The sound of footsteps echoed around the kitchen. I let out a silent sob as I heard my father stand to face our intruder, he had already shot and killed my brother and I knew he wouldn’t hesitate shooting my father. I clutched my scrapbook to my stomach, it was in my hands when I hid under our island counter in the middle of our kitchen. My mother was hiding in our pantry under the staircase.
“Stop, I’ll give you our money! Just leave, its-” My fathers voice was shut off by the sound of a shotgun being fired. I heard him groan and hit the ground, I braced myself for him to open the pantry door, to find me clutching the scrapbook and crying, to shoot me like he had my brother. His steps resonated off of every object in our house as he approached the island. The next thing I knew a scream erupted from my mom’s throat, and the sound of her running towards the phone.
He fired again, and I heard her hit the ground with a thud. I shook violently, the noise drowning around me as I passed out.
~*~
I shot up, sweat plastering the hair to my neck and forehead. I stood up and moved silently across my bedroom. I opened the door to the bathroom and switched on the light. The reflection that stared back from the mirror looked terrible. My red hair was stuck to my face, the bags under my eyes were more purple than ever. My eyes were bloodshot and I was paler than usual.
“Great, I look like shit on my first day.”
Standing naked in front of the shower really did make you think. ‘Why am I popular?’ ‘What do people think of me?’ ‘I have to go to my parents grave today directly after work.’
The last one stopped me as I adjusted the water temperature of the water. ‘I have to go see them.’ I think my breath hitched. “It’s not like they care, Allie. They’re dead, they won’t judge you.” The voice in my mind was whispering all these things to me and it was really getting to me. I shook my head and climbed into the shower. Hot water melted away all my worries, even if it was for a fraction of a second that they were gone. I shampooed, conditioned, shampooed again and got out after washing myself and shaving. I dried my hair quickly, curled it into tight ringlets and started on my makeup when all of a sudden there was pounding on my door. I groaned and pulled on my robe before opening the door.
“Where’s my curling wand?” My younger cousin, River, asked. She entered my room without my permission and entered my bathroom. “Either you borrowed, saying borrowed because I love you and you would never steal anything from me,” I smiled at her as she opened each of the drawers and looked for her one lost curling wand, “so you didn’t borrow it. I guess Eli stole it.” I chuckled as she threw herself on my bed. “Good thing I was feeling the straight hair today.” She said in a monotone voice.
“Morning to you too.” I said as I applied my concealer and commenced to doing eyeshadow. She sat up, I had no idea what time she got up to shower because she was already dressed had makeup on and looked ready to walk out the door.
“Are Florida boys hot?” River asked as I walked out of the bathroom. She was looking through my closet looking for one of my old hoodies. River rocked the “I’m the girls softball captain and you should probably respect me cause I’m also the queen bee.” look. She pulled my old softball hoodie out and slipped it on.
“River, you’re only fourteen. Chill.” She laughed at my response. “And, your mom has your curling wand, she was using it yesterday.” I said as I pulled out my favorite mickey mouse crop top and a pair of red high waisted shorts. River shook her head and pulled out a pair of high waisted capris. “How did I ever live before you?” She snickered at me when I pulled out a white lacy bra and some Hello Kitty underwear. I checked my phone and it read six-forty five.
“Before you get naked I’m gonna go.” She laughed and trotted out of my room, flicking her blonde hair over her shoulder. I heard her make her way down the hall and start pounding on her brother’s door. Eliott is my cousin, and River’s brother. He’s my age and we’re like siblings. I laughed as I heard him grumble something before making his way, groggily might I add, into my room.
“Relax, I’m using your bathroom cause mine has… um, uh-” He frantically tried to remember the girls name. Eli was lovely, best cousin you could ask for, but I forgot to mention that he is a notorious player. I laughed as he sat there looking dumbfounded.
“Rachel. The girl who is currently sleeping on your bathroom floor is Rachel.” I wheezed out, doubling over in hysterics. He blushed a deep shade of red, which is only a thing he does in front of me.
“Whatever, I’m gonna shower. I reek like vodka and,” He rubbed his hand on his bare chest and sniffed it. “What is this? Chanel No. 5?” I laughed and he moved into the bathroom. I heard the water turn on and then I changed into my clothes.
I hopped down the stairs and River was slathering two bagels with apple butter. I loved my cousin, oh how I loved my little cousin. I snatched my bagel from her, smiling sweetly as I grabbed a grey cardigan sweater from the downstairs closet. I pulled on my grey keds and sprinted back upstairs into Eliott’s bathroom. I kicked Rachel awake. She looked up confused, I felt bad, I honestly did, but no one was ruining the family tradition. My aunt and Uncle left for work so it was already starting.
“Get out. Out of my house.” Rachel stood up and flashed me a smile, I returned it before pushing her into Eliott’s room so she could gather the clothing she had. She was out in less time than needed due to me calling Doc, our “guard” dog. Doc was a slightly overweight rottweiler german shepherd mix. He wasn’t mean but if he saw someone he didn’t know, he would bark furiously, but, he would never bite a soul. She sprinted down the stairs and out the door, with her shirt not completely on. Then I put on a song us three sang every day on the first of the month, Rockin Robin by Bobby Day.
We sang it until it ended, signaling that I needed to get to work and River and Elliot needed to get to the hospital. I grabbed my bag and exited the house. I climbed into the car and put my earbuds in. Eliott laughed at me sitting there as I sang Unchained Melody by The Righteous Brothers to the house as he started driving away.
“Wait for me, Wait for me.
I’ll be coming home, wait for me!”
They were the only two people who really knew how much I loved old music.
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Hey guys, Tali here. I'm just saying thanks to amongst_theshadows for writing the first two chapters, this was her story and she was going to write it, but, she lost the thought for it and asked me to write it. Thanks for reading, and have a wonderful day.
-Xoxo Tali
