Taken Away

Chapter 1

I didn't expect to spend Christmas away from home. I didn't expect that I'd have to leave everything and everyone I'd ever known. Everything that I knew and loved was wrenched away, one piece at a time. Taken.

.

"Flight to Dublin, Ireland will be landing soon at 21:15. Please fasten your seatbelt and make sure all electronic devices are turned off."

I check my unchanged watch, which still reads four o’clock, and sigh, staring out the window at the dancing lights below. The sleeve of my Ohio state sweatshirt is tugged and I glance down at the wide, ever-wondering blue eyes of my little brother, Joel.

"There?" he asks.

I smile at him and tickle his chin, eliciting a giggle from him. "Soon, little guy; just a little bit longer, I promise."

He nods and leans his little head against me, content for the moment. A tiny cough escapes him as my fingers play with his thin blond hair. Soon, his breathing slows into a rhythmic little snore. Our mom cautiously reaches over, a slight click ringing as she puts Joel’s seat belt into place. Joel is only three, but he'll be turning four in just a month. His eyes, like mine, are a deep, dark blue, while his hair is light blond with little curls. He's got puffy pink cheeks and an adorable giggle that still sounds like a baby's. My hair, on the other hand, is black-brown, wavy, and goes past my shoulders. Our parents both have dark hair like mine, but each have eyes like swirls of chocolate, so the color of our eyes and Joel's hair remains a mystery.

Our family is moving to the gray, dreary, unknown little town of Mullingar, Ireland. The houses are all small, and many things are somewhat old fashioned. Just by looking, I know I never in a million years would have thought that this little city would have something potentially invaluable to my family. But it doesn’t mean I’ll ever accept the change.

“It’s finally winter break! That freaking took way too long.” I sigh as I close the front door behind me.

Joel scrambles up toward me, his mouth pulled in a goofy grin, grape juice staining his bib. “Move!” he cries, swinging his arms up dramatically.

I laugh a little, patting his head. “What for, kiddo? I’m not even in your way.”

He just beams with a dimple on his left cheek. Chuckling, I sweep him up into my arms and start for the kitchen. With a jolt, I stop, and nearly crashing into a box that blocks the entrance. The entire kitchen is filled with boxes. Ten, maybe twenty, cardboard boxes are sprinkled across the now hidden wooden floor, a few empty and many taped shut and bulging. I stare in disbelief, my mind suddenly throbbing as realization creeps dreadfully through my entire body.

“No. No. No. This is not happening,” I murmur to myself.

Joel looks curiously at me, slapping his hands together and making popping noises with his lips. Turning on my heel, I whip around and stalk up the stairs to my parent’s room and find it bare, with only the matching mahogany bed frame and cabinet left. My mom is bent over in a corner, zipping up a small Spiderman suitcase. Joel’s suitcase.

“Mom,” I nearly growl, marching up to her, “please tell me we aren’t moving.”

She glances up, her dark curls pulled up into a high ponytail. “Rebel.…” she trails off uncertainly, but I already know. Her voice says it all.

Something inside of me snaps and I set Joel down; he waddles away, presumably to my father.  

“Are you kidding me? Why? Why didn’t you tell me before?” A puzzle piece clicks inside my head. “Is this why we needed to change the carpet inside my room? So there’s no paint staining the ground? To make the house more sellable? Why in the world are we moving? When are we moving?”