Broken Vessels

| Chapter XIII- Veronica |

| December 18, 2017 |

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Hey everyone! I'm so sorry for not updating in a while. I was busy with finals and just catching up with this story in general. I managed to write a bit more chapters in so I feel more comfortable updating since I don't update based on when I write. If I did that, this story would seriously be lagging in weekly updates xD Anyway, please enjoy!

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| Chapter XIII- Veronica |

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*A moment of hesitation may cause you a lifetime of regret. -Johnny Depp*

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A mystery. That's what Cole Dixon was. One minute he seemed to be enjoying himself and the next he was closed off. I wasn't quite sure what to make of him. He obviously didn't want anyone to read him like a book. I was guilty of doing such things myself. But it was for my protection. Protection from the judgmental thoughts and whispers I'd get. Protection from the disaster waiting to happen.

I sat at the kitchen table with music seeping through my earphones. When I got home, I checked on my parents and brother only to realize they were in the same shape. However, their stock was higher and more money was gone from the account.

I sighed as I leaned back on the kitchen chair. My homework was sprawled all around me in one mess. Not even the soft melodic music playing on my phone could keep me interested. So I did what I always did. I improvised. I pushed my textbooks aside and brought my laptop in front of me.

I then opened one of the many tabs I had open on my browser. It was time to do more job hunting. I looked through job openings, seeing which one would hire someone as young as me with hardly any work experience.

I felt like I spent hours and the sound of shuffling coming down the stairs caused me to look up, realizing that I have indeed, spent a good few hours looking for something close to home and would work around my school schedule.

"Ronnie?" Caleb asked as he rubbed at his eye, his blonde hair tousled all over the place. His pajamas were slanted as if he had just gotten up from bed.

"What's up bud?" I asked as I rubbed my own tired eyes.

"It's almost midnight. What are you doing up?" he asked as he blinked a pair of dazed hazel brown eyes. I gave a tired smile.

"Work kiddo," I replied. "Now what are you doing up so late?" I asked.

"I had a...nightmare," he whispered as he shuddered softly and hugged himself. I frowned and immediately stood next to him, pulling him into my embrace. I tried so hard to make their lives as normal as I possibly could in my situation but just like it was difficult for me, it must be difficult for them too.

"Hey it's okay. Talk to me," I whispered as I placed a kiss on his head and rocked us back and forth at the entrance of the kitchen.

"I just...I just dreamt that mom and dad and Michael became these dark shadows trying to tear apart the three of us. They had these glowing red eyes and fangs instead of teeth. Claws were stretched to rip us apart from the inside," he whispered with a shaky breath.