Gods and Monsters

Ch. 24 Remembering

Small feet rushed down the stairs, the blond six year old seemed to still be half asleep but he woke up instantly at the sight of their mom. She'd only just returned home but she wasn't staying long. She'd already gotten what she'd needed and the two bottles of alcohol were now stuffed in her large purse.

"Mommy!" He ran to her, interfering with her departure out the front door. "Don't go, please!" He cried. Latching onto her legs, he held on as tightly as he could.

Sage stood to the side nervously watching his little brother who was intent on keeping their mom for just a little longer.

She picked up Elias, letting him hug her. Sage didn't know why she kept leaving but secretly he preferred it to having to watch her drink until she started crying on the couch or puking in the bathtub. Once she started, she didn't stop until she passed out. Most of the time that wasn't until after she'd have a screaming match with someone who wasn't there.

Elias was placed back onto his own feet and the front door slammed shut behind her. He plopped down onto his butt, crying loudly and screaming for their mom to come back.

Sage rushed to him, pulling his little brother to him and hugging him tightly. He tried to calm him down by rocking him from side to side.

"They always leave." Elias sobbed. Sage agreed but he wanted to make his little brother feel better. He didn't like to see anyone cry, it made him sad.

"I won't," he said, hugging Elias tighter. "I'll never leave, okay?"

"Pinky promise?" Elias sniffled, pulling back to offer Sage his pinky.

"Pinky promise." Sage wrapped his pinky around Elias', knowing he'll keep his promise.

Something was digging into his neck and his head felt like it was vibrating.

Sage cracked opened his eyes to see things rushing past. He felt queasy but he swallowed the excess spit in his mouth, seeming to make it worse. His head felt clogged and stuffy but one thought cut through the fogginess.

"Elias..." He slurred, lifting his heavy head from the door and moving the seatbelt that was trying to strangle him. "We have to get Eli." He knew that was important.

"I'm here Sage."

Spinning in his seat, he breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of his little brother. His stomach turned and his hand went to his mouth. "Pull over." He could feel the bile slowly rising up the back of his throat.

The car jerked to a stop and Sage fumbled to get the door open and his seatbelt off before he stumbled out of the car and fell to his knees in the small patch of grass. The little he'd ate that day came back up and Sage cried as he puked and dry heaved. It hurt, the muscles in his stomach clenching as they tried to force up something that wasn't there.

A warm hand was on his back but he couldn't think properly. Sage sobbed as drool dripped and his stomach lurched again but there was nothing there but stomach acids and it burned.

"What's happening?" He cried, looking up at Brandon who was rubbing his back. His mind was a little too preoccupied for embarrassment to seep in. "H-he..." Sage couldn't remember clearly or get the words out as his voice wavered and he dry heaved again.

Brandon reached into the car from the door Sage hadn't cared to shut and opened the glove compartment. Taking out napkins, he wiped Sage's mouth and then used another to wipe away tears that were replaced with fresh ones.

"W-What's happening?" He repeated but still Brandon didn't respond. Sage wasn't stupid, he knew the other boy knew something. As much as he didn't want to believe it, something was happening. Whatever it was, it was affecting all of his siblings. He needed to know so he could protect them. He had to protect them.

Becoming annoyed that his questions were left unanswered and Brandon wasn't saying anything, Sage snatched the hand that reached up to wipe his face again and ignored the warm tingles as he pushed it away.

Everyone was keeping things from him and it was pissing him off. There was an insistent nagging in his head that made him feel like he was missing something important but he couldn't remember. He couldn't even remember leaving the Baxter's or why Elias had suddenly agreed to come home. The last Sage could remember, Elias was very determined to stay.

Wiping at his eyes with the back of his hand, Sage looked around to see that the streets were empty and he couldn't see any headlights. He recognized the area though and knew they weren't far from home.

Brandon was crouched beside him, waiting patiently but something about it annoyed Sage. His brows furrowed as he looked him over with narrowed eyes.

"What happened?" Brandon didn't answer, so Sage pushed himself onto unsteady feet and pulled open the back door. "Get out." The kids looked at him with wide eyes from where they were all smooshed in the backseat.

"Sage, come on..." Brandon sighed, standing up.

"Tell me what's going on! Why can't I remember getting Eli to come home?" Gripping the car door to hide his shaking hands, he looked between his siblings and Brandon. He was positive something happened. He could feel it. Something was different. All these weird things were happening, scary things. Sage glanced behind Brandon at the dark street and felt his need to get home grow.

Warm hands landed on his shoulders and Sage looked up to meet amber eyes that flashed golden. It must have been the street lights. "Look, calm down, okay?" He'd always found Brandon's deep voice soothing and the warmth radiating off him helped Sage steady his breathing and erratically beating heart. "I was in the car remember, watching the kids?"

Sage nodded remembering getting out the car and leaving his younger siblings with Brandon. He knew they'd be safe with him for that short time.

"What happened after you went inside?" Brandon asked.

Mr. Baxter had opened the door. Sage hadn't waited to be invited in and had instead ran upstairs to Sam's room where he knew Elias would be. His little brother had been cuddled up to Sam, closer than friends would be. Sage's eyes widened as he looked into the car at the younger teen who watched them curiously.

"Sage, focus."

Right. Elias had been surprised to see him. They had argued but Sage had grown tired of going back and forth. "Um," his brows furrowed in confusion. "I pulled Eli out to the car and then we left." Sage remembered, his face warming in embarrassment.

Brandon smiled down at him and shut the back door. "Should we get you home now?"

"O-okay." Sage got in the car quickly, ashamed of how he acted and how he'd assumed things. Although he didn't really know what he'd assumed. Something just didn't feel right.

Trying to ignore the nasty taste in his mouth, he sunk further down in his seat and didn't dare look back at his siblings. He just wanted this day to be over already and for things to go back to when they were at least somewhat normal.
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