To End It All

Standing Alone

I had stayed with foster families before. All of them were the same. They were kind for the first few weeks, then gradually less and less, and while their attitudes toward me grew more and more wary and unpleasant, I drew myself away from them. I became distant, and then they claimed I was too much for them to care for. I had never had a permanent home and I was sixteen now. It didn't really matter much to me anyway.
I sighed and looked at the brick home before me. Vines snaked up the walls and the window panes trying to grow inside of the house itself. The steps leading to the front door were weathered and looked fit to break under my tread, however, they did not. I carried with me a small bag with clothes and other necessities. It was supposedly from my biological parents and came with me to foster homes and all of my "families".
There was no doorbell to ring so I knocked, well technically, pounded on the door. In the blink of an eye the door was thrown open. A woman stood before me. Her hair was brown and her eyes were a stormy grey. She looked frantic, and the frown lines on her face painted a picture of hardship somewhere in her time. I extended my hand to her.
"Hi, I'm Corri–.."
Before I could finish telling her my name, she embraced me tightly. This was odd. Usually my "parents" would just accept the handshake and head nod when I came into their lives, and the same gestures were repeated when I left as well.
The woman smiled at me and looked over her shoulder. She alerted her–and now my–family of my arrival.
"Paige! Wyatt! Come meet your sister, Corrine," she turned to me and smiled but her grey eyes shot sparks upon the sight of me.
A man descended the stairs followed by two kids who looked about my age but were far taller than I was. The man came and shook my hand and smiled warmly.
"Welcome to your new home Rin. I hope you really love it here."
Rin. Rin?! What an abomination to such a nice name.
Next my new siblings greeted me.
"Hi, I'm Paige. I'm very happy to have a sister. You have no idea." Her smile was beautiful and genuine, and her long, honey-colored hair only accented it. Her eyes were like her mother's though. Teeming with uncertainty.
"Hey, I'm Wyatt. I'm 17 and you are now my annoying little sister."
I gave him a glare, and he laughed.
"I am 16, and I most certainly am not annoying." I walked past him and into the living room. I looked around. This place, despite its dreary exterior, was very nice on the inside. As my eyes were caught by a metal box on the hearth of the fire place, my "mom" interrupted.
"Paige, why don't you show Corrine her room."
The woman hugged me tightly again. I stood ridged in her arms. I couldn't have her feeling that I was grateful to be here. I wasn't. This house was no different than the others. She pulled away and smiled, but her eyes were filled with sadness and fear. She looked at me with an emotion that was not disdain but close to it, however, her smile did not falter. Paige noticed the confusion in my expression and grabbed my wrist.
"I'll show you your room now", she said and pulled me up the stairs away from her– or our– mother. I almost tripped heading up to the next floor.
Paige led me to my room. It was the second door on the right side of the long hall. I pushed open the door and it squeaked on its hinges. My room was very large. There was one big window on the opposite wall. The bed was queen sized and had white sheets and matching comforter. There was a larger dresser with a mirror that had lights and a small bathroom to one side. I walked over to the window and looked down at the ground below. Yes, this room was beautiful, but as usual, I would not be here for long.
"Thank you for showi–", as I turned I noticed that Paige was cautiously shutting the door and locking it behind her. "Paige, what are you doing?" I asked. She placed a finger over her lips, a sign to be quiet. Then she gestured for me to sit down, so I did. She pulled her phone from her back pocket and sent a message to someone.
"Paige, I–," I began to say, but she silenced me once again.
Then, sliding her phone back into her pocket, she crossed my room and and kneeled down onto the floor. I watched her silently as she did so. She slid a hidden panel back from the floor and reached down into it.
"Close your eyes," she said in a hushed voice.
"I don't think–," I started again, but only to be silenced yet again.
She smiled. "Now eyes closed. No peeking."
I did as I was told for once. Funny.
And as I did so I heard her slide the panel back into place and stand up. I heard her footsteps as she came closer to me.
"Okay Corrine, you can open your eyes now."
So I did.
Paige was smiling sweetly at me with a dagger in hand pointed toward my chest, only inches away.
"Welcome to the family."