For my sister - Fire and Flood Fanfic

Chapter 1 - Get Set

I never consideredmyself a family person. Yeah me and my family got on okay but I wouldsay I wouldn't particularly like them. I always held my friendscloser than my parents. That was until my little sister came along.She was so small. I stepped into that hospital room thinking thatthis was my parents way of saving 'She didn't love us enough sowe will have another.' But I instantly knew I should protect her.

It wasn't until shewas one year old that we found out she was deaf. From that moment Iknew I would do what I can to protect her.

She got all the cutefeatures. A button nose, long curly hair made of pure sunshine anddeep blue eyes you can swim in. Opposite to me. Whilst she inheritedmothers looks I inherited our fathers. My brown hair was cut in along Bob, small pointed nose, round face and ice cold eyes. Shecalled me big brother.

It was her birthday.Just turned six. I brought some of my friends over whom she loved andwe all had a girly spa day. Mother obviously didn't like my friendsbut she allowed it because Carla wanted them. It wasn't until wewere all in our pyjamas watching the Hannah Montana movie on Netflixthat she coughed up blood.

We rushed to hospital.Doctors and nurses taking all these different tests. Carla was soscared. She was only 6. But no one spoke sign language and my parentsalways knew the bare minimum. We spent weeks in that hospital. Weeksof long nights and early mornings. Weeks of processed hospital foodand vending machines. Weeks of waiting.

She deterioratedquickly. Doctors saw no hope and sent her home with us. We hired 24/7care but it never helped. Our parents never talked about it. Hardlyeven visited her even when she was in the same house. Summer came andwent. I stayed by her side. Telling her stories I knew and ones Ididn't. We played games and sang songs with a voice she can'thear. But I would listen. I would smile and keep her voice in myheart.

I never went back toschool in September. I enrolled in an online university. We playedmore games. We played until she wasn't able to lift her armsanymore. We sang until she couldn't part her lips.

There was a night wereme and my parents argued.

"You are not allowedto visit Carla anymore. It's dangerous." Mother whispered inhushed tones urgently.

"Why? Because it'scontagious?" I said, my voice rough. Talking felt weird after notusing my voice for weeks.

"No, because you'llget your hopes up."

"Because I believethat she still might get better?! Because I believe that's shestrong and I'll be damned if you try to stop me from standing byher." I was in my mother's face now. Staring her down.

"No! Because she willdie anyway!" a tear slid down my cheek as I pushed my mother andran. I ran until the burning in my legs took over my heart ache. Istood in the middle of town. I wiped my face and went into thenearest coffee shop. I ordered a black coffee to go along with agreen smoothie and a cake. I booked an uber back to the house. Givingthe cake and smoothie to Carla I sipped my drink. I never talked toour mother again.

I remembered that andmore when I hear a woman's voice.

"If your hearingthis message, you are invited to be a contender in the BrimstoneBleed. All contenders must report to the Isabella Stewart GardnerMuseum within 48 hours to start the Pandora selection process. If youdo not report with 48 hours your invitation will be eliminated. ThePandora you will choose is off the utmost importance as it will beyour only source of assistance throughout the race.