Hunt

Chapter 1: Early Mornings

I jolt awake in a cold sweat, grasping at my chest. Nightmares having been plaguing my sleep. Glancing over at my clock I watch as it ticks over to 6:00, to which my alarm goes off. The violent chirping from the device feels like a cheese grater on my brain. Quickly slamming my hand down on the clock shuts it up. My body claws for more sleep in the warm beautiful folds of my sheets and blankets. But I force myself to stand from my bed, trying to ignore my heavy eyelids and stiff limbs. I couldn't be late for school again, despite how desperately I craved to return to my bed.

Pulling on a pair of jeans and a relatively clean white tee-shirt I have to stifle the yawn that had been building since I had rolled out of my bed. Mondays always seem to be the hardest mornings, and it's only slightly reassuring that this is a shared experience as Julie, my little sister. I watch from the kitchen as she stumbles from her room looking like a zombie. Staggering down the hall as she bumps into the walls haphazardly. You know what they always say: misery loves company.

"Morning Jules," I say as I meet her in the kitchen. She's quick to grumble something incoherent back at me as she palms an apple from the fruit basket sitting on the kitchen table. She stares down at it with a blank and emotionless expression, as if contemplating chucking it at my head.

"It's too early..." She finally mumbles, opting to set the apple down back in the basket as she slumps into a chair. Having deemed it taking too much energy to enact violence upon me. Much to my relief. "Can't we just skip school today? I'd do anything for just one more day to sleep." She says as she turns towards me, looking like she was waiting for my permission to shamble back to her room.

"Nope! We can't skip school today. It's an important day today and we couldn't have you missing it." I say with a twisted smile. I knew Julie had an algebra test today. The constant reminders our parents had given Julie to study had almost made me believe that I was the one who had the math test. I was hoping she neglected to remember that it was today. Panic tends to have the wonderful effect of waking you up. Plus, what brother would I be if I didn't revel in the chaos a little bit?

She lets out a long groan, stretching her anguish out as she reaches for the cereal, "Is it another dumb pep rally? I can't handle another one of those right now..."

"Nope! You, my wonderful sister, have a math test today."

I could see her grip the cardboard box tighter as her eyes suddenly widen. I could watch her mind turning, putting the pieces together. If the box in her grip had been alive it would be struggling to breathe. "Dammit Kyle! You wait until now to remind me of this?!" She begins to rush from the kitchen, nearly toppling her chair over as she bolts from the room in a mad panic. Taking the box of cereal with her.

I can't contain my laughter as I watch her go, not quite realizing my breakfast had gone along with her. Cursing as that realization hits me I make a mad dash after her, frantically grabbing for the box before she disappears into the dungeon that is her bedroom for easily the rest of the morning. "Julie! The cereal! Don't take it with you!"

She try's to hold it from my reach, "Nope! No! I need it!" She squeaks as I easily rip it from her hands. "H-hey!"

"'Hey' what? It's the only cereal left in this house that has any flavor!" I don't wait to hear her reply as I stride back to the kitchen. Quickly pouring a bowl for myself before Julie snags the box from under my arm, having followed me back into the kitchen like a gremlin. Sitting back down at the table I gaze out the window into the backyard. It was just beginning to become light outside, the sky blooming into a colorful pallet of crimson, orange, and pale blue. Quite a beautiful sight.

Finishing breakfast I glance over to the clock hanging from the wall, 6:30. Damn... Where did all the time go? I think to myself as I begin to clear my bowl. Julie hadn't come back out from her room, she's probably still frantically cramming for her test.

When the time finally comes for us to be off to school we climb into my old Cadillac. The bane of the family, and my only leverage I have over my sister at school. It was a smooth ride, but not without its own list of problems. If it sat for too long it wouldn't start, just crank over and over until it blows a cloud of black smoke. A mechanical issue that is way too expensive for me to fix right now. But It sure as hell beat the bus, despite its finicky nature. The engine roars to life as I press my foot down on the gas, Julie shrieks from the passenger seat as I rapidly accelerate down the driveway. She never was one for the dangerous life, preferred to drive the speed limit or even below it. No fun.

"Kyle! Slow down!" She pleads from the passenger seat. But I only ignore her and keep going. School was only about a five minute drive from our house, but I know I could make it in half the time if traffic was light and I really tried. It would've been just as easy to walk to school, but neither of us wanted to do that.

"Aaaand we're there." I announce as we pull into my assigned parking spot, making an effort to show me putting the car in park. I glance sideways over towards Julie to revel in her panic, but I can only seem to focus on the red Dodge that belonged to Heather out the window behind her. I catch myself reaching for my chest unconsciously, pulling my hand down violently to my leg. I hope my reaction wasn't too obvious.

"Hey Kyle?" Julie's question pulls my attention, having followed my gaze outside. "What ever happened between you and Heather? You never really talked about it, you two seemed so happy together..."

A sigh leaves my lips before I can even begin to form an answer, cutting Julie off from the rest of her sentence: "It's a long story Jules. But we just weren't compatible in the end. That's all there really is to it." I shut down any further questions by quickly stepping from the car.

I'd rather not talk about what happened with Heather. Especially with my sister. I still had the scars from that night, they still seemed to hurt a little on cold days. After the events that took place a year or so ago we split up. It was my choice, if you could really call it a choice. It crushed Heather, but at the time I was a complete mess. I couldn't begin to deal with everything that was happening. Not after nearly losing my life that night. She was never really the same afterwards, but neither was I.

Shaking myself from my thoughts I close the driver door, grabbing my backpack from the backseat. As we walk into the cafeteria Julie and I split up into to our own friend groups. She had many friends, a healthy tightly knit group that've known each other for years. A solid support system. I really didn't have that. Not that I didn't have friends, I just had other priorities that asked for most of my attention.

Slipping earbuds into my ears I crank up my music. Drowning out the meaningless conversation about whatever the hot topic of the week was or whatnot. I couldn't care any less about what the current social media trends were. But even as I blast my music I could see Heather talking to one of her friends across the commons area. Casually. It bugged me, how she could just stand there... Acting normal... Why is this rubbing me the wrong way? Why do I care about this so much?

A sudden tap on my shoulder causes me to jump, yanking an earbud from my ear as I turn to see who snuck up on me. Danny, someone I recognize from history class smiles up at me. We've known each other for years, but we have hardly passed more than just pleasantries to each other. "Hey Kyle! Good morning, did you have a good weekend?"

"Meh, wished I could get another day." I say with a tired half smile. My heart rate slowly returning to its normal tempo from the sudden shock.

She laughs back, "Yeah I wish. That would be really nice. Seemed like it was harder to get out of bed today..."

The school bell cuts our brief talk short. The shuffling and sudden mob of everyone rushing to first class separates the two of us quickly. This is common and we both accept it as we get pushed our separate ways. "See you in history!" She calls over the chatter.

"Yep!" I reply as I turn around. Moving along with the flow towards my first class. The dreaded subject of mathematics .