Nullified

Chapter 1

Tendrils of sunshine began to peek over the horizon. They mix with the atmosphere and create flaming streaks of red and orange. The very beginning of the sunrise is my favorite, particularly in this spot on the roof. I stayed up all night to see the sun and the people began to spread across the land to water their crops and feed their animals. I could hardly see the concrete wall beyond them, cutting off this agricultural space that we tend. Small creaks sounded from the roof behind me and I turned to see Lilliana tip-toeing to the empty spot next to me.

"I thought I told you to go to bed Lilli." She sat down beside me and handed me a handful of mom's marigolds. "And I thought I told you to keep your hands out of mom's flower bushes."

"But they're so pretty. And I'm sure she won't mind this time." She drew her knees under her chin and looked at me, her large brown eyes looking at my face, scanning and focusing on me. I turned my head back towards the sunrise.

"Don't look at me like that."

"Like what?" Her voice was softer, almost being carried away by the wind.

"Like you need to memorize me." The comment hung in the air. Lilliana turned her head away, looking towards the horizon with me.

"But that's a possibility. We can't pretend like it's not." I turn back to her and reach my hand out to wipe away a stray tear that slipped from her eye, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear before I drew away.

"I know. But we can't acknowledge it, or we'll remember each other as bawling, snotty, whiny-voiced cry-babies. And I don't want that." She chuckles and scoots closer to rest her head on my shoulder. We sat in silence and watched the sunrise and the people working.

I feel a tickle on my shoulder and reach to swat away whatever mosquito that decided to land on me, but I felt something furrier than a mosquito. A single glance made me scream and jump, the eight-legged critter scurrying away as well as the backs of two tiny boys.

The twins jump off the roof onto the balcony and slip into their room. Close behind, I followed them into their room and caught them by the backs of their shirts.

"Not only did you torment that poor spider, but you had the bravery to put it on me?" They look over their shoulders, their matching hooded brown eyes laughing and mocking.

"Amelia, you should've taken that chance to make a friend." Russ snickered at his own comment and Ray joined him. They both stopped when I knocked their heads together. I push them onto Ray's bed and readied myself to jump on them, elbow extended before the door flew open. My mother stands in the middle of the door frame, still in her pajamas, eye mask included.

"What in heaven's name are y'all doing up at this hour? Why am I hearing all this hooting and hollering?" My sister and I pointed at the boys who were now sitting and looking around their room as if they were innocent. My mother sighed and rolled her eyes before directing them to me.

"How am I supposed to sleep well with you miles away at training and you can't even behave while you're here?" My arm dropped back to my side and I glanced back to Lilliana, hoping for some support. She was rubbing at her arm and looking away out the window, avoiding my mother's wrath like I wish I could.

"Well? What do you have to say for yourself? You woke up me, your father, Olisa, and probably all of Sector 8. Is this what you meant when you told your father and me that you were responsible and that we needed to stop worrying?"

"No. Mom. We spent the night on the roof as our last night together, but I sent everyone to bed at around 3 a.m. They were supposed to be in bed, but they all got back on the roof. When the twins did, they brought a spider." Her glare changed focus to the twins, then her eyes looked up to the sky as she muttered something to herself.