We are Family (Unfortunately)

Part 5

"I am never stretching so suddenly like that again..." I groaned, falling into bed after a shower.
I forgot that I need to limber up my muscles before serious stretching. Or maybe I didn't before and I was just getting old, like a crusty rubber band, ready to snap.
I felt ready to snap. My siblings were hell on Earth, there was something wrong with Mom, Pogo is mourning, and Dad is dead. I had no one to turn to.
I miss being a kid...

~•~
17 Years Ago
The whistle blew loud from the top of the stairs. All seven of us began sprinting up the many flights of stairs, eager to please Dad in agility training.
Luther got to the front almost immediately. He didn't hold the position long as Diego pushed ahead. I was behind Allison, her long, curly hair flying in my face, making it difficult to see. It seemed that I would not make top three, until...

"That's not fair, Five cheated!" Diego cried after Five used his spacial jumps to take first place.

Cheating, I could work with cheating.

"No he did not, he adapted!" Our father yelled from the top of the stairs.

Adapted...

I stopped for a second, allowing just enough time for Klaus and Ben to pass me. Then, I made my move. I stretched my legs out long, long enough to step onto the upper levels of stairs. I steadied myself carefully and stepped up to the next level. Just in front of Five, who had jumped forward again.

"Now Izzy is cheating!" Klaus called from one of the lower levels.

I heard a grunt from Dad, it was one of his 'I approve' grunts. If cheating the system got me Dad's praise, I was willing to cheat everything.

I devised a new plan. I waited for Five to jump again, and once he did, I stretched my arms to his shoulders and frog leaped over him. I landed right at the top of the stairs. First place.

I didn't get any praise though. Just my father nodding and jotting some notes down. And my siblings were not too happy with how I won, needless to say I was ignored for most of that week.

Just another example of my asshole siblings, who I loved oh so dearly.
~•~

A knock on the attic door made me jump out of my reminiscing.

I got up and made my way to the door, careful to avoid the shattered glass covering the floor.

"Who is it?" I called, leaning against the door. I had a careful mental list of who I didn't want to see.

"Klaus." The voice stated.

"I thought I told you to go choke on a pill."

Klaus snickered. "Well, I didn't. Can I come in?"

Ugh, no.

"Yeah." I swung the door open to a rain water soaked Klaus. I raised an eyebrow.

"Didn't you have an umbrella?" I asked, crossing my arms and staring at his sopping hair.

"I did. Then I didn't. Life's crazy." He poked his head in and took in the glass everywhere. "What happened in here?"

"This," I gestured vaguely, "is curtesy of our 58 year old brother."