Breath Of The Reaper

I Really Hate Shakira.

Pounding was heard at the door, and I groaned, probably sounding like those outside.

"Get up, get up!" Fox pulled me to my feet and we backed into the laundry room as the sound amplified. Kelly closed the curtain and we basically fell on one another in the tiny corner.

My left leg was on Augie's lap, and my head was on Zoey's shoulder. It was all like a weird Twister game.

Why were we here? I have no idea. Zoey said it, and in the heat of the moment, we thought it was a good idea I suppose.

"Loca, loca, loca," Shakira's voice filled the silence after the zombies got bored. We all slowly turned our heads to the sound and Augie quickly dug in his pocket as the ringtone still played.

"Yeah? Hey," he gave a small apologetic look, and went out to the living room, pushing my feet off.

I rolled off and just laid right in the way, my head still coming down from the running, and I was out of breath. "You good, Mi?" Nodding, I pushed myself up and went to lay down on the rug in the next room.

Everything was silent save for our breathing and my own heartbeat in my ears. We didn't dare speak too loud.

-

At some point in the quiet, I fell asleep on Fox's lap. Maybe it was because he was warm like a blanket, and I was coming down from an adrenaline high.

More like crashed and burned.

"But do you have to go?" I whined, holding on to my dad's waist. "Yes, Mimi, I have too." He kneeled down in front of me, holding my ten year old shoulders. "You and Fox have a good time, okay? We'll be home before you go to bed, deal?" I nodded and hugged him. "Yes, sir! Deal!"

Fox thumped my forehead, "Mi! Stop thinking and stuff Cheetos in your face!" He lisped out, his two from teeth missing.

I punched his shoulder and that turned it into an all out war, us tumbling around his floor, getting cheesy food all over the place. My head hit the bookcase and I groaned, "ah, shiza." Holding my head, I rolled onto my stomach, wincing in pain.

"Did you knock another tooth out?"

"Fox, I have all my big teeth! Shut up!" He laughed, but helped me up. "You okay?" I took my hand off the back of my head, it was slick with blood. "Oh, dear me."

My first reaction was to run to the bathroom- not a good idea if you're bleeding from your head.

"Na, oh my gosh! Lemme help!" He grabbed a rag and wet it, sitting me down on the porcelain toilet seat. "Don't get up, okay?" I nodded slowly, grimacing as the birthday boy put alcohol on the rag then on the back of my head.

"Fooxx! It stings!" I whined and he made a face, "suck it up!" Sighing, I grabbed on to his wrist when he pressed too hard.

Those big green eyes connected with mine, holding so much concern. "I'm fine, cheeseball." He shook his head, "Doctor Levine is in the house! Now, Miss Sharp, stay still." I giggled.

The doorbell rang.

"I got it!" I pushed him away and bounded out of the room to the front door, and opened it to reveal an officer. Tyler was by my side, Fox at the top of the stairs.

"Naomi, get Fox, please. We need to speak to both of you." That voice was to haunt my dreams forever.

"Tom, what happened?" My older brothers hand went to my shoulders in a protective way, Fox grabbing onto my hand.

"It's your parents..." Even though I was only ten, I could still tell something was seriously wrong. And life was about to change.

"There was a crash. The car your parents took to the conference, um.. Caught fire. The engine. They crashed onto the tracks. The doors wouldn't open-"

"Fuck!" I screamed, sitting up. My hands at the base of my skull, feeling the bump from that night. I pressed hard, a steering pain radiating through my head.

I was awake.

I was fine.

But you're not fine, Naomi. You're broken.

Can't I get away from you for just a day? Jesus Christ.

"What's wrong?" Zoey was the first one by my side, and I hugged her. She was surprised at first, but hugged back. "Okay, tell me."

"She had the dream again..." Fox's voice hit my ears and I smile softly, "how'd ya know, Cheeseball?"

"You only press on the scar when you have it. Always been like that." He rubbed my shoulders, making me calm down.

Zoey smiled, "you guys are really great friends." I snorted, "you don't know the half of it."

I leaned back, looking up at Fox. My favorite pastime when we were younger was counting his freckles. The seventeen across his cheeks, the four on his neck, and the abundance of them on his shoulders and back. (I liked- loved- his freckles. They made him look like a little kid.)

Zoey had a bunch of freckles, hell, we all did. But Zo was a natural ginger, she was covered. I had more on my shoulders and a very dark one under my right eye on my cheek bone that looked like a beauty mark or something, Augie had several scattered about, and Kelly had a bunch on her nose. We were all a bunch of freckled fucks.

"Will you cut it out? God, you're weird." He jokes, booping me on the nose. "Oh, you love my weirdness."

"Will you two just have sex already?! God! It's almost as infuriating as watching Keeping Up With The Kardashians." I snorted, "You watch Keeping Up With The Kardashians?" He faltered, "n-no."

"First, you have that chick as your ringtone, and second, you watch those plastic chicks?" Kelly mused, and poked his cheek.

"Aw, Kells, don't mess with daddy like that." She socked him in the shoulder, "you not my dad!" I cackled and wiggled my eyebrows at the green eyed guy, "what about it, daddy? Wanna mess with me like that?" He smirked, catching my joke. "Sure thing, kitten. Get on your hands and knees and I'll make sure you scream my name."

"You guys are fucking disgusting!" Kelly screamed, stuffing her face into the throw pillows while the rest of us were losing our shit.

But I felt something poking me.