You Can't Live Like This... (The Rules of Survival Fanfiction)

Gloucester

This was the day that Nikki finally made a mistake. I knew it was going to happen, thanks to what Matthew told me beforehand. We all sat in Murdoch's truck, Matthew and I, mainly, while you and Callie drove around with Nikki. Murdoch and I sang our hearts out to old timey singers like Michael Jackson, Bon Jovi, and even David Bowie. I swear, we listened to Dance, Magic Dance at least three times by the end of the day. Matthew eventually started tuning in and humming a bit. He might not admit it, but he got Shot Through The Heart stuck in his head. I heard him humming it as we set up your play area, because God forbid you didn't have something else to do. I'm kidding, but it was a bit of a pain. Matthew said I didn't need to do it, but I insisted.

Anyways, I was almost like Nikki a few minutes later. Bored. She and I would make casual conversation, you know, talking about school, boys, usual things girls talk to each other about. She'd play with my hair at times, even putting it into a ponytail and let my bangs fall to one side on my face. She tucked a piece behind my ear and smiled. For once, Emmy, I saw the Nikki she could have been. A caring, loving, genuine mother. She tapped my nose with her finger again, and I smiled, giggling a bit as I finally stood, walking towards Callie and you. The two of you checked out small puddles with little tiny fish and probably sand fleas between the rocks. I could hear Nikki saying something from up the incline, but I didn't quite catch what she said. As I was pointing out something to you, I turned my head to look at you as your eyes had been gleaming before, and all I saw was Nikki halfway down the rocks, dragging you along with her. My eyes widened, and Callie already zoomed past me.

"Nikki, come back! These rocks aren't stable!" Murdoch yelled. I stood up straight, seeing as Matthew's foot wobbled on one rock, the one he stood on being unsteady. My heart leapt and I started carefully but quickly making my way to you all. "Be careful, Matt, your rocks aren't secure!" Murdoch stopped Matthew and Callie, voice clipping in rage. "Stay here." Callie panted heavily. "You don't understand! Emmy!"
"I'll get Emmy, don't move." He started following your mother and you again. I made it to the two, looking at Matthew. "What the hell did you do to Nikki?" I chased after Murdoch and the two of you, hearing Matthew and Callie follow. Nikki had taken you to a dead end where there was a huge waterfall that lead to hard rocks below. My eyes widened. Two thing happened at this point, Emmy;

Callie slipped and cried out in pain from slipping on a rock and cutting her foot open.
And Nikki dangled you over the edge of the waterfall by your feet.

I didn't know who to go to. Callie needed someone more than Matthew to help her back up, but you needed to be taken away from Nikki before she dropped you. "Lynny!" Matthew called. I looked up the incline, seeing as he held his sweatshirt to Callie's foot. He nodded to me, and I knew what he was trying to say. I turned around, facing the situation at hand. Emmy, you were silent as Nikki dangled you, swaying you from the waterfall, to the rocks she stood on. Waterfall, rocks, waterfall, rocks, waterfall, rocks. Murdoch inched closer. He was only a couple more feet away. Somehow I knew. Not close enough! I started to inch forward too, feeling my leg wobble as I stepped on an unsteady stone. Murdoch spoke. "Nikki, we need to go back up. These rocks aren't meant to hold people, let's just go back up the rocks, okay?"

I held my breath as Nikki just laughed. "We play this game all the time! Emmy loves this! I know what my kids like." Thankfully Murdoch got close enough to where he could grab you. He took you from her, and to my relief, she let him. Then, just like the snap of your fingers, she was back to climbing up the incline, past me, past Matthew and Callie, just shouting that we were losers. Murdoch sighed. I gave him the typical, I told you so face before turning and slipping on a rock, cutting my hand as I landed. "OW!"
"Lynny!" I thought Murdoch had called my name. As I was helped up, I looked into the eyes of Matthew. Murdoch was ahead, looking back with worry. I look at my bleeding hand, blinking. Matthew sighed, thankful it looked clean, and started helping me up the incline.

As Matthew and I rode back in Murdoch's truck, we listened to the radio instead, as Matthew helped me fix my hand. We had wrapped up Callie's foot before we left. Matthew and I were in the back as he wrapped up my hand with bandage and gauze. The three of us just sat in silence. And as we dropped off Matthew with Nikki and you two girls. I could see the confused and concerned gleam in Murdoch's eyes.

That's when I knew that Matthew's visits would be less and less, and that Murdoch was going to break up with Nikki soon.