Painless

Chapter 2

"Actually, I did." I turn around and see Mom with a small smile on her face. She is standing right in the doorway to the dining room. I have no idea for how long but I can assume for long enough.

"Why? I can do it! Why keep this from me?" I start to feel tears coming. Not now, Rebel.

"I personally wanted to because I knew you already had to much on your plate; your gift for example. And it is something all your siblings had to do. You and Autumn included."

"It's stupid." I mutter.

"I'm honestly sorry, Baby." Mom looks down, as if ashamed. Mom has always looked out for me and was there to wipe up my tears from a hard day of training.

She was the one who helped me develop my quick thinking. She would give me a scenario; whether it be about life or death, or about how to find facts about a person just by looking at them, and then I would be given thirty seconds to give my best answer. I would be my favorite game when I was younger. Now I like it because she gives me harder and harder possibilities, making me think.

"Everyone, go to your room. Your mother and I need to talk." Dad says through gritted teeth. Everyone hesitates a bit, but they all nod and leave the dining room. I stay a bit longer though. "You too, Rebel Harmony."

I sigh, defeated, and begin walking upstairs when I stop at the sound of my mom's voice.

"You can't just leave her, Ryland."

"Why not?"

"She's your daughter. Our daughter!"

"She is just walking trouble."

"They know about her, Ryland. If we have her go out there by herself, they will find her and she won't know what to do. They will hurt her." My other warns. They? That can mean many different things.

"They can't hurt her." My dad scoffs.

"Not physically. But emotionally and mentally they can. They can use Autumn against her. You know how much her sister means to Rebel." My dad groans and there is a long, steady silence. I question if they are even talking to each other anymore. "Are you really thinking about it, Ryland?"

"Fine, fine. I'm sorry. We keep her."

"You're acting as if she is a dog we found on the streets." Mom says, disappointed. "I expected more out of you, Ryland. It is your job to protect people. That includes your own daughter. She doesn't know what is out there after her. Neither does Autumn. They need each other, and they need you. Don't be selfish." I see Mom storm out of the room. I see my dad's reflection in the mirror running his hands through his hair. I hide behind a chair as Mom passes. She gets to the end of the hallway.

"I'm sorry you had to hear that, Rebel." She says.

"It's fine. I know he hates me anyways." I shrug, but it still hurts a lot.

"He doesn't hate you. His job just sometimes clouds his judgment." I nod. "Off to bed now." She holds out her hand, and I grab it. We go upstairs and walk into my room.

"Goodnight, Rebel." She kisses my forehead and begins to leave when I stop her.

"Who's 'they'?" I ask. She freezes at the door. She sighs and goes to sit on my bed and pats the spot next to her. I sit down cross-legged and look at her. She closes her eyes for a moment and then opens them.

"I am worried about is a British gang your father and I tried to take down years ago because they were going after some US officials. We tore them down enough to call it good, but their sons swore vengeance on us. They said they were going to take us down at our weakness. We assumed our children so we warned your siblings about it. They were always cautious.