When The Back Glows

Episode One

Sounds from people chattering, fridge closing, pots clanking, pop sounds of beer bottle opening, cars honking echoed through the diner as I strolled across to serve a customer. My name is Ave, Ave Willows. I was able to live well when my dad was alive as he was working at a big company. Now he is no longer with us...

With a depressed mother, an eight-year-old brother, it was a struggle to live. Luckily, Dad left us a house so we didn't have to face the horror of being homeless although I had to step up to take care of my family. As a result, I started working part-time at a bustling Japanese restaurant named Kobe eight months ago.

"Ave, clean up the tables, the customers are leaving. I'll refill the beer bottles for the night." It was Dan. Dan had just recently joined the staff here and as surprising to say, he was able to cope much better to working life than when I first got here. He had that distinguished look on his appearance so I mistook him for a customer when he first arrived.

After I helped Dan close the shop, I walked back home. The streets of North Avenue weren't always the safest but somehow, living in a quiet town such as this certainly was healthy for both Mom and Ben. I had given up on my chances to get into college, seeing that we barely make enough money to put food on the table.

As I passed through some streets, I could see how normal and mundane this town really was. But then again, I had never been outside this town. However, from what I read in the news about other cities and countries, 'lazy' would be the best term to describe where I lived.

When I got back home, I was greeted by Ben's awfully sweet face as he tried to show me his art from school today. There used to be a time when I tried to act ignorant to his actions simply because I didn't want to be the girl affectionate with her family. But that was when I was in high school and when Dad was alive.

Mom was sitting on the couch, watching the news. I knew she was exhausted with her shift at the hospital today. She was a part-time nurse and worked as many shifts as she could to provide for the bills and Ben's tuition fees.

"I'm back, Mom." I said as she turned to me for a second before turning back to the television. She let out a sigh. "Be careful out these days, dear. Another five died out of fever again today. Must be the climate change working up heat strokes. So much for the government helping out. They keep cutting trees left and right."

"Uh-huh." I responded. Mom had always been an environmentalist so listening to her complain about the authorities was a common day to me. I took off my shoes and decided to cook some food. Maybe a salad would work well with the leftover food I got from the restaurant today.

"Avel, Avel! Look at what I drew today." Ben said as he showed me a paper with a bunch of scribbles. Wanting to give him as much sibling love as I could, I decided to take a look at his work and give fake compliments. That's the truth anyway.

I love Ben to the moon and back but I had never done well with kids. "Alright, Benny. Show me what you got." He handed me a piece of paper with a bash of colours on it. But when I saw it, I was almost shocked. It was a stickman figure with red coming out of his mouth.

"Ben...what is this?" I asked and he pointed at the picture. "That's the man I saw on the way to school." He replied. I was concerned at this and tried to show it to Mom as well. Knowing how paranoid I was, Mom tried to make me shrug it off and said Ben probably didn't have other crayons to colour with.

With a sigh, I let go of the subject. After dinner, I decided to tuck Ben to bed. "Come on, Benny. Let's get you to bed. You have a big day tomorrow." When I said that, he pouted furiously. By furious, I meant a series of grunts and rants.

"But I don't wanna sleep yet! And there's nothing special tomorrow either." He said and clutched onto his toy robot. I mentally sighed and tried to indulge him to go to bed. "Why don't you try to talk to that girl you like at school? What was her name again? Was it Josie?"

He frowned at my words. "It's Georgie!" But still refused to go to bed. That was when I decided to be strict.

"Benjamin Willows, if you don't get to bed by the count of three, I will make sure there is no more ice-cream for breakfast forever."

When I said that, his eyes widened and he immediately dashed to our conjoined bedroom and jumped onto his bed. I followed him and sat down by his bedside. It was a usual routine for either Mom or me to read him bedtime stories.

After a while, just as he was about to finally fall asleep, he called out to me. "Avel? You know what scares me the worst in the whole world?" His eyes were struggling to stay open but I decided to respond to him anyway.

"What is it, Benny?"

He held onto my hand and whispered. "The word forever."