Salvation : Book 3

CHAPTER 3 : Sound Off The Sirens

Michael North

"Mikey," I scowled at the nickname. I shut my laptop sitting up on my bed before I rose from it. My feet were bare as they pressed against the wooden floor. I padded my way to the door. He knocked again before I reached out for the door handle, pulling it open. Standing on the other side of the door in his superman pjs was Adrian my half brother. His blonde hair fell in curly locks, grown longer than he should have let it. He looked up at me with the same forest green eyes as my own.

"What?" I said curtly, Adrian bit his bottom lip as I crossed my hands over my chest.

"I'm hungry," he informed me and I just rolled my eyes.

"So?" I said my voice as cold as ice.

"You're supposed to be taking care of me," he said as he mimicked my demeanor, crossing his own hands over his small chest.

"I'm busy," I said before slamming the door in his face. He pounded his fists on the door, I turned the key, locking him out. He continued to yell for me, but I ignored him, sticking my earphones in my ears. I turned the volume up until I couldn't hear him.

My father and his new wife were celebrating their anniversary, and instead of hiring an actual babysitter they'd dropped off the little twerp here. My mother had been more than happy to volunteer me to look after him.

I didn't get her, why she was so nice to them. That woman and her child had torn our family apart yet my mother acted like it didn't matter. Didn't she miss him? Because I missed him. I missed having my dad here, instead of just seeing him on weekends. It wasn't fair the twerp was the one who got him. He was my father first.

Every morning my dad used to be waiting downstairs for me, with my lunch made and packed. He'd ruffle my hair and I'd try to push him away then he'd chuckle and wish me a good day before I left.

We used to toss around a football in the backyard after school. We'd talk about everything and anything. But now he was always too busy for that. Too busy with his new family. Too busy with Adrian.

I hated Adrian, he was the bane in my existence. Him and his mother had ruined everything. They took him away from us, from me.

...........................

He was gone.

How could I have let this happen? I had one job, to take care of the kid, and now he was in the hands of some psychotic power hungry witch. He was in danger and it was my fault.

What was he thinking walking into a trap? He had to have known it was a trap. I hadn't known him for long but if I was sure about one thing it was that the kid wasn't stupid, a bit naive but not stupid. He walked straight into that house knowing full well that the chances of him making it out were low. But I understood why he did it. He had to save his father.

I probably would have done the same thing. But it didn't make it a good idea. It was reckless, foolhardy and most importantly idiotic. Now he was in so much danger and I didn't know if I could get him out of it. I'd try, that was for sure. I had to, I had to get him back.

For Adrian.

Adrian loved this kid. He was in love with him. I'd made plenty of mistakes with my brother. I'd never been there for him the way most older brothers were there for their young siblings. I owed him this. I'd failed to protect my own brother and it was too late to do anything for him, but it wasn't too late to do something for the boy he loved.