The Forgotten Ones

Chapter 6: Stars Align - Part 1

"Eventually all the pieces fall into place, but until then...remember. "

Tuesday...
         4:34pm.

  Her eyes studied the sheet, watching her stick figures come to life as she filled them with color. She had spent all evening after school working on the drawing, ecstatic to see her brother's reaction. With her small, clammy hands, she gripped the light brown crayon, smearing in Eli's skin; the first time she had used that color in the picture. To any other eye, Eli would have stood out and risen many brows but not with her. To Ava, he was the missing puzzle piece that completed it all; he belonged.

  At the bottom of the picture, she scribbled a few lines, trying to recreate the letters she had learned in school. She failed. It was gibberish at its finest, but to Ava it made perfect sense. To her, it said family.

"Eli!" She chirped, leaping to her feet. She pranced down the hall towards his room. "Eli! Eli! Eli!"

"In here!" He replied, and she ignored his irritated tone. Finally reaching his doorway, she hid the drawing behind her back about to proudly announce his surprise, but was taken back by the horrific mess before her. "I-woah..."

Dropping his mattress, he gave her a pestered look.

"What princess?" He answered breathless; his hair almost as disheveled as his room. His clothes replaced the carpet, and his covers were clinging to the corners of the doors to his closet which had been completely rummaged through.

"What are you doing?" She asked.

He sighed, opening his drawers. "Looking for something."

"What are you looking for?" She rocked back-and-forth on her toes and heels.

"Nun-ya."

She quirked her lips before continuing. "Well, I made something cool. I want you to have-"

"Not now, Ava." He waved her off.

She whined; a frown appearing. "But I worked hard on it-"

"I'm busy." Eli interrupted and she could tell he wasn't paying an ounce of attention to her. Watching him pull a few more items from his shelves, she sighed before gently placing the drawing on his desk, silently leaning on his doorframe.

  Elias groaned as he opened yet another empty shoe box. He'd only been able to collect eleven dollars and twelve cents. Which was all he managed to save from last year. How did rainbow boy expect him to come up with two hundred dollars in under a week? He thought. His father wouldn't even allow him to work while there was still no one available to take care of Ava after school. His only exception was school related events and practices. There was no way he'd be able to accumulate that much money by friday and Eli felt a strange feeling of disappointment because of it.

He ran a hand through his hair.

  He hadn't noticed how much he wanted to be part of 'the club' until the dream began to shatter in front of him. The idea of being able to catch the killer was leaving faster than it had arrived. Without the money, he had no chance with the club. Without the club, he had no chance of catching La Mort Noire. Without La Mort Noire...

I have no chance. He thought. Who am I kidding?

  His face fell unresponsive as his father came to mind. He was smiling and nodding. Never before seen, but dreamed of for years and he felt beaten. Before this, there was nothing he could think of doing that his father would see worthy enough to acknowledge him for. Nothing.