The Alliance

New School, New Life

Alexandra Becky Ray looked out the car window. She had never been outside of New Hampshire before in all her 14 years. Now she was going to her Uncle Luke in Pennsylvania. Her older brother, Grayson, sat next to her and was looking at his feet. His dark brown hair that was usually perfectly gelled back was going in every way possible from the many times he had run his hands through his hair. His usually bright blue eyes were blocked off and empty as if the light had gone out of them. His face was emotionless, which Alexandra knew as not normal. But nothing today was normal nothing since last night was normal.

They lost their parents but no one would tell them by what. Alexandra was confused. Why would anyone do this. She wanted to stay strong, she wanted to pretend this didn't happen. But it did. She brushed her fingers across her necklace around her neck as she looked out the window tears welled up in her eyes but she would not let them escape. She waited and waited for Grayson to comfort her as an older brother should do in this situation but he never did. Alexandra understood though, he lost his parents too he just needed time.

Finally Alexandra spoke, "Grayson...," but he wasn't listening. She looked at Grayson but it was like he wasnt inside his body. Like he was just a body and no soul. So she stopped talking. She couldn't help but feel alone. Her friends were all in New Hampshire and her parents dead. Grayson was all she had left. And he wasnt there. The car stopped in a driveway that lead to their new home. On the porch was their Uncle.

He looked different than Alexandra remembered but that was because it had been more than a year ago. His face once clean and perfect was now occupied by a bierd and he had wrinkles. His hair was starting to turn gray with only parts of it still brown. He used to look a lot like Grayson but today there were many differences.

Alexandra and Grayson took their bags out of the car and up to the porch. "Come," Uncle Like said. And they followed.

He lead them to the door and into the house. He showed them the downstairs and then they went up. He had given them each their own rooms right across from each other. Grayson rushed into his room and shut his door. Alexandra just stood there staring at the closed door and finally turned to her own room.

She set down her bags and started unpacking. She took her most prized possetion, a picture of the family all together, and put it on the night stand next to her bed. Alexandra took out a book that she had stolen from her dad's office when she was younger. She had no interest in reading it now but it reminded her of her dad. After unpacking all her cloths she was done.

●●●●

At dinner that night there was not much conversation but the little they had was brief.

"So you both start at your new school soon," Uncle Luke said.

"Great," Grayson mumbled. Alexandra looked up from her soup.

"Grayson, I know you are going through a lot right now but things will get better. I promise," Uncle Luke said.

"Fine," Grayson said standing up, "I'm not hungry anymore." He got up and left the table. Uncle Luke only looked down and shook his head.

"Uncle Luke," Alaxandra asked.

"Hmm?" Uncle Luke said with his mouth full.

"How did it happen?" She asked.

He looked uncomfortable for a moment and then he said, "Not today, Alex, not today."

Alexandra looked back down at her soup and the rest of dinner was silent.

●●●●

That night Alexandra sat in bed staring at the ceiling. She couldn't bare to think that yesterday her parents had been here to comfort her and now they weren't.