast (english)

Chapter 8

Taylor

"I'm on my way" I said, holding the phone between my shoulder and ear as I put on my pants.

"No, I haven't forgotten that we're meeting up" I lied as Charlie complained.

Sighing, I looked around for my shoes but could only find one and began putting it on.

"Alright, I'm heading out. See you soon." I ended the call and went downstairs. Hearing noises coming from the living room, I stuck my head through the door. Jackson and Noah were surrounded by chip bags on the couch, playing Minecraft.

"It's already noon, guys. Time for bed."

"Yeah, Dad" Noah groaned, as he always did when I told him what to do. Of course, he didn't listen to me. No wonder. I wouldn't listen to me either if I were in his place. After all, I wasn't much older than him.

"Jackson?" I tried with the younger one.

"Don't have school tomorrow" he answered as if in a trance, without taking his eyes off the screen.

"Tomorrow is Wednesday, come up with a better excuse"

"No, seriously. We have Girl's Day or something. And since I'm not a girl... no school" he explained. I vaguely remembered having those boys and girls days in the past. Ultimately, it didn't matter much to me.

"Did Thea mention anything?" I remarked instead, wondering if she had said something along those lines. "Have you seen my second shoe?" I asked casually, and Noah pointed towards the kitchen. I found the shoe and quickly slipped it on.

"I'm off" I called out before disappearing outside.

___________

Taylor

"Jackson, knock it off." "Get lost, Liam." "You ruin everything." "I don't care."

I groaned and pressed the pillow against my head. This was the third night we slept in the fort, and I was starting to long for my own bed.

"Ouch!" Liam shouted, and Jackson laughed.

"Jackson!" I growled warningly without lifting my head. The night had been way too short. It was impossible that I had to get up already.

"But Taylor..." Jackson exclaimed, not finishing his sentence. "Just give me my damn blanket!" he yelled at Liam in anger. Susan had slept right next to me during the night and buried herself deeper into her blanket due to the noise.

"You guys are such losers. Why did you build this stupid..." Jackson couldn't finish his sentence because I blindly reached out, grabbed his ankle, and pulled him back roughly.

In hindsight, not my best idea, but who could think properly this early in the morning?

Jackson screamed in shock, flailed his arms, kicked my leg, which accidentally pushed him even further, and he crashed into a chair. The chair toppled over, breaking broomsticks and blankets, burying us under the mess.

I groaned as one of the brooms landed on my head. Cursing, I tried to kick off the blanket, which didn't work very well. My siblings didn't seem to be making much progress either. Aden and Liam struggled with the blankets to my right, while Susan started crying. I stopped kicking and instead felt for her.

"Hey, it's okay" I tried to calm her down as I pulled her into my arms. Susan clung to me, and I lifted the blanket over us, giving us some space so she could calm down.

"Oh, what happened here?" Coulder exclaimed, apparently not inside the fort anymore, as he ran into the living room.

"Does it look like I know?" I heard Aden mutter.