The Kids Who Defined Destiny: A summer of choices

☆A turn in seasons☆

“Well well well,” My dad began saying, setting a plate with bacon, eggs and toast down in front of me. “Looks like Prince Charming and his knights failed their objective.” He said with a mischievous grin. I snickered. For a while now, Spike, Lawrence, Marcus and Lucas had made a game to see who could beat me in getting up first. Today, they failed. Like most days.
Moments later, Mom walked into the room. Her gray hair tied up into a messy bun. Her eyes were droopy and I noticed she had the necklace Dad had given her when they first married around her neck. Although it wasn’t odd, it was normal either. Mom only wore that necklace on special occasions.
“Firstly, good morning Mom, second, what’s the occasion? You’re wearing Dad’s necklace.” Giving a quiet yawn, Mom took a seat at the table next to me.    “It’s the day when me and your father first met.” She gave me a drowsy smile and mouthed thank you to Dad as he set a plate of food in front of her.
“The day you and mom met?” I asked, directing the question at Dad. That’s a new one. Actually, scratch that.
“I’m sorry?” He said, his back turned to us. I felt Mom freeze. I scooted my chair away from her a little. “I’m sorry?!” She screeched back. Dad turned around. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” His face was unreadable for me, but seemed to know exactly what he was feeling. She stood up, causing the chair to squeak as it moved across the floor.
“You know so-” Mom stopped herself and took a breath. “Summer, darling, could you please go upstairs and see if your brothers are awake? I’d like to have a talk with your father.” Her face was stern and a bit disappointed, her shoulders were raised and her body was tense.
“Okie dokie,” I said. “Just don’t kill him.” With that, I grabbed my half eaten plate and went upstairs. But before I did I heard a somewhat spine chilling sentence from my mother.
“You need to get yourself under control or I’ll get it under control for you.”
Ignoring the statement as best I could, I went upstairs and knocked on Spike and Lawrences door.
“Come in, Summer! It’s about you!” Surprisingly, it was Lucas who had answered. Opening the door, Spike, Lawrence, Marcus and Lucas were sitting in a circle around. . .Something, I wasn’t too sure.
Setting the plate down on the bedside table next to Spike’s bed, I walked over and leaned over them to see what Lucas ment.
“You…we told you already that we don’t know if it’s talking about SUmmer or not.” Lawrence said, giving me a glance then scooting over so I could have a seat in the circle. “But it’s clear it’s Summer! She’s the only one we know who matches the description!” Lucas said, raising his voice excitedly.
“What description?” I was intrigued.
“You remember that book that we got from the library?” Marcus asked with the same excitement as his twin. “Yes I do. Why?” I asked, raising an eyebrow. Marcus got on his hands and knees and crawled into the middle and grabbed a book that I hadn’t noticed before. “This is why.” He said, handing me the book.
At first glance, I thought it was a story. But, that was until I realized that only one page had writing on it.
“During a desprite and tense hour, a duel shall mark the end of peace and trigger the rise of a fearful fury,” I started, giving my brothers a skeptical look. “What’s that mean?” I asked, still a bit suspicious that my brothers were playing a trick on me. When I only got shrugs I continued. “A young girl of an odd…appearance? Will, find refuge in the arms of the true enemy, and…” My voice trailed off as I saw the last few words. “Slay the beast to save the home.” There was silence.
“Why would you suggest that this person is me?” I asked, more serious then I had been when I first started reading. “I could never kill anyone!”   Still confused, I closed the book and sat on the floor in front of me. 
“Nice joke. It’s over now, so tear out the page and give it to me. You know I wanted this book for a journal .” The four boys glanced at each other. When no one moved to touch it I went to grab it but Spike grabbed my hand.
“Look Summer, we know we like playing pranks on you and taking your stuff but-“ he paused abruptly looking at the others. “This wasn’t us. You know that we would have touched that book and did just what you said if we had done it. But we didn’t.” Spike moved him hand off mine and crossed his arms over his chest. An awkward silence fell over us.
“You still didn’t answer my question.” I said, realizing now that they hadn’t, in fact, touched the book. “Not to be rude but, when it said ‘of odd appearance,' and it specified young girl, you were the only person we could think of.” I raised an offended eyebrow at Marcus. “What Marcus means to say is that ‘odd’ was used instead of ‘strange’ or ‘unusual’. Which would describe half the people and entities on the planet.
“While you have a rather strange appearance, no offense, you have no powers.” Absentmindedly touching my hair, I considered Lawrence’s words for a moment.
“Well, if this is me,” I said slowly. “Who is the monster I’m supposed to be killing?” I hated having those words come out of my mouth. I feel bad just tazing people in self defense and now I might have to kill someone? This conversation was going to be interesting.

