Worth the Reward

CHAPTER 6

Waking up in the living room of my childhood home made me feel a number of things. Disoriented at first, then nostalgic. It reminded me of summers as a kid, being crammed on the couch with Nick and Luke having slept downstairs because it was cooler here than in our rooms. What I wouldn't do to get a bowl of cereal, turn on Saturday morning cartoons and dick around with my brothers.

But then the nostalgia faded, and fear replaced it. I bolted upright on the couch and leaned toward the kitchen, looking to see if Dad was still there, but I could tell from here that he was gone. Where? I didn't know, and I wasn't about to seek him out. So instead, I made my way upstairs to check on Mom and Luke.

Peeking into the room, I could tell they were both asleep –Luke on his bed, his arms and legs hanging off opposite ends, and Mom slouched in the chair. I smiled a little, then went back downstairs and grabbed some things out of my bag before going to the bathroom to shower, brush my teeth, and change into fresh clothes.

"Hey," I whispered when I reentered Luke's room. Mom flinched a little in the chair, lifting her chin from the palm that it had been resting in. "He still asleep?"

She hummed an affirmation as she stretched.

"Why don't you take a break?" I suggested placidly, standing at the back of the chair and tipping it gently to urge her out of it. "Take a shower or have a nap or get something to eat."

She looked over her shoulder at me, unimpressed.

"Come on," I groaned with a desperate chuckle. "Please? For me?"

She sighed, giving in, and then stood. "It might be nice to busy myself. You hungry?"

"I could eat," I answered, shrugging before taking Mom's place in the chair.

"Eggs and toast?"

"Sounds perfect."

She gave me a smile that didn't touch her eyes, then stepped over to me, placing a hand on my shoulder, and kissed the top of my head. "I'll bring it up to you."

I patted the hand on my shoulder. "I'll be here."

Leaning back, I pulled my phone from my pocket, making a disgruntled noise when I realized it was almost dead. I'd forgotten to charge it last night. Oh well. I'd just have to-

"Mom?" Luke's voice was immediately panicked, his eyes wide with alarm. "Mom?"

"Hey, it's okay," I soothed, putting my hand to his shoulder and then fighting the impulse to pull it away after feeling the warmth and slickness of his skin.

"Parker?"

"Yeah. It's me. I'm here."

"I can't see," he whispered, his voice shaking.

Impaired vision. I glanced at my watch. Eight twenty-one. A few hours short of a full day; considerably longer than eight hours. But that just begged the question: how much longer would he make it?

"It's alright. Don't panic. Just breathe. Okay? Breeeeathe."

He tried inhaling through his nose, but his breaths just came shorter and harsher. "How much longer?" he whined.

"Just until you feel calm."

"No," he moaned, his whole face pinched in pain. "How much longer until this is over?"

"I don't know," I told him honestly, swallowing back the lump in my throat, the aching in my chest. "I don't know."

Both his hands flew to his scalp where his fingers clawed, and then he dragged them down his temples and over his clenched jaw, leaving irritated scratches in their wake. Then he sagged into the mattress, panting like a dog in the summer heat. Exhausted.