Tethered // Teen Wolf // Isaac Lahey

FORTY-TWO

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KOREY

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[THE FIRST DOOR]

"Ella!" My father's voice echoed in my ears, pleading from downstairs, "Ella, come on! You can't just leave!"

"I will not let you put me away in some— some institution!"

"Rehabilitation facility, not institution!" My father, Dominic, snapped back, "People are starting to talk, Ella! They are starting to notice!"

"I don't care! Only you seem to care! You care what I wear, where I go, how I smell— I don't care!"

A small knock sounded on my bedroom door before it was pushed open. Small, pink sock covered feet padded inside, closing the door behind her before they stopped at the bed. Then, my little sister crouched, looking under the bed, her watery eyes disappearing behind a relieved smile as she found me hiding under it. "Can I come into Narnia?"

I brushed my blanket aside, pushing the torch away as well, "What's the password?"

"Aslan," Karrie grinned toothily, shuffling under the bed beside me and moving the covers over herself as well. "What page are you on?"

"The one where Edmund eats the Turkish delight," I whispered, reaching for the torch to shine it over the page and the illustrations.

"I don't like that part," Karrie wrinkled her nose, her fingers reaching out to turn the page.

"No," I slapped her hand away, "you can't just turn the page."

"But I don't like this part," Karrie protested, her hand reaching out to hit me back.

"I don't care," I stuck my tongue out before shoving her shoulder, "You can go away if you're not going to read quietly."

"Fine," Karrie dragged herself out from under the bed again, "I didn't even want to read your stupid book! Magical lions are stupid."

"You're stupid," I blurted out fiercely, crawling out after her and wrenching my room door open before I shoved her out.

"Ella!" My father yelled, "Ella, come back right this instant!"

"Oh, come on, Dom!" My mother cackled, "Between a bottle of Jack and you, I know where I'd find a better time. I'm leaving."

"Ella—" Their footsteps came up the stairs, hurried and heavy, rushing right past my bedroom door as if it wasn't even there.

I dove back under my bed, grabbing a hold of my book and holding it to my chest tightly, tracing my fingers over the dips of the cover.

"Ella! Ella, no! No!"

"She's my daughter! I'm taking her with me!" My mother barked out, and Karrie's cries could be heard through the door.

"Ella, she's my little girl too. You can't just take my child and walk away from m—"

"Get your hands off me!" Ella screamed out, and Karrie cried louder.

"I won't let you go— I won't—"

The front door burst open despite my father's protests, keys rattling as Ella forced herself through the door with my little sister.

"Ella!" My father swore as he slipped, grabbing his ankle and trying to get back up from where he'd fallen in the grass.

I heard the car turn on, and I scrambled out from under my bed to go and stand at my window, staring down into the night as my mother wrestled Karrie into the backseat.