Estranged [Completed]

Memory Lane

A chain-link fence surrounded the building, sagging and peeling away from its posts as though it was losing the energy and the desire to hold on to its life. Kalei and Jenna stepped over a section that had already met the ground and crossed the dirt-packed, weed-strewn yard. Off to their left sprawled an old parking lot, faded and cracked with a pile of garbage collecting at one corner where the wind had blown it. Ahead of them rose the office building, roughly ten stories of bricks, elaborate stonework, and broken glass. Although neglected, it still didn't look as desolate as the towers in Downtown. The stone moldings on each level of the high-rise sported only a few cracks, and more than half the windows were still intact. From what Kalei remembered, this building hadn't been abandoned for more than ten years.

Inside, fallen ceiling panels and chunks of plaster were strewn across the floor between scattered walls of misty construction tarp. Kalei and Jenna found a staircase and made their way up to the seventh floor before calling it quits. Kalei sagged into a wadded pile of the plastic sheeting, shaking from head to toe.

After looking out the window to make sure they weren't followed, Jenna noticed Kalei's condition and walked over to her. She knelt down and gently took one of Kalei's hands into her own gloved one. On some fingers, Kalei's swirls were twisted and contorted, and on others, they were completely gone in a wash of black. "Shit, Kalei," Jenna said softly. With an effort, she let go and sat back. "Man, I jus' wanna hug my little sis, but we is showin' so much skin I'm surprised I ain't gettin' a high just by lookin' at you. You and I are every schoolboy's wet dream right here."

Kalei gave a small laugh. "It's still hard to believe my big sister Jenna is so vulgar. And so little."

"Little, my ass! I'm still five years older than you!"

"Maybe, but you've still got the body of a puny teenage girl. I could break you like a twig."

"I'll believe that when I see it!" Jenna laughed.

Kalei gave a weak smile. Then she sighed, leaning her head back against the wall and closing her eyes. It was too much to take in. Shenaia, her sister, Landen, a maniac... the only part she found believable about the last twenty-four hours was the way Xamic had swooped in and started killing people like it was some sort of sick sport. If that was believable, then she really needed to get her head checked.

After a long pause, she heard Jenna's voice crack as she asked, "What happened?"

Kalei opened her eyes and looked at Jenna. One glove was now off, both hands sitting in her lap as she studied them. The wheels on her hand spun and veered just as haphazardly as Kalei's own thoughts. "What do you mean?"

"The night Mom and Dad died. How'd it happen?"

Kalei sighed and rubbed her forehead. She didn't want to go there, not now, not ever again. But if anyone had a right to know, it was Jenna.

"Mom was getting ready to cook dinner. It was Asian night. You were at a friend's house and I knew rice was your favorite, but I hated the stuff, so I decided that we shouldn't have Asian night. So I took Mom's rice cooker and hid with it in the closet." Kalei smiled. "I hid the rice cooker in a box, I piled shoes on top of my lap, I even put a coat over my head so no one could find me. Mom found out I was missing and it turned into a game of hide and seek. She was laughing and making a big deal about checking behind the couch, threatening to unleash the tickle monster if I didn't come out." Kalei laughed. But then, the smile faded.

"There was a knock at the door. I took the coat off my head peeked through the slats in the closet door to see Mom walk over to the front window. When she saw who was at the door, her smile disappeared and she called Dad over. Dad heard the sharp edge in her voice the same as I did and he came running into the living room saying, 'What? What is it?' Mom seemed upset, confused. She lowered her voice and said something to him. They talked quietly for a minute, but I couldn't hear what they were saying. Dad started smiling and he started to rub her arm. I think he was trying to tell her that it was okay. But then he went to look out the window, and his smile disappeared as well. Mom and Dad looked at each other, confusion and concern mirrored on both their faces. I almost came out of the closet to ask what was going on, but then the doorbell rang. I hunkered down in the shoes and watched as Dad took a deep breath and opened the door.