Wolves (English)

Chapter 1

Was that the last sentence already? Time passes quickly when you read an interesting book. And it started to get so exciting. Well, nothing to do about it. On to the next part then.

With one blow I close the book of Wolf Brother, written by my favorite author Michelle Paver. It is a story my best friend Amy recommended to me. It's about a boy called Torak. He has to flee from a black bear and runs into a wolf cub on the way, which he spends the rest of his journey with. It was very exciting. Too bad I have finished it already. Fortunately, I can dive into the next book again in a while because there is a whole series about Torak and Wolf.

My mother is baking an egg in the kitchen. I sniff the wonderful scent and sit at the table. Today is an important day for her. She is finally told if she has got the job at the flower shop. My mom loves flowers. You will notice that when you enter our house. Everywhere you look, there are flowers. From red roses to daisies and from tulips to daffodils. Our garden is also dotted with flowers. Okay, maybe not right now because of the cold autumn weather outside. But hey, in the spring the first buds start to shoot out of the ground again.

'Honey, will you call your brother, please?' My mother turns to me and sighs a piece of hair from her face. 'It's been eight o'clock, and he knows I hate it when he's late again.'

'Of course, Mom.' I get up from my chair and stand at the bottom of the stairs. 'Finn, are you coming for breakfast?'

No answer. Typically my brother. Finn and I are two years apart, and you would hardly say we are related. He has my father's brown curly hair, green eyes, and despite his tough attitude, he is still very gentle. I look more like my mom, with my blonde peak hair, golden brown eyes, and full lips. I'm glad I look like her.

With a deep sigh I try again: 'Finn! You should have been down long ago, man! Where are you?'

Finally there is a reaction: 'Huh? Who? No, Ester. I'll be there in a minute.'

I know my brother well enough to know what's going on. Since his girlfriend broke up with him, he just doesn't dare to go to school anymore. Well, I can't help but understand him. It is not really fair how it all went. At first, I thought Finn broke up because everyone at school said so, but he told me the real version of the story. Andrea dumped him two weeks ago because she liked someone else. Oh, is that all? you might think. No-oh. According to Finn, Andrea cheated while they still had something. No wonder my brother no longer dares to face anyone. Dumped by your girlfriend and then also be called loser and player and a lot more at school.

Slowly I walk upstairs and knock on his bedroom door. 'Finn?'

Can I hear him sob now? I do not wait for an answer and push the door open. Yes, exactly what I thought. My brother is still under the covers, his head in the pillow. A wet circle has formed around his head. I know enough. I sit next to him and gently put a hand on his shoulder.

Finn jerks upright. Traces of tears run down his wet face, and his eyes are completely red. Yet, he tries to keep up, and with a confident tone in his voice he says: 'What are you doing here? You know you have to knock before you can enter?'

I cross my arms. 'I know that all too well, big brother. But I just couldn't leave you to your pathetic fate. Wouldn't you even go to school?' My head nods gently toward his alarm clock.

He does look at it, but he doesn't seem to see the time. 'What do I need school for? I can speak and understand English, I can calculate, I can do simple math, I can read and write ... That seems to me to be enough basic principles for a happy and healthy life.' With a deep sigh he drops back into the pillow.

'You don't have to pretend to me that nothing is wrong. I know you're still sad about the Andrea thing.'

My brother cringes when she hears her name. 'Andrea ...'

'Come on. What good is such a person?' I try to comfort him. 'If she really loved you, she wouldn't have gone out with that guy Robert.'

Finn immediately dives with his head under the pillow. 'I know you're right, Ester. I know I should try to forget her, but still ... It hurts every time I think about her. I didn't know love could be so intense.'

Unfortunately, I have to confess that I don't know what real love feels like. I've never been in love, simply because no one sees me, and because the guys who do see me just want to take advantage of me. Despite that, I feel sorry for my brother.

'You know what? You just go to school and you flirt with other girls. After all, now you are single again,' I try to cheer him up. 'Then Andrea will probably get jealous and regret dropping you like this.'

That doesn't really help. Finn doesn't answer.

'Shall I tell Mom you're free for the first two hours?' I suggest carefully. 'Then you will still be able to see what you are doing.'

In reply he puts his thumb up.

'And?' my mother asks when I come back downstairs. 'Is he going to improve his life and is he finally coming down?'

'Absolutely!' I reply as cheerfully as possible. 'But later on because he has the first two hours off.'

'Okay. I was afraid he had overslept again. That would be the third time this week.' My mom puts a steaming plate of fried egg in front of me. 'Enjoy your meal sweetheart. Oh, and before I forget: would you like to visit old Mr. Vineyard? The apples are almost gone, and I also urgently need vegetables for dinner'

Mr. Vineyard is the old greengrocer who lives in the forest near our house. There he has a small shop where a few people pass by every day. He is a very nice man. I used to go there with my parents as a child, and when my mom paid for the groceries, I always got a treat.

I quickly take a look outside. Yesterday, there was still a watery sun, but now the rain is tapping our kitchen window. Bah! Actually, I never feel like cycling through the forest at these moments. When it has rained, it is always a mud pool. However, I can't disappoint my mom, not now that my dad has to work late tonight and Finn still seems unable to do anything useful.

'Of course, Mom. Immediately after school I go to Mr. Vineyard.'