Crying For Who: Rebitten

One

July 13th, 2009

It's a dark night, or maybe it's a dark evening. That's not important right now, it's just somewhere and sometime in America, somewhere in California. Right now, a person is important, a bag of groceries held against her chest, she'd shut the trunk of the car, and she eventually got the keys into the keyhole. Did you know it's not easy to open a door when you've got a paper bag filled with groceries under your arm, with a bouquet somewhere in there? But she somehow manages. This is Jordan, Jordan Sands. With black oval-rimmed glasses, dark brown hair with eyes of a similar shade.

And, unfortunately, as she entered the kitchen... the lights went out. Great. Just great. Jordan put the bag down on the counter, tomatoes spilling out. Even greater...

Jordan sighed, bending down to pick them up, keys placed near them, it's just another day... and then the lights went out. Well, isn't that just great? Oh, and there was a strange clattering from somewhere else in the house. "...hello?" No reply. Great.

The breaker must've tripped... which means she'd probably have to unplug everything before she flips the switches... or a certain someone turned it off.

But of course, when she tried to open the fuse box, after having to go down the stairs with a flashlight... yep, it was turned off... Jordan merely let out a huff as she-

Something jumped out in front of her - a distorted 'face', sharp teeth, empty eyes, a scream and a flash...

Jordan hit him with the front of the flashlight, giving her the time she needed to flick the switches back on, and there he was, below her, mask off. Her little brother. How was he already this close to her in height?

"What's your problem?" Brown hair, blue eyes. Both slim.

"Hunter, how many times have I told you not to do that to me?" Jordan pushed past, she needed to finish what she'd set out to do.

Hunter looked down at his camera, a captured memory of her scared face. "I think that was a good one."

"Come on, we have to make dinner." And by we, I mean Jordan is gonna be the one stuck doing it.

Within the next half hour or so...

"The download of death..." Came from Hunter's laptop... he was already sitting at the table. "Did I tell you Destruktor Four is coming out this weekend?"

Jordan was setting up the table. "Yeah, you mentioned it." She placed a folded napkin next to where his plate should be. "Rated R."

"Dad said he'd take me."

"No, he said 'we'll see'." Jordan had to be the mature sibling as she placed a wrap onto one plate.

Hunter crossed his arms, pouting as he rolled his eyes. "What are we having?"

"Tofu stir fry." At this rate, it was their best choice. That, and at least they could all eat it.

"Just because you're a vegetarian doesn't mean we have to starve. Humans eat meat, Jordan." Hunter complained. "It's why we have these!" He pulled his mouth open to emphasise his teeth.

"Move." Jordan had to resist an eye roll as Hunter moved his laptop from the table. "Thank you."

"Wait, why do we have four plates?" Hunter questioned.

"I invited Ms. Carlsburg from down the street over for dinner."

"Why would you do that?"

"I thought it could be good for Dad," Jordan almost let out a sigh. "So be nice to her." She pointed a finger at him.

There was a knock... so Jordan went to the door and opened it. There she was... pink shirt, purple overcoat, long brown hair, greenish eyes, a yellow pearl necklace around, her neck, and a pie in her hands.

"Hello." there she was, Ms Carlsburg.

"Hi." That was all Jordan let out.

Within a minute or so, the three were sitting at the table, as the siblings' father walked past the doorway, still on the phone. This is David Sands. Tall, usually trying to be well-dressed, brown hair, green eyes...

"Yeah, yeah." He passed the doorway, peeking in. "Just grabbing a quick bite. Yeah, thanks. Alright, yeah. Uh, bye-bye. Yeah, I'll call you back, I need to finish another call. Yeah, say hi to your wife for me."

David's call ended as he looked into the kitchen, at the three sitting down. "Hello." He had probably been switching between a call on hold with one of the parents in his group and maybe a new job-

"Hi, dad." Jordan tried to seem excited. Maybe he'd be happier today.

"What's going on?"

"Dad, you remember Ms Carlsburg."

"Sure. Hey..." David tried his best to not have a 'I have completely forgotten your name' look on his face.

"Jacqueline." The now-named-to-him woman smiled.

"Jordan, can we... talk, for a minute?" David gave Jordan a look.. and she stood up.

In the kitchen...

"You can't just leave, dad." Jordan tried to argue.

"I have another call across town. It's a big one. A rewire job. It could be a lot of money." Could you blame him for being more concerned with having food on the table and a working Wi-Fi connection than a date?

"Ms. Carlsburg," Meanwhile, Hunter did his best innocent child voice. "I'm awfully thirsty. Do you think you could get me some soda from the fridge, pleeaaasseee?"

"Oh, of course.. sweetie." Anyone could feel an awkward environment there.

"I just thought it'd be good for you," Jordan explained.

"Jordan, I appreciate the effort, but I told you, when it's time, when I'm ready, I'll find my own date." David insisted, knife in the pie, taking a piece.

"Sorry to interrupt." Jacqueline hadn't even peeked around, just walking in.

"Oh. Good pie. Mmm." David couldn't hide the awkwardness.

"Thank you. Hunter wanted some more soda." Jacqueline went for the fridge door...

Then David shared a look with his daughter.
Oh no. Oh no. Oh no no no no. They both knew almost exactly what Hunter probably had planned right there and then. Or is it then and there? Either way.

A fake, beating heart, spurting a red liquid, right on a plate... how long had that been in there, and how had nobody noticed?

A scream... she'd found it.

"Hunter!"

Oh no.