Scavengers {#Wattys2016}

Chapter Eight

Sammy and Anna had come back and we were playing spin the bottle. It landed on me.

 "Ok your turn Lisa!", said Anna. 

"Oh boy!", I laughed. I waited for the question as Sammy and Anna who whispered trying to agree on a good one. 

"Wait, truth or dare?", asked Anna.

"Hmm...truth", I replied.

"Darn every time! It's like she knows my dare!", muttered Sammy under his breath.

"That's because I'm psychic", I teased. 

"Yeah, yeah and I'm Johnny Depp", replied my brother.

They began to whisper again and Jordan watched from a distance sitting down against a wall. I turned looking at him and scooted over on the ground. I patted the space of wood beside me.

"You might as well go", said my mother with a smile looking at the soldier.

"It is a child's game", said Michael looking away.

"You're acting like a child", chuckled my mother who resumed to reading. Jordan stood stock still shaking his head towards me. He could not talk back to the woman. He could not. He could not. 

"Go", whispered my mother from her book. This wasn't forceful, or a command to execute. This instead was warm and kind advice.

Jordan muttered cursing under his breath in Russian so we wouldn't understand or hear as he broke agreeing. He sat down next to me as I waited for Anna and Sammy.

"Choose already! I'm not that blunt", I said getting impatient.

"Shh! We are having trains of thought that need to be combined together!", replied Sammy.

I rolled my eyes and rested my head on my waiting hand with my elbow propped up on my knee. I let out a heavy sigh showing them I was loosing it.

"Ok! Ok! We've got it! What was the worst lie you thought you've ever told?", asked Sammy.

"Not another one of these", I grumbled. Jordan blinked, what a childish game, adults playing this? The world really has ended. But, never the less he was interested in what I had to say.

I thought, "Worst lie I've ever told? Worst lie I've ever told?", I repeated aloud thinking and sorting through.

 "It shouldn't be too hard", said my father. 

"Got any suggestions?", I asked.

"Well, there was the one time you drove the car without permission and claimed it was to go to tutoring when it was actually to go to your friend's house. And you only had a learner's permit", replied my father.

"That's one", I replied.

 "No it has to be the worst in your opinion", said Sammy.

"Oooo....then I think I have a good one", I replied.

"Well, remember when we were forced to eat bananas when we were younger or at least something healthy?", I asked. 

"Good old days", laughed my brother.

"Well, there was a loose floorboard under the table and I kinda hid every banana that wasn't fresh under there", I said.

"That was you!?", burst out Anna.

"Yup", I replied sucking in my cheeks. 

"And it wasn't pretty", replied my mother not looking up from her book.

"That's why there were all those fruit flies in your room", whispered Anna making the connection finally.

"No....that was because I kinda hid the apples in my closet", replied my brother confessing as well.

"That wasn't pretty either", added my mother.

"Alright spin!", said my sister spinning the green plastic sprite bottle around with just a flick of her fingers. It turned slowly losing speed and ended up with the cap less lid pointing towards Michael.

"Congratulations Jordan your our lucky winner!", said Sammy making it sound as if it was a great achievement.

"Truth or dare?", asked Sammy. Jordan groaned. 

"Must we honestly play this?", he asked.

"Pick", I warned. 

"Can I pass? This is a child's game", he huffed.

"Nope, that's being a bad sport", replied Anna.

Jordan looked at the little girl,"Alright...dare", replied Michael. What was the worst that could happen?

"Yes!", yelled Sammy jumping up excited. My father and mother laughed at his excitement.

"Kiss anyone in this room", said Sammy.

"Sammy! I thought we were going to go make him hug every pole outside?", asked Anna a bit disappointed. "I beat you to it. That was just back up, and I've been dying to use this dare",said my brother. He wanted to see what someone would do.

Jordan looked around at everyone.Then he stood smiling as if an idea popped in his head. Jordan went up to 

Sammy kissing him! He kissed Sammy! I burst out laughing and so did my father, mother and sister. 

"That's what you get Sammy!", laughed my father.

"Dude! You were supposed to kiss one of the girls!", said my brother in shock. "You said I could kiss anyone within this room. Be glad it was only on your cheek", said Michael.

My brother wiped his lips clearly embarrassed and turning red. Sammy scolded himself as he sat down. "Guess I got a taste of my own medicine", he laughed after a moment.

I noticed Jordan looking around as everyone still laughed. Despite the tragedies and dangers there is still happiness here. One that is rare to find these days. 

"Good one", I whispered and then we resumed to playing with multiple truths and dares.

That night when I sat down against the wall I leaned my head back looking up at the dark desolated ceiling where the paint was coming off now. Peeling and just dangling there. Tomorrow. Tomorrow would be another day. I looked at the flag. But now a days it was just another day.