Switch

chapter 5 -Silver

The continuous beeping calms me as I watch Dads chest rise and fall with each breath. Brian's bottom lip wobbles as he clutches Dads hand on the hospital bed.

"Is... Is he gonna be OK?" Brian shakily asks, eyes fixed on dads bruised face.

I stare out the window, unable to look at the sleeping form in front of me.

"Dad will be fine Brian." I hope.

Harriet carefully places her hand on my shoulder, a sympathetic smile on her face.
"We should go, this is hurting Brian seeing him like this." She whispers quietly. I nod, gently steering my brother away from Dad as he reluctantly lets go of his hand. My phones buzzes, I check a text from Alex asking why I'm not at school today.

"You don't need them Tasmin, I'm here for you, not them." Prizing the phone out of my hand, Harriet tucks it in her pocket.

Brian's eyes dart around the waiting room for our mother, a vacant chair sits lonely by the window.

"Where's Mum?" I ask Harriet anxiously.

"She left," Harriet casually replied.

"Without us?" I frown a little, seems strange for mum to leave abruptly.

Harriet shrugs, tugging my sleeve over to the door.

"Come on, let's go take the bus."

I let her lead me out the door, Brian dolefully following from behind as Harriet guides us to the bus stop.

...............................................................................................................................

It was after midnight by the time we got home, mum sat slumped in front of the television, softly stroking a picture of her wedding photo as tears roll down her cheeks.

"Are you okay Mum?" I gently reach out to her, almost touching her shoulder as Harriet slaps my hand away.

"Let her be." Harriet hisses through her teeth. Composing herself, Harriet's eyes soften as she sees my shock.

"She needs to be alone, would you come and sit by the lake with me?" I want to say no, I want to curl up on my bed and try to make myself cry, to feel something. Instead, I nod. Trailing after Harriet like a lost puppy.

We walk outside to the low hum of cicadas and a perfectly still lake. Harriet takes my hand as we wade knee deep in, staring at the crescent moon.

"Want to know a secret?" Harriet breaks the silence, walking deeper into the lake, I follow her as we sink into the cool water, uncaring of our soaking clothes.

"yes." I whisper as I roll onto my back, floating next to Harriet.

"I want to be you."

I choke a little, sharply turning towards Harriet. Her long black hair like ink in the water, eyes hauntingly silver in the moonlight.

"I don't understand that Harriet, why would you want to be me of all people? My parents fight constantly, my father is possibly dying and I cant sleep at night because of some awful creature plaguing my dreams!" I exhale deeply, feeling a release as I let go of some of my anger.

"A creature?" Harriet swims closer, a flash of something I can't place in her metallic eyes.

I shudder, feeling shivers like claws clicking down my spine. "The creature, it... it has thin black lips and these eyes that seem to pierce into my own with something hungry, like it wants something from me."

"What does it want?" Harriet asks in low voice.

"I.... I don't know" I move away from Harriet, making my way out of the water.

"Don't leave yet!" Harriet calls out to me, long black hair covering her face like a curtain. "It's almost the switching hour."

Rising out of the water, I freeze only ankle deep in the lake.

"You mean the witching hour?" My feet involuntarily stay grounded in frigid water.

"Oh yes." Harriet grins. "The witching hour."

I wrap my arms around myself, shivering violently, unsure if it was from like chill of the lake.