Written by Veronica
__________________________
Cameron's POV
I stared at Scarlet so hard I thought I saw straight through her.
I seemed to notice every detail of the day all at once.
The light breeze tickling my chest, carrying across scents of sunshine and chlorine.
How brown the grass was getting.
How little ants trudged up and over my feet, marching, marching to their Queen.
The way Scarlet looked now - a ghostly beauty. With her hair frizzy, makeup runny, skin pale, lips a bloody red.
Her lashes clumped together, eyes squeezed tightly shut, trying to block out the world.
I knew Scarlet and I knew that she needed me.
Needed me to comfort her, console her. But how could I possibly do that after I just lost my sister?
~~~~~
I see Cass.
I see her so clearly.
She's walking out a door.
Who's door?
Where is she going?
Why isn't she staying with me?
Why won't she listen to me?
I remember.
It's our front door.
She's leaving, but I still don't know where.
She wanted to.
She wishes she could've.
And like I'm underwater, I hear muddled voices, phrases. Even then I can tell the voices are angry.
They sound like... Like ... My parents.
I remember more.
My parents are yelling at Cass.
Yelling at her to leave.
Yelling so loud that I cannot be heard.
I remember wet.
Wet on my face, wet on my shirt.
I know Cass is leaving - that she has to leave. I know that my parents - her parents, our parents - are making her. But I don't know why.
I run up to hug her, as I feel lost and small, dwarfed by the seriousness of the situation.
Wrapping my arms around her waist I sob into her chest.
What am I saying?
My mouth is moving, I must be saying something. I talk to my memory.
"Say you love her. Cam, say you love her! Tell her she means so much to you! That she can't leave you! That she CAN'T LEAVE YOU!" I jump back and forth in my memory, being the younger boy hugging his sister and being a stranger on the side, trying to fix it.
Larger arms are reaching for me, pulling me off my sister.
I see Cass' eyes. They aren't watery, but empty - sad and hollow. She's blowing me a kiss, saying something. Screaming something.
"I love you Cameron! I will always love you! Listen to me, Cam!"
Dad drops me at the bottom of the stairs, blocking me from my sister.
