Eternal Ember

Chapter 1: Recent Horrors Should Never Be Repeated, Or Mentioned . . .

After school on Friday, I walk into the house that has been a home for so many years to my mom Hazel, my twenty-one-year-old brother Noah, and I live in. Mom is a second-grade teacher at the school that is six blocks away from our house. Noah, who should be in school, dropped out of his dream college which is called, The Polytechnic, to help provide for me and Mom. As he often is, Noah is sitting on the couch watching the evening news. He wears a frown on his face as he sees the predicted weather for the next few weeks and when he sees the score of the previous night's sports game he sinks further into the couch. A laugh escapes me. It's sort of funny how years of use have left the perfect spot for him to sink into. It's also funny how that's how I'm letting him know that I'm home today since he didn't seem to hear me come in. When he turns around and gives me the look I explain how most of the day went, leaving out the biggest part.

I laugh after finishing my daily report, "In other words, the school was perfect —a day full of laughs, jokes, and fun."

He rolls his brown eyes and crosses his arms. He knows that I'm hiding something. I wonder if he already knows about the worst news of the day. Nah, he probably doesn't. I'm just overthinking this, he gives me that judging look all the time. Doesn't every older sibling?

"Yeah right. So, aside from that, how was school, Ember?"

I hate how he worries about me so much more since our dad died. A part of me doesn't want to tell him. I've had enough as it is, I mean I more often than not sugarcoat the hard stuff much more than I would like to. Then again if I don't speak now he'll know in a few minutes anyways. Eh, I might as well tell him. I drop my bag on the ground letting it hit the floor with a loud thud, fold my arms like he's doing, and stare at the TV screen.

"President Thorn is making some sort of big announcement." The words slip out of my mouth smoothly and with drips of venom that only someone who's close to me could catch.

"Is that so?" He unfolds his arms only to recross them after popping his knuckles, "Huh,"

"Really? I get a "Huh" are you kidding me?!" I scoff, "Did you hear what I just said, Noah?"

"Yeah. I did." He claps his hands together, "Come sit and we'll wait for it to happen."

Yeah because that sounds much better than pacing a permanent track onto the carpet on the floor.

"Sure,"

I walk over and sit next to my brother. He clears his throat and opens his mouth as if he has something that he wants to say but nothing comes out so he shuts his mouth. I hate when people do that but it's even worse when they start talking and then just stop.

We sit in an abnormal silence that rarely happens between us.

"What do you think the announcement will be?" Noah asks after he has seemingly had enough of the silence.

I look at my brother and shrug. "I don't know. I bet it will be bad though."

Noah chuckles, "You are so negative sometimes." He pauses to consider what I said, "But then again you never know."

Before I know it, President Thorn takes the stage and says:

"Hello, my dearest state of Dolorem." This is said in a tone that I deeply hate; a tone that suggests he has more authority over everyone else —which I guess he does, but that is not the point. He takes a deep dramatic breath. "You are going into war against Gaudium . . ."

I stop listening and rise up and yell at the top of my lungs to the TV: " 'Now we enter that sweet period of time everyone agrees that recent horrors should NEVER BE REPEATED!' " I feel my anger rise with each word. I hear the change in my voice. I feel the tears well up in my eyes at the memory of the loss of my dad.