The Adventures of Macy and Travis

An Endless Cycle

        I heard a familiar groan and then a scrape on my window. I growled quietly, and looked up at the clock. 2:31. I've only been in bed for an hour. 

        "Mace." He was shouting. I rolled my eyes, and threw my cover off of me. "Mace." He repeated. Suddenly very awake my eyes went wide. I ran to my window and lifted it up. 

        "Travis." I whispered softly. "You're gonna wake everyone up. Wait a sec, and I'll bring you up. Okay?" He looked a little lost for a second and then smiled goofily. He shook his head like a little kid. I started to run to my brothers room when I heard Travis's voice come through my room again. 

        "Mace?" I sighed and walked back over to the window giving him my best smile.

                "Will you please hurry?" I laughed.

             "Sure thing, Trav."

                        He grinned again, and this time I ran as fast as I could to my brother, Isaiah's room. 

        "Isaiah!" I spoke quite loudly. I shook his body quickly. 

                He groaned. "Macy it's 2:40, what do you want." 

                        "It's Travis." He rolled his eyes exhausted but completely understood my two word explanation.

                "Give me 2 minutes. Can you at least get him through the door?" I nodded and hugged my brother quickly. 

                        "You're the best."

                I slipped off my socks and made my way to the front door. Seeing my dad asleep with his computer still in his lap, in his chair. I sighed knowing that it would be harder to get Travis through this way. I opted for the back door inside the kitchen. I snuck in there and slowly opened the old wooden door. Known for it's bad habit of squeaking; Mom and Dad thought it would keep me and Isaiah from sneaking out. In reality we both got caught once, and then learned our way around the wooden door. 

        I pushed it open and made my way onto the back porch. It took a second for me to find him, but once I did; I smiled. 

                I climbed down the 3 steps into our backyard. The grass was wet from dew, and the lightning bugs almost distracted me. Our security light was in the front yard so it was dark and the lightning bugs looked like glitter, lighting up the sky one after one. 

                I laid down beside Travis. Ignoring the dew, and looked up at the sky also. 

                        "Oh, hey Mace." He looked over at me and his cheesy smile made me forgive him for waking me up so early in the morning. 

        "You always take care of me." He said. I smiled, knowing exactly what he meant. This wasn't the first night he showed up at my house at 2:30, smelling faintly of Jack Daniels. It had actually became the usual. Isaiah would help me get Travis up the stairs and into my room, cause he was highly intoxicated and uncoordinated. Travis would stay over night, wake up with a hangover and apologize all week until the next Friday night. An endless cycle and honestly something I have come accustomed to. 

        "Come on, Babe. Let's get you upstairs." I sat up, and he did the same. 

        We made it to the wooden door without too much trouble. 

                "Now you are going to have to be quiet. Dad is asleep in the living room." He nodded and I knew he probably didn't understand. Isaiah opened the door for us and he grabbed a hold of Travis's arm. 

                        "Come on, buddy." He whispered. Isaiah was older than me by a year. He graduated high school last year, and worked at my mom's cafe. He went to college online, but always managed to help me out of trouble with Travis. I think he looked at Travis like a misguided little brother. Plus, he knew how close me and Travis were. He wasn't overprotective like they make all big brother's seem in books, movies, etc. He trusted me, and that was enough. 

        He practically carried Travis all the way up the stairs. I stayed at the bottom until they made it to the top to make sure Dad didn't wake up. Although Travis was bigger than Isaiah, since Isaiah was like a pole with absolutely no muscle, Isaiah still managed to get him up the stairs every time. 

        When they were safely at the top I climbed the stairs two at a time. "Thanks, Bub." I said just like always. He saluted me and went to bed, just like always. 

        "Now come on." I said quietly, bringing Travis into my room. He laid on my bed and pulled me down with him. 

                I turned around in his arms so I was facing him. His eyes were shut, but I knew he was still conscious cause he was playing with the ends of  my hair. "You should really stop drinking." I said quietly, even though I knew it was a waste of breath. 

                        "I should." He agreed. "But you know I won't." He giggled quietly and pulled me closer.

                "What caused it this time?" I asked knowing there was a new reason he drunk every week.

                        "Dad."I felt his grip around me tighten. I caressed his cheek and he visibly relaxed. 

                He opened his eyes and I thought that he might cry. I kissed his eye lids and he continued. "He said so many mean things to mommy."  This 18 year old in front of me, that everyone thought was so tough, looked like a lost little boy. They always wondered how come I looked at him the way I did. I seen this side of the boy they thought was fearless every time he got drunk. He needed help, in more ways than known to them. I knew some of the snobby girls thought he was a no-good alcoholic. They didn't know though, and I couldn't blame them for ignorance. 

                "Oh, sweetheart." I said. He snuggled closer into me and I petted him comfortingly. 

                        "We'll talk about this in the morning." He nodded in agreement. Right as I fell asleep I felt a single tear land on my neck.