Elliott was awoken by the sound of hurried feet against the wooden floors. He peaked his head from under his arm, his eyes scanning the small room he shared with his four younger siblings. They'd all seemed to still be in bed.
Elliott sat up, counting each of their half-hidden figures. Levi was sprawled out on his cot on the floor, his legs draped over the sides, his blankets balled up around his waist. Jonas faced away from Elliott, towards the wall, he was probably the most peaceful sleeper in the whole house. He looked to his left where Annie laid, facing him, her thumb in between her lips and an arm wrapped around her doll. Elliott had to stand to see William asleep in his bassinet, his arms high above his head and his mouth moving ever so slightly as if he were eating.
When he was sure his siblings were still asleep, he quietly walked to the door, careful not to stir them. He pushed the door open with the flat of his hand, cringing when the door creaked with anguish, but his brothers and sister slept on, nonetheless.
The hallway light wasn't on like it usually was this early in the morning. He went to flip it on, but the light fixture above him didn't give off anything except for what seemed like a cough, dust falling from it. Elliott sighed- he'd known the electricity hadn't been paid again.
Hobbling downstairs, trying not to trip over his own feet in the dark, he followed the sound of his mother's frantic footsteps, finally finding her in the kitchen half hazardously throwing a sandwich into a lunch box.
Elliott leaned against the doorframe, his arms crossed against his chest, watching his mother before speaking. "Power's out again."
Juliet whipped her head to the sound of her son's voice and Elliott was sure he'd never loved his mother so much. The way she scrambled around the dank kitchen, swapping out the buckets that collected the rainwater falling from a crack in the ceiling while sliding papers into a manila envelope, red marks and lettered grades being thrown into her bag. She was the definition of a hardworking woman who didn't get half the credit she deserved.
YOU ARE READING
A House is Not a Home
Fiksi PenggemarWhen Knightley finds herself playing a character on one of tv's longest running syfy shows, she feels as if her life has finally gotten under control. She has a stable job, a husband, and a family like she's never known before. However, what happens...
