Spark of Flint

Chapter 2

A/N: Mari will be pronounced like Mary.

1306 word count

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Janet P.O.V

I wake up in bed cramped once again. This time just by dogs. That's fine by me. If it weren't for them I would not have been able to get to sleep. My eyes are very crusty from crying to sleep. I was really startled and scared after hearing those gun shots. I move the dogs off me and they get excited. So much that they started to play with each other. Our basement is a basic one with concrete walls and floor. It's uneven where the drain is and the drain is in the back of the house. There are a couple small rooms down here where mom and Kaiden store their things and each room has a bed for them to use in the summer time. 

Kaiden uses his room down here for extra storage because the one upstairs can hardly be called a room. His room has just enough space for a twin, an end table and a small dresser with 2 square feet (60 cm by 60 cm) to move around and no closet. 

I walk up stairs and open up the back door for the dogs. They rush out. I close just the screen door. I walk up the 3 steps from the small landing into the tiny hallway that connects the kitchen and my brother's room which is to my right. The bathroom on my left is right off the kitchen and is small as hell. I swear it's 5 by 5 (152 cm by 152 cm). The toilet is in front of the door with the sink straight across from it. You only have about 6 in. (15 cm) to a foot (30 cm) between the tub and sink. I have had to warn people that they won't fit in there. They took offence until they saw the bathroom. Finally understanding that I wasn't insulting them.

The kitchen is small but roomy. Then there is the living room in the front of the house which is spacious for the three of us. Mom's room is right next to the living room and is a normal size. I walk out back to the shared fence where it meets our neighbor's yard. It's a metal chain that has rows of diamonds. The ones you see in any back or front yard. There is one particular spot that has half of a tall picnic table. I set my cup on the tiny back porch. I pick up the picnic table and set it on top of the fence. This table was specially made by our neighbor. Each side has a half. They fit together like a puzzle piece. Underneath the table are grips that fit snugly to the metal rod at the top. I set the support beam in its place, in a concrete hole right next to the fence on the ground. The fence itself won't hold 100 pounds. 

The backyard is a nice size. Half an acre long way. We have a fire pit above ground. I think it was stolen from a campground. There is a patio set of couches around the fire pit. They are second hand from 16 years ago. But they are still comfortable. A dog house on the other side of the yard.

I fill the dog's huge water bowl that we use when we plan to stay outside for a bit. I grab my cup and climb on the table to sit. I look to the front and surprisingly get a clear view of the crime scene. My eyes get watery from remembering the gun shots. It's a bit unnerving but you can't hide behind fear around here. Survival is the name of the game. Fear will not always save you. Sometimes you have to be brave and move. Whether it's to fight, run or scream. That just might save your life. From what I can see the yellow tap is surrounding the sidewalk and the small patch of grass next to the road. I can barely see the white outline where the body was.

I heard a crunch of the grass next to me. I turn to see grandma Mari getting her half of the table ready. Once it's steady she hops on.

"Hi sweetie, how are you doing today? Those gun shots woke me right out of my sleep. I was so shaken up that it woke Dale from his sleep." asks grandma Mari.

"I was awake when it happened. You already know how that went. Swipe ended up saving Kaiden by taking his keys to my room. A stray bullet managed to shoot through the front wall and it got logged in the wall. Would you mind if we let the police in to get the bullet out of the wall?"

Grandma Mari is our landlord along with her husband. She can be hard of hearing sometimes. Grandpa Dale  is completely deaf without his hearing aids. But with them on you can't tell he is deaf. I think he has super hearing with those things on. We have known them for as long as we can remember. Mom actually got almost all her help from them. They opened their doors to her when she was homeless and pregnant with us. They treat us like family and we do the same for them. Mom might have died if it had not been for them. They are our grandparents. 

She is a small skinny woman but the same height as me. Mari has salt and pepper hair but where black would be there is brown with dark green eyes and wearing a black t-shirt and men's grey work shorts. I envy the amount of pocks it has.

"I understand honey, go right ahead and do that. Also make sure those dogs get a treat. They have been taking care of you this morning. Give Swipe something special. He did save Kaiden's life." 

As she says this, she holds my hand gently and looks at the dogs laying in the doghouse with all three of them laying in it. Then you see 2 cats in it as well. One white and light grey female called Silver and a black and dark grey male named Max. The cats belong to my grandparents. They get along with my dogs great. Almost as if they are their own little family of five.

That doghouse is custom made by all of us. Grandpa Dale built the structure with Mom's help. It's a classic dog house with a wooden floor and a front porch. Grandma Mari and us kids painted it red and yellow-green. It's My favorite memory of our 10th birthday. It was a week before when we saved Rocket and Mimi. A year after that we gave Swipe a home with us.

I start hearing a dog whine in pain. I hop down to check the dogs and it's not even close to the dog house. Mimi walks past me straight to the noise behind our outdoor couch. Up against the back of the couch what looked like a wolf. The brown tones made him look rusted like metal with highlights of white. He was laying down on his side. His body looked horrible. Battered and bloody. 

Once he noticed us he started to growl. Mimi walked calmly and slowly to him, not bothered as his growl got worse the closer she got. I trust Mimi. She has helped us foster many hurt and scared animals. She sits down close to his face, judging whether or not the growling is an actual warning or just noise. Then She puts her paw on his face as if to say stop it, there is no use. Seemly shocked by this action he stopped growling that instant. Then Mimi lays down and starts to clean his face. 

Now, how am I going to get you in the house?