Even Wilder

Chapter 1.

I sit in the backseat of the cab, my hands pressed against the cold glass, watching people on the other side go on with their lives. People walking in sync to the train station. Children walking in a group on their way to school, backpacks resting on their shoulders, while their eyes plastered to their phone screens.

Winter is approaching in Chicago, the cold air feels like glass hitting your face. Moving from Michigan I'm not surprised about the change of weather. It could be snowing, 35 degrees one day, and 50 while sunny the next.

"We are almost there" the driver warns me. I gather my belongings in the backseat, running conversations in my head. 'Hey, long time no see' no, that sounds dumb, 'hey, remember me? The sister you left back home?' No. No. No.

It's been 12 years since I've seen Kevin. I was seven when he left. Lucky bastard got out. But I know it was him who called CPS. That was the only thing he could do. Kev and I would go days without food. He would get  sick of hearing me cry and would pawn something in the house for groceries. When dad came back and saw his guns and other personal belongings were gone, he would beat us. It wasn't a normal smack on the wrist, you apologize and it was over. No. He would beat us black and blue. No matter how much we cried, how many times we apologized. It was always the same. No one ever helped. Not our neighbors, our teachers, even friend's parents. No one would listen. It was the two of us against the world.

After he turned 18, he moved in with his girlfriend on the other side of the state. Shortly after he moved there was a knock on the door and my saviors took me away.

The tires came to a screeching halt, breaking me from my daze. A two story, maroon colored house stood in the middle of tall grass, with a fence wrapping the yard. I slowly got out of the car, the cab driver had my bags out of the trunk in seconds, I handed him the cash and he drove away.

The door swung open "Jessica!" Kev yells. He runs down the stairs, throwing the gate open and smothering me in a bear hug. I told myself I'd cry later, this is the moment I've been waiting years for.

He looked completely different. His head, practically bald, he has a beard now. He also gained a lot of muscle, but his baggy clothes would throw anyone's perception off, but over anything he's still my goofy brother. A women exits the house, two girls follow behind her, staying inside, cautiously looking around.
"It's so great to see you. I've missed you." He looks behind his shoulder, the woman puts her hand on his shoulder "Jessy this is my wife V, V this is Jessica"  she smiles at me with her bright teeth "nice to finally meet you, welcome to the family"

Our family moment was broke short by a glass bottle cascading from the house next door to the curb. An older man comes running out with his hands over his head "why can't you free loaders have any respect for your father! If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't be in this cruel world today!!" a shoe then flings from the door, colliding with the side of his face. He runs down the street, catching cover from cars parked along the road.

"Fucking Gallaghers" Kevin says under his breath.