We Stand Together

3.8

Alexander Song

Twelve Years Ago...From Alexander's Memory
Mom had my little brother almost a year ago, his name is Henry. I haven't seen him much because I still have school, and when I am home, he's out with mom. I really only get to see him at breakfast and dinner, and I'm not allowed to hold him unless I'm sitting down because mom and dad say I'm too young to carry him around. I get it, they want to make sure he doesn't get hurt, but I've barely been able to see him, much less hold him, so I haven't been able to get any practice to prove that I AM old enough to carry him around.

Henry is eleven  years younger than me, and I barely know him. Yeah, I know, he's a baby, but babies show their personalities even when they can't talk, or at least, that's what Aunt Bee says. She's always the one who'll steal Henry from my mom and take him somewhere quiet. When she doesn't bring the twins with her, I always end up finding her and she lets me hold him. She tells me stories of when she and her friends were younger and at Foxfire and their adventures. She always starts with how she met Aunt Sophie, but then she'll go on to talk about how she met my dad. She'll tell stories with high action like when Uncle Dex's sister Bex was kidnapped, or how Aunt Sophie's Winnowing Gala was crashed by the notorious Neverseen. She'll tell funny stories like how Keefe and Uncle Dex once dyed Uncle Fitz's hair pink or the Great Gulon incident. She'll tell sweet stories like how she used to steal me when I was a baby like she does with Henry or how she and Uncle Dex fell in love. She'll tell sad stories like her father's mind breaking, and Keefe becoming a puppet to the Neverseen. Aunt Bee says that Keefe would've been my uncle if he was free.

Keefe is one of my favorite people to hear about. He did whatever it took to protect the people he loved, and because of his sacrifice, I could live happily with my family and friends. Honestly? He's my hero. He was funny, everyone liked him, he was kind, and loyal, and he always looked out for his friends. I want to be like him when I grow up - even if I'm not all that funny or mischievious - because even though he has flaws (impulsive/insecure/afraid) I can learn from him and be a better person myself. One day soon, I want to be like Keefe Sencen, I want to be the kind of person that saves people, but I'm not quite ready yet. After all, I'm just a kid.

I go with the Vackers and Dizznees every year to see his wanderling tree. Dad doesn't like to go because he won't change his mind about Keefe betraying them, so the rest of my family doesn't go, and neither does Aunt L    inh and her family. I used to have to sneak out of the house to go; I'd say I was going for a walk in the woods behind our house, and once I was far enough out, I'd light leap to the Wanderling Woods where the Dizznees and Vackers would be waiting for me. I don't understand why my father wouldn't want to pay his respects, even if he does think that Keefe betrayed them. He could at least pay respects to the guy he was before the Neverseen.

My dad and I aren't very close. He has high expectations of me since I'm the oldest, but sometimes he forgets that I, like my siblings, am just a kid. Aunt Bee says it's because he sees himself in me and he wants me to be better than he is, and that's probably true, but I'm twelve. I'm not ready to "take charge" and lead my friends. I want to have fun with my friends, we're all a team and we look out for one another. I'm not ready for the responsibility of taking serious care of anyone other than myself. Of course, I'll look out for my friends and protect them when I can, but we're not going on dangerous missions or anything. We're going to Foxfire where the worst thing there is Georgia Heks, and we can take her on any day.

Actually, now that I think about it, I'm not very close with my mom either. She's always off with the younger kids or going out with her friends and I see her about as much as I see Henry. Is it weird not being close to your parents? I kind of miss them taking care of me like when I was younger and an only child, but sometimes I don't need to because I have Aunt Bee and Uncle Dex.