A Series of One-Shots

Rising Up

A short one-shot on family and the things that hurt many people mentally, although only one got hurt physically. :P Hope that made sense. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rising Up 

            Cassie felt joy rush through her body as her sister walked through the front door. It was pure, unadulterated joy that washed through her and made her entire frame shake. She had never been so happy to see one single person alive and well!

            Her older sibling, by a year, carefully entered the house with her eyes pointed down. She wouldn’t meet the gaze of any of her family. She couldn’t, not after what she’d done. She wouldn’t have been surprised if any of them never wanted to see her face again.

            “Clare?” a hopeful voice squeaked. Clare still kept her gaze on the floor, not daring to look past the bare feet against the carpet. It was silent for a moment.

            Then, with a screech of both joy and anger, Cassie jumped onto her sibling and hugged her tightly. Clare lost her footing as soon as the younger girl clamped herself on, causing them to fall to the ground. Clare groaned in pain, but her sister didn’t let go. Cassie rolled to her side, keeping her arms and legs wrapped tightly around her sister’s frame.

            “Cass, you’re hurting me.”

            “I don’t care,” she replied.

            “Seriously, let go.” Clare fought to get the girl off, to no avail.

            “Never!” Cassie declared. “I’ll never let go.  Not for an hour, a minute, or a second. Never. You were so close to being gone and that made me realize how short life is. You were going to leave us, Clary. It was so selfish! So to make sure you never do it again, I’m never letting go.”

            “Not even when I shower?”

            “I’ll hold your hand and stand on the other side of the curtain.”

            Clare shook her head. “You’re unbelievable.”

            Cassie squeezed her tighter before relaxing slightly. “No I’m not. I just care more than you know. You’re, like, my best friend. You’ve always been there for me and I want to do the same for you. I don’t know why you did it, but I’ll find out and when I do…I’ll do everything I can to make sure it never happens again. Capeesh?”

            The older girl rubbed her sister’s back soothingly. She sat them both up, pulling Cassie into her lap. “Okay.”

            Cassie rested her head on Clare’s shoulder. “Suicide wasn’t your only option. You know that, right? You could’ve talked to me, or someone else maybe. Anyone really. I just wish you wouldn’t have gone to that conclusion so quickly.”

            Clare sighed. “I’m sorry. I thought about it so much and I didn’t want to burden you guys with my problems.”

            “You messed up,” Cassie said.

            “I know. But I’m still here and I plan on staying for quite a while.”

            Cassie arms constricted around Clare’s waist, images of a few days before flashing through her head.. “Yeah, I hope so.”

            “I will be.”

            With that said, Cassie pulled away from Clare and smiled at her sister, dropping the subject completely. “So, want some pancakes?”

            “I’d love some,” Clare replied, pushing the younger girl off her lap. Cassie glowered at her then got up, quickly dashing into the kitchen. Clare knew she wasn’t healed quite yet, physically or mentally. She did know, though, that one day she would be. She’d rise from the ashes, tall and strong again, just like she had been before. And she would do it with the help of those who loved her.

(See what I did there with the names? Cassie Clare? Eh? Eh?)