Time Itself

the other guy

Even through the droplets of the rain, she could still see the smoke of the real storm. The thunder beating like a heart in time with her own and she found her screams muffled as she reached out a hand. She didn't want this, the tangle of her arms mixed with the freckle stained ones of her brother and she screamed louder as he finally grasped her arms in a firm hold.

She had been awoken to a loud banging on the door of the room, her eyes shooting open on full alert but immediately her body and mind were reminded of the bliss of sleep and a groggy feeling came to her as her brain tried to figure out what was happening. "Mom?" She mumbled in a deep and sleepy voice but she was immediately shushed by her brother reaching over her shoulder to the other side of the small bed; the only bed they could afford besides their mother's.

He picked up a phone that looked too old for the modern time, an off-brand model with the paint scratched and faded from the case. Checking the time, it was almost five in the morning and Daniel sighed as he was immediately awake and alert.

"Ana, stay in bed," he urged in a whisper and picked up one of his heavy boots from the end of their bed. He slid off of the end of the bed to keep Ana somewhat asleep, but failed as she was beginning to wake up more and he sighed as he trudged quietly to the hallway.

He was coming out of his room at the same time his mom was, her honey brown hair in a messy bun that told Daniel she fell asleep with her hair up and she pushed forward in front of him in case of a situation where she had to shield him and keep him safe. That was always the situation now.

A boot pistol, one neither knew the model of, was clutched in Andy's hand and hidden at her side as she began to slow her pace to the living room and she ducked under a ray of light from a flashlight that was being shown through the window embedded in the top of the door.

A series of muffled voices and laughs echoed around and there was a harsh hiss from a spray can.

Andy sighed in irritation, moving her thicker body in front of the window and barely dodging an empty spray can as it smashed through. She huffed and mumbled 'now we need a new window' under her breath. She opened the curtain of the smashed window, a curtain that was entirely a blanket.

"Could you not do this in a time when my family is trying to sleep, Marcus?" She said in irritation and the group of men and women jumped back upon realizing she was there.

The word "DEM" was painted in unfinished neon purple letters on the remainder window and Andy caught a glimpse of it. "How many times have I told you that he's not here? That he's gone?!" Andy was very irritated and Daniel could tell that the words hurt her to say. She was standing in a dark window with a dark green and grey striped v-neck on and grey and pink spotted pajama pants. Her hair was a mess and her once bright greenish brown eyes were now dull with exhaustion. Daniel knew she was over with this mob's shit.

The older teen gently gripped the rusted and short barrel of Andy's gun, pulling it away and yanking the door open as he clicked it off of safety and he dragged his mom behind him, pushing her to the hallway. "Get some sleep Mom."

It wasn't a question, he was telling his mother in order to let her build herself up again. She gripped the boot he was holding in her hand and pulled it away from him. "Daniel," she said and Marcus, the lead of the mob laughed darkly under his breath as he pushed Daniel out of the way of the door. Daniel gasped and his body posture stuttered as his arm dropped to his side. Marcus pushed him again, a bit harsher this time as more of the mob made their way inside and Andy forced Daniel behind her. "Daniel, go to bed." She left no room for negotiations but Daniel didn't budge. Exactly as his mother didn't.