Fragments - Book One of the Missing

Chapter 7 - Rowan

A week had passed since Mom's birthday, but the overhang from the fight she had with her Dad still hung over the apartment like a cloud. She walked quietly through the hall, careful to not disrupt the silence, and wrapped her knuckles on Olive's door.

"You up yet, Ollie? First day of school!" She heard nothing from inside Olive's room. She pushed the door open expecting her to be sound asleep in bed. Instead, Olive knelt by the window.

"Sh! Rowan, come here!" She tiptoed over to her sister, curious as to what she was doing. Rowan squealed.

"What are you doing with a spider like that?" It must have been two inches, with long legs and covered in brown fur. "Can't we just kill it and start getting ready for school?"

"Absolutely not! I won't let you get near her. Spiders are living things, too, you know. And with so many lives Missing, even the little ones are important now." She looked back down at the spider. Rowan's face flushed with guilt. She didn't feel badly for her revulsion, but she felt guilty she couldn't protect her sister from the Missing.

"Okay, then," Rowan said, sighing. "What are we to do with it? She certainly is not going to live in your bedroom with you. Why don't we open the window and throw her out?"

"So you don't have to watch her die? No thanks. Let's walk her outside."

They didn't have time for it, but she didn't argue. The girl meant everything to Rowan, and she would happily pay five minutes to make Olive happy. They caught the spider in a cup and placed an old book on top to keep her from escaping. Rowan escorted Olive downstairs and watched as she whispered goodbye and set the creature free.

Back upstairs, Olive finally let Rowan comb through her hair as she brushed her teeth. It took two seconds to get her into the outfit they picked out last night. Rowan tied a white bow in her hair for the finishing touch.

Rowan unclipped the pendant from her neck. "Olive, I want you to have this. It's for protection."

"What do I need protection for?" Olive asked, as Rowan clasped the necklace behind her neck.

"I just know you will be getting in a fat lot of trouble at school," Rowan said, flicking the tip of Olive's nose. Olive laughed and ran out of her room.

Out in the kitchen, Rowan stopped to kiss Rosie on top of the head.

"Good morning! Nice to see you up and ready." And it was. One less thing to do this morning. But they were still running late. "Where is Margeaux?"

"Morning," Rosie mumbled through a mouthful of cereal. "Still in the bathroom getting ready, I s'pose."

"Ah."

Rosie swallowed. "Rowan, do you think you could take me to get some makeup next weekend when you go to the Market? Mom's stuff looks too old."

She repressed the smile. "Is it for a boy?"

Her cheeks turned pink and she looked into her bowl.

"It totally is! How did you know, Rowan? Are you psychic?" Olive said. They all laughed.

Margeaux walked in, and the laughter died abruptly. She stared at them, as if they were just laughing about her. She stalked to the fridge, grabbed the milk and made her own breakfast without offering any to Olive, before plopping down at the far end of the table and continued to ignore them. Rowan stared at her considering the moment they had last week, and what was going on in that head of hers.

Rowan didn't mull over it. What was the point? And although she didn't know where she would get the money from, she turned back to Rosie, "I'd be happy to, Rosie. But only if you let me check your summer homework to make sure it is all done!"