Forrest Fire

Chapter 1

The sound of tapping on glass irritated me yet I continued to keep on tapping, hoping to get a reaction from the possibly dead spider. My mother and I are terrified of spiders but when they are helpless like this I always feel kind of sorry for the creepy things that they are. The loud footsteps was what snapped me out of my trance. There shouldn't be anyone home. I lifted my wrist to my face to check the time only remembering that I don't have a watch. I look to my left towards the faded digital clock. Only 2:25pm. Mum isn't supposed to be home for another hour or two. I cant take my eyes off the door and I am unable to move my body. A great way to die, a petrified loser. The footsteps are getting louder as they get closer to where I am. The door swings open. A sigh of relief rose in my body and left out my mouth after my eyes processed who it was. My big brother Jason.

"what are you doing down there you crazy cat?" He said staring at me on the ground sitting next to a spider trapped under a glass cup.

"I'm trying to get the spider to move around or do something scary so I don't feel so bad when I kill it." I said rolling back over onto my stomach to continue tapping on the glass.

"Oh, I see how it is, you'd rather play around with a spider than come talk to your big brother." I looked over my shoulder at him and there he was leaning against the door frame with his arms crossed over his chest.

I pushed myself up off the floor to stand up. I just stand and look at Jason and he stares back at me. We stared at each other for a solid two minutes before I decide to run up to him and tackle him into a hug. He catches me as soon as out bodies collide,

"Well that's better isn't it Elle? I haven't seen you in three months and it took this long for you to get up and hug me?" He laughed.

"Well to be fair you scared the life out of me with your unexpected visit. I thought you were a murderer or something."

"If you're so scared of being murdered then why have you left the door unlocked?" I knew he was asking sarcastically but the question made me feel completely stupid.

"It was a joke, you can laugh Elle, laughing isn't illegal you know." He tapped me on the back then forced his 'you can't be mad at me, I'm only here for a few days' face.

I rolled my eyes at him,

"You need a hair cut, I'll go find some scissors." I walked past him and headed towards the the kitchen. I could hear him following me.

"They've let me leave my service early you know, I'm going to talk to mum into letting me stay here while I find a job and  get some money and find my own place."

I froze. I can't move a muscle. He's staying. He's coming home and staying. No more three day visits every three months or so. Is this even real, what I'm hearing?

"Elle? You're not mad are you?"

I turned around to him, my body finally allowing me to move. I hugged him again but this time crying.

"This is amazing, I'll go clean up a room for you, you can have my bed, I'll sleep on the floor or with mum or something. Jason this is great, there won't be any horrible thoughts at the back of my mind anymore." I just let the tears and sobs fall out not caring how annoying they must be.

"For a minute I thought you were mad at me, for intruding on your lifestyle or something."

"Never, never, never. I'm so relieved. We can be a proper family again, you, me and mum."

"it'll be like the good old days right Elle?" He laughed.

"Stop mocking me okay, I'm happy you're back, I can be happy." I poked my tongue out at him in response.