Across the Map

1. Caleb

I pushed the door open a crack, Liley's hand shivering in mine. Not from the cold, but from the bloodcurdling screams that punched through the small opening.

"Why couldn't I have married someone who actually cared for me?" Mom howled as dad paced the floor angrily. This was definitely going to be on the top ten list of worst fights between my parents. I could feel it.

"Well why couldn't I have married someone who didn't make a big deal of everything!" Dad shouted back, daggers shooting out of his eyes. Liley's other hand gripped my arm tightly, her face dripping sadness, fear, and maybe even a little bit of anger. Those were usually the emotions she felt in these situations, but the anger was the one to show its face only to me.

"Hey guys. We're home." I said in the most cheerful voice I could muster. I was just trying to take their attention away from each other, but when my sister looked up at me with horror in her eyes, I realized how much of a mistake I had really made.

"How dare you interrupt your parents, Caleb! I've told you over and over again to never do that!" My dad's rage had seemed to raise with every word he uttered, "How could someone so stupid be getting straight A's in school? I don't get it".

"Stop talking to him like that! He didn't do anything wrong!" Liley cut in, voice as sharp as broken glass, but eyes like a puppy's, "Will you two stop going at each other's throats for one minute and acknowledge the fact that you have children?" My parents looked shocked, having never heard that side of their daughter before. I knew that Liley had a defiant nature to her, but I had never seen it come out in front of my parents before. It usually reared its suprising head when teachers tried to give her detention. I was proud of her, but the feeling was short lived, soon replaced by pity.

"How dare you talk to us like that, young lady! We have clothed you, sheltered you, fed you, and this is the thanks we get? You are an ungrateful little brat who deserves to be put out on the street and run over by a car! You are nothing but a little waste of space that I wish I never had". Mom kept spitting harsh words at Liley, dad nodding and egging her on in the process. Liley couldn't take it after a while, and collapsed on the floor in a pile of tears, the stench of regret protruded from her. I didn't know what to do, run with her or stay to fight for the only person I loved. My mom decided for me.

"Caleb, take your unappreciative sister out of my sight. We'll see how much she has to say after she doesn't eat tonight". I placed my hands under Liley's legs and on her shoulders, and slowly lifted my sister up. She wept into my chest like an infant, and watching my parent's pleasure at the sight was appalling.

I carried her into our room, closing and locking the door as fast as I could. I gently laid her on her bed and it didn't take a second for her hand to impulsively grab her favorite stuffed animal and start to fill it with her tears.

Me and Liley moved into the same room just before the fighting started. Reasons, none. We had liked each other's company, and even when we were little, we were each other's safe haven. Also, Liley's room was really drafty, so I did get why she would want to vacate it. We called our Aunt Bethany and Uncle Greg to come and help us move all the heavy stuff, since our parents had left town for the weekend and stranded us at home alone. They both knew of the impending storm that would soon come crashing into our lives, and now looking back, they did in some ways hint that something bad was coming. Saying things like, "You know you could always come live with us if you want." or, "You two should always stay as close as you are now. You never know when you might need each other".
When Liley's bed and some of her furniture was finally done being rearranged, Aunt Bethany had said that she had a present for her. That stuffed bear had become a symbol of comfort ever since.
We had thought of taking them up on their offer of shelter many times now, but they moved to Nebraska three years ago, and the time it would take to fully move there seemed to be more of a hassle than dealing with our parents.

I was questioning that thought more and more everyday.

While I was swimming in my thoughts, Liley sat, the bear soaked through, heaving for air through sobs. I walked over to her and sat down next to her. She weakly crawled into my lap without breaking her crying patterns. I couldn't talk to her now, it would make it worse. So I just did what I always did; sit and rub her shoulder until she needed comfort through words. But I knew that it would take longer than usual today. This screamfest definitely took the place of number one on the worst fights list by a landslide, for this time, my sister was used as a victim instead of a bystander.