After a while of discussing who the second person in the prophecy might be, Marcus and Lucas went downstairs to ask Dad about breakfast. I told them they could have mine, but they said it wasn’t warm enough. Picky eaters. Anyway, I was left sitting alone because Spike and Lawrence left not too long ago to ask about breakfast as well.
Looking down at the page that held the “Prophecy”, as the others and I agreed to call it, I took in some of the small images that I hadn’t noticed when I first read it. There was a scorpion at the very top of the page with its sharp looking barbed tail pointed upward as if it were about to sting one of the letters or words. Then, there were little pictures of still flames scattered around the whole page. But at the bottom, underneath the prophecy, was what looked to be a row of flames.
Out of the blue, there was the sound of glass shattering and a loud yell. Dropping the book to the floor I jumped up, ran to the bedroom door, and rushed downstairs. When I got there I saw Dad either leaning or slumped over on the dining room table. Mom, Spike, Lawrence, Lucas, and Marcus were all staring at him. Intentionally, because Mom was the last one around Dad before the others came downstairs and there was a glass shattering sound, I went to Mom.
“What happened?!” I glanced at Dad before looking back at Mom. Mom looked at me. Her normally calm eyes were filled with fear, confusion, and worry. She glanced at Dad for a moment before returning her attention to me.  
“I-I don’t know! We were having a conversation when the boys walked in and I turned my head for a second before there was a loud sound and he just toppled forward onto the table!” Her voice was rising with worry. Suddenly, there was another shuddering sound but this time from the glass vase we had sitting in the middle of the table. We all gasped when we noticed Dad laying on the floor with broken glass laying around his upper body with flowers and water.
“Dad!” I yelled and rushed over to him as the others followed suit. Dropping to my knees next to him, Dad got on his hands and knees. His face facing the floor. He grunted as I placed a hand on his shoulder. Strands of hair that came loose from the bun he had currently were covering his face. As I tried to find the reason for his sudden unwellness, that’s when I noticed it.
A decently sized tranquilizer (or what I believed was a tranq at the time) was sticking out the middle part of his back. I quickly pulled it out and threw it into the kitchen. Without noticing the broken window, I quickly turned my attention back to Dad.
“Here, Summer, let me take care of him.” Mom said, kneeling to Dads other side. I still had my hand on his shoulder when I felt him stiffin. Out of concern, before I stood up, I leaned over and looked at Dads face. His eyes were a bright green and his pupils were slit.
Dad suddenly straightened up and elbowed Mom in the chest. Sending her backwards into the table. Surprised, I fell back on my rear. Dad had his eyes on Mom but moved to me before he  shut them tight and grunted grabbing his head. I looked at my Mom who seemed to be catching her breath. Then, my eyes went back to Dad. I noticed one of his hands was on his carf, gripping it tightly, as if he were about to rip it off. He grunted again then let out a growl type sound. Mom had recovered and put a hand on Dads forearm. She had a pleading look in her eyes as she examined Dad. Then Dad stood up with a struggle and glanced at us. I looked at Mom, then back at Dad.
“What…what just happened to Papi?” Lucas asked, his voice quiet and scared. Spike patted him on the head and picked him up, without saying a word. Lawrence brushed hair out his face.
“I’m not so sure,” Spike said. I just looked at Dad. Standing up, I brushed off my shorts and pj top even though there was no need. Placing a hand on my arm, I looked at Mom, who had a nervous look on her face before tunring to Dad again.
“Don’t lie,” I said. The room fell silent and all eyes were on me and Dad. “Since when could your eyes change?” I asked, being as serious as I could. Dad turned around, running a hand through his hair. Dad has said he was a Shapist, but never showed any signs of it when we were growing up. This is why I’m so surprised. “And your hair.” I added on, pointing to the now gray-reddish tips of his hair that were once green. “How long, Dad?!” I shouted, dropping my arms to my sides. “Since I got it!” He snapped, spinning around so fast it surprised me and I had to stumble back to not be nearly knocked over. I re-took the step, my face inches from my Dad’s as I shouted, “So you’ve been lying to us our WHOLE lives?” I heard the creaking out the living room floor boards as Spike took Lucas into the living room to sit on the couch.
I felt anger burning in the back of my throat as I stared into my Dads unrecognizable eyes. He took a breath and stepped back.
“I didn’t lie,” He said, rubbing his brow. I laughed out loud.
“Right, and I have powers!” I had been smiling when I said it but my smile faded after I realized what I had said. I never said that before. And for a terrible moment, it felt good to get off my chest.
“What.” He said. I froze for a second, feeling the anger as it filled my Dads voice. I should’ve apologized then.
I didn’t.
“You heard me, “Father”,” I said, harshly. “Actually, you know what? You might not be my real Dad for all I know! Cause you kept a secret like THIS a secret who knows what you could be hiding. Heck, you might even abuse Mom!” I covered my mouth. I heard Mom gasp, and I knew I had gone too far.