Holding on by A Thread

Chapter 1: Gone

"Do you have to go?" I asked.

"Yeah, I do," replied Zach.

I knew he was going to leave for the military, but not this soon! I 'm nervous, I've been living with him for eleven years but , that is not enough. I know the deployment isn't forever, but anything can happen. They always say expect the unexpected.
Zach finished getting ready and walked over to me.
" It'll be okay, I promise."

" I know it will , I'm just a little scared," I admitted to Zach and myself.

If it wasn't enough stress that Zach was leaving, I also was starting my first day at a brand new school halfway through the school year. We moved because my mom wanted to leave our old town to get away from our dad. I'll give you the shortened version of the story and say my dad was mean to my mom. Lets just say a lot of people wonder how I'm such a positive social butterfly. They were getting divorced and my mom got custody of Zach and I. He got mad and started sending threats to my mom. She got a restraining order against him, and then she decided it would be a great idea to move 2000 miles from the only place I've ever known. From Rena, Maine to Bartonaville, Washington. Zach had gotten his deployment notice before we left Rena , So today was his last day at our new home before he left.

"Zach , do you promise that you will be okay?" I said my voice wavering.

"Of course, I would never abandon you."

He laughed," Just be yourself and everybody will love you for many reasons, you are nice to everyone and you have a good  attitude towards everything. You will be just fine don't you worry."

I don't really know what I was more nervous about. My brother getting deployed or my first day at Bartona high. Most likely my brother leaving. Some may say it is weird that my brother and I are so close. We tell each other everything. If I am sad (which is pretty rare) he makes me feel better. What I don't see is why it is so weird that my brother is like my best friend. Isn't it up to me whether I  choose to actually trust him? I have a lot of friends and that I talk to at school. Honestly, I trust people really easily. I tell everyone everything. I really don't care what other people think. So it's not only Zach. When I say everything I mean it. From the drama that my girlfriends tell me to when I  started my period this month. He really doesn't mind at all. He is so supportive when I  try new things. Like when I  was in 8th grade and tried to do math team. I quit within a week, but he was still happy that I at least tried to do it. He is the best brother that I could ever ask for. I would take a bullet for him. He would do the same exact thing for me.

Zach had been talking about going to the military for a long time. He had always had an interest in the military. When he was in high school, it was rare that he was wearing something to school other than camo. Same thing in junior high, I was younger then but I  still remember. Throughout my whole family ancestry, we have had no one ever been in the military. Zach was out to change that. He wants to make a difference , and to him being in the military can make a huge difference, which is true. He is going to make a difference to the world.

I sighed looked at Zach and said, " I'm gonna miss seeing you every day".

he replied, "It will be fine, relax."

" I know."

He grips his bag in his left hand and walks over to me he squats down, looks me straight in the face and kisses my fore head, like he always does. We start hugging for a while , and then Mom walked in. Mom was in her early forties she had brownish blonde hair. She was really nice to everyone. She had a worried look on her face and she looked at Zach and said,

" Can I Talk to you?", she looked at me," Alone?"

He looked at me then back to her, " Yeah, let's go somewhere a little more private."