Demon of the Skies [Book 1]

Siblings and Friends

Chapter Quote:
"Let go of the past, but keep the lessons it taught you."
~Chiara Gizzi
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Chapter 28: Siblings and Friends

Three more raps on the door sent my uncle into action. Spooked, he grabbed a rifle from the hallway closet and a handgun, handing the latter to me as he said, "Wake up your brother. Grab the other gun from underneath his bed."

"I'll ask how many weapons you have hidden later," I muttered, rushing off.

I found Genette sprawled out on his back, snoring obnoxiously loud. God help his future wife...

"Genette!" I hissed, slapping him on the shoulder. "Get up!"

"Wha- wha's goin' on?" he murmured, looking around in a daze.

"Get your ass up! Someone's at the door." I bent down to grab the gun attached to the underside of his bed. Meanwhile, Genette sat up and glanced at the clock.

"It's two in the morning. Who's here?"

"We don't know, but Uncle Jason said to get up and to take this." I handed him the gun. My brother stared at me with wide eyes as the situation dawned on him. Without a word, he followed me into the hallway, where we stood behind our uncle.

"Get behind me," Genette whispered.

"You get behind me!" I said, pushing him back. "I'm the soldier here."

Uncle Jason pointed his rifle at the door, waiting for the person to either knock or break in. I waited with bated breath, praying it was some lost traveler instead of someone going after my uncle or a robber. For all we knew, someone put the few pieces together from the documentary and figured out where my uncle lived. It wasn't out of the realm of possibility.

The person shouted, "Blaze?! Genette?! You home?!"

I lowered my weapon instantly. "Chopper?"

"Chopper?" Genette repeated as I peeked through the blinds. Sure enough, our friend stood in front of the door, drenched head to foot. In the blink of an eye, I threw open the door for him.

"Oh, thank God," Chopper said in relief. "I thought I'd have to run all the way back in the rain."

"What are you doing here? Are you okay?" I asked worriedly, looking him up and down for any potential injuries.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. I'm sorry to-" Chopper's eyes narrowed in on the gun in my hand, then on the ones in Genette's and Uncle Jason's. "Were you going to shoot me?"

"Sorry. We thought you were- never mind," I said hastily, deciding it'd be best not to explain the fact I thought he was someone from my uncle's past come to see him. Or kill him. Not sure which was more likely. "It's the middle of the night, and you have a former soldier and current one. You think we're not going to be armed and spooked by someone banging on our door?"