Talia

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

I hear screams. Loud, terrifying screams. They won't stop. I wake up, and I can't remember what the nightmare was about. Beads of sweat roll down my forehead. I hear a knock at my door.

"Talia?" Linda asks.

"Yes?" I reply with an angry tone. I really hate talking or seeing people in the morning. That is why I usually wake up early, to avoid any kind of human contact. My conscience struck. I don't have any right to be sour, but people are just so annoying.

"Are you alright? I heard a scream," Linda says worried.

"I'm fine," I say.

"Are you sure? You usually wake up much earlier. Its breakfast, oh.. and Talia?" She asks.

"What?" I shout.

"School starts in 10 minutes," her calm voice makes me sick.

"What? Why didn't you wake me up?" I shout.

"Don't get angry at me! I'm not the one who stayed up last night reading books," she says peaceful.

I jump out of the bed, and almost tremble in a huge bag. Sometimes my room is a mess; this is one of those times. Clothes occupy each spot at the ground. My brain shuts down. What do I do? This is the first time I oversleep. Clothes! I hurry to my closet, and grab the first sweater and pair of jeans I can see. I end up looking like a rainbow. My jeans are red, and my sweater is yellow and blue. Despite how I look, my feet run as fast as they can out of my room, into the living room, up the stairs from the basement, to another living room, and into the kitchen.

"Good morning." I meet Linda's smiling face. She looks way to cheerful. Every morning she usually greets me with a serious face that doesn't show any emotion at all.

"What's up with you?" I ask with a tense smile on my mouth. My nose catches the smell of burnt egg and bacon. Last time we had such a delicious breakfast was last Sunday, we only eat bacon on Sundays…

"Why did you wake me up?" I ask irritated.

"Sorry." Her voice is on the perk of laughing, and she can't hold back that smile much longer.

"I want us to eat together." I give her a suspicious look.

"Someone will join us for breakfast?" I ask. That someone knocks at our front door. Linda opens the door.

"Hello!" Linda says.

"Hi," a dark male voice replies. Is she going to introduce me to her new boyfriend? Like.. right now? I check myself in the reflection of a pot. I certainly don't look normal today. I feel like the pot is teasing me, making my face look even worse than usual.

"Duglas, please come in," Linda says. A tall boy steps inside the kitchen. His face hides under a hoodie. Everything he wears is black; his hoodie, his shoes and pants. I am pretty sure his favorite color is pink. The sight of him can make the strongest and bravest men afraid and suspicious. I'm surprised Linda didn't hesitate to invite this guy in. I mean, she is afraid of frogflyers.

"This is Duglas," Linda says. She stands in front of the lord of darkness in her everyday clothes: An orange, huge sweater and tight blue jeans. I'm also surprised someone like him could fall for someone like her, they are complete opposites.

"Uhm…okay?" I mumble. Linda makes one of her rare expressions. One eyebrow stretches to reach the sky, one eye looks bigger than the other, and lines comes to view in her palm. She snaps out of it.

"This is your brother Talia," she says as kind and calm she can in a situation like this. I release my grip around the pot. The pot falls. It starts to spin for some seconds, before freezing completely. We all jumped when it hit the ground.

"What?" I can't move, hardly speak. It takes a minute for me to realize I am staring at the pot. I fix my eyes on Linda. She seems troubled and confused, like she doesn't know what to do. How should I react? What is a normal reaction?

Linda finally says something, "I wasn't sure it was true at first, but there is proof. You share the same blood!" I hadn't recognized the paper he holds in his hand, even though it stands out from his dark outfit. He slowly hands me the paper. I skim read the text, and then look up.

"What now?" I ask. Linda's eyes glisters. Some tears falls down her chins. She tries to hold them back and clear her voice.

"He wants you to come with him." I shake my head. She wipes her tears, but more keep coming.

"He has the right to take you into his custody as a grown man. The government agreed to it." My heartbeat fastens; I don't know what to say. Words come up in my head, angry words.

"I don't even know who he is! You can't let him take me mom." Linda widens her eyes. I realize this is the first time I call her that. I knew from the very beginning that Linda wasn't my real mom. She told me, and kept reminding me. I think she would prefer to be called sister, but in my eyes, she will always be my mother. She was only 16 when I was adapted to their family. Half a year after, her mother died, and Linda had to take responsibility for me.

"I'm sorry," she hugs me. Her tears are cold. I don't cry, no matter how much I want to, I can't. "But you have to go with him."

"Why?" I whisper. She leans back to look me in the eyes. Linda's eyes are really brown. Drops of water still flow down from them.

"He is a nice young man. Don't worry; I've met him several times. He wants to take care of you, and tell you about your family." She sniffs and gives me another hug.

"I will miss you," she says low.

"Why can't I stay here?" I shout, and steps away from Linda.

"Because..", Linda thinks about what to answer. "Because I'm not capable of giving you what you need anymore. Soon I will have a vacation." She is serious, no movement in her eyes, body or face. I can't believe her. The first chance she gets, she tosses me away like an old doll.

"Fine!" I run to my room, pick up the packed bag, and run out of the house. I don't stop, I still run.