The Alium Stories- Demeter

Chapter 1 (1669 words)

The sound of motorcycles pulling into the driveway either meant one of two things: there was a huge Winters family dinner, or someone was hurt.

Considering it was almost midnight, I guessed that it was the latter.

"Oh, come on! I'm in my pajamas for goodness sake." I grumbled, putting down my book, climbing down out of my warm bed. "They couldn't even give me a warning?"

My sister and bunkmate, Elise, giggled from across the room, setting her drawing aside. "Your work is never done, Demi. It's an accident, I think. Lots of scrambled thoughts."

I just rolled my eyes, threw my hair into a gravity-defying bun atop my head, and opened our door, looking out into the dark hallway. I doubted very few of the Winter kids were awake at this time of the hour, but I knew a lot of us would wake up at the sounds of the loud engines pulling up our long driveway.

I rushed into the hall, using the flashlight on my phone to guide me. I climbed the stairs to the third floor, where we kept a lot of our storage and found a closet door labeled "First Aid!" in glittery, red foam letters.

"What can I do?" Park suddenly appeared by my side, also in her pajamas. I let out a small squeal, holding my chest. I could never get used to her or her twin sister, Dani, randomly popping in and out of places, despite knowing them for the better part of ten years.

I loaded her arms up with the basic supplies. "Take these to the first-floor bathroom farthest from the kitchen, I don't want to wake up M and M." She nodded before transporting downstairs without a sound. M and M was the nickname that we gave to our adoptive mothers, Molly and Olive, and I really didn't want to wake them up at this hour.

Our Uncle Pike ran a "motorcycle enthusiasts club", as well as owning both a car and motorcycle repair shop and a nightclub, so often times any number of odd characters that he met would get hurt. Usually, they would just call me over to heal a broken wrist or a beat-up face, but sometimes it was serious enough that they brought the poor bloke to me to heal. This had to be one of those cases, there is no way Pike would risk the wrath of his baby sister over just nothing. 

As much as Olive adored her older brother, she would be a little more than upset at them coming into her home and waking up all fourteen of her adoptive children on a school night, even though this wasn't the first time and I would bet my life that it wouldn't be the last.

I walked down the two flights stairs as quickly as I could, my phone gripped between my teeth and my arms filled with whatever medical supplies I might need. The tile at the bottom of the stairs was cold, and goosebumps rose on my bare legs as I padded my way down the long hall to the bathroom. I barely had time to dump my armful onto the counter before I heard the front door open and voices float in.

"Go shut them up!" I whisper yelled at Park, who had been meticulously setting up the supplies on the counter. She nodded at me wordlessly before popping out, and a split second later I could hear her trying to calm the newcomers.

I began washing my hands, mentally preparing myself for what I was about to deal with. Elise had warned me earlier that it was an accident, but that could mean any number of things, from a stabbing to a small cut on someone's forehead.

I heard a pair of heavy footsteps come down the hall, one set moving irregularly. I opened the partially open door all the way and stood back, letting them enter the rather large bathroom.

In walked Pike, helping a stumbling man into the bathroom and setting his frame down on the closed toilet seat, like usual. I had never seen the guy before, and I wondered why he was with Pike in the first place. I didn't have time to wonder though, because the tangy scent of blood filled the air, setting me straight into business mode.