Phoenix

Chapter 2

When Kris arrived home, the door was opened by Amy, and she wasn't happy. She pulled Kris inside, then crossed her arms and asked,"Why weren't you at school today?" Kris shrugged, not caring,

"Dress shopping." Amy got angry, her petite features scrunching up in rage,

"You can't keep skipping school Kristine! The principal called, the principal! Do you know what he said?" She waited as if Kris could provide an answer, she retorted with disrespect,

"Do I look like a psychic?" Amy's face crumbled, as she sat on the cushioned bench in the hallway of the house,

"I try, I try to do right by you. I want you all to have good lives," her voice dropped to a whisper, "If you skip school again he's going to expel you." Kris stood still, shock overcoming her, as she asked,

"What?" 

"If you're expelled, this is the only school in the area, we can't afford to take you to another school. You and Jael will be forced to go into foster care again." The blood drained from Kris's face, she remembered foster care well, and their last foster parent.

Pain shot through her, as she slowly slid her way to her sister's crumpled body. She took Jael's head into her lap, as each breath brought new pain. Her sister's light brown skin, was pale, too pale, and she was unmoving except for the slight rising and downfall of her chest, signaling she was alive, barely, but alive. She leaned against the door hoping Tom didn't come back, knowing he would mow her over to get the door open if he chose to. She begged whatever power was up there for Tom to not come back, she couldn't take it. In a voice hoarse from screaming she croaked,

"Jael." Her sister made no movement, as blood seeped from her head, but there was nothing she could do to stop the blood from seeping from Jael's head, her arm was broken, she could barely move it as it was, much less stop the blood from flowing. Tears of frustration at being helpless to help her sister filled her eyes'. Harsh footsteps echoed from down the hall. "No," she whispered in despair as the footsteps got closer. In a voice that was nearly a sob she whispered,"Jael...please." Then he came, Tom. He started banging on the door and yelling,

"Let me in you brat!!! Kristine let me in!!" He slammed his body into the door, causing Kris to emit sobs, as more pain wracked her body with each impact of his body against the door. He finally managed to get the door open, leaving her and Jael splayed across the floor. She reached for her sister's hand, and gripped it, just as Jael woke. Her 7 year old eyes' widened with fear, as she stared at Kris, then Tom. Kris felt terror race through her veins, as she tried to stay calm, gripping her little sister's hand,

"Its okay, I'm right here. I'm right here, always."

"Kris? Kristine!" Kris jolted, startled out of the flashback. Amy and Mike had been their third foster home, the first had been Fiona and Stella, a lesbian couple who were loving, but couldn't handle the stress of fostering 7 kids, and Kris refused to be separated from Jael, so they both went to another foster home. That had been Tom and his wife Ria, Tom beat Ria so she was no protection and was practically mute, and had beaten her, Jael, and Ria, till Social Services found out, put him in jail, then removed her and Jael. When Kris was 11, they came to live with Amy and Mike, who were nice, and had Michael and Dorian, 3 years later they decided to foster Sierra and Ian, who had been taken from an neglectful and abusive mother, who went downhill after her husband, their father died in Iraq, he had been a Marine. 

They couldn't go into foster care again, she would not risk Jael like that, but if there was danger like her tattoo said, it was nice to know she was one cutting class away from being moved back into foster care. With a stricken expression she said, "I'm sorry." Amy had tears in her eyes' when she looked up at her, making Kris feel like crap,