15/4/24
All you need to know is that, right now, in this one flicker of history, there's this girl. Fifteen, brown hair, brown eyes, ponytail, kind of a shy klutz, maybe. This is Jordan, Jordan Sands. Kind of important for this story. But that's just a name, but names are always important. All of time and space, everyone's important to somebody at some point. Allergies, poor eyesight, all that jazz.
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQsKKSSnZW1
Dark night, and trying to get home, don't ask why she's out so late, she just is, carrying two bags of groceries, a bouquet sticking out of one. All according to plan. The keys were a bit tricky, though.
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhSlXWPmde6
Look, her family wasn't exactly well-off right now, but if things went how they were currently, and they cut down a little, they'd have power past the fifteenth.
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7bUNI8331w
But the lights weren't on. Ugh, great. The breaker must've tripped. Bag onto the counter, tomatoes spilling, as she tried to pick them up, but a sound came from around her... somewhere, in the house. Maybe she was hearing things.
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOT9RE7711X
"Hello?"
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡphWnC5Bm6J
She tried to open the fuse box... and there came another sound.
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG9ntrPmHGY
As Jordan turned around, there it was, some sort of monster, conveniently the height of...
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj27MGZUYFR
She screamed, a camera flash in her face... and a nice, quick swing, before turning to the right, opening the switch box, and turning on the lights.
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzCGaUy2HK9
"Hunter!" Jordan, was, in a single word.. pissed. Her brother just kept pushing her closer and closer to the edge, and it was tiring enough worrying about her future. She was only fifteen, she didn't need this... "What's your problem?"
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTrhkcpem4L
Her younger brother sat up. Messy brown hair, blue eyes, he'd be fourteen soon... and still at least a few inches shorter than her. At least she still had that over him.
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpHO4FrAiYu
"Oh come on," he removed the mask from his face. "That was a good one."
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCx4RX30AyE
"Come on, we have to make dinner."
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgLwzsDFsOO
At Least Twenty Minutes Later...
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqDZm4sU1gl
Hunter was at 'his' laptop. Laptop computer, really. Not like they could afford more than two. But Jordan just used hers for her stupid homework.
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR4UQewqpxu
"The download.. of death.." Came from the audio receptors.
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4pfrjRUBqB
"Did I tell you? Destruktor Four is coming out this weekend." Hunter tried to share an interest with his sister. It had been a while...
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1fTRXI1Hf9
"Yeah, you mentioned it." Jordan tried to not let out a sigh. "It's Rated R."
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7rZeYGgwmv
"Dad said he'd take me." Hunter tried to say.
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmFbNBESt9L
"No, he said 'we'll see'." Jordan had to be the mature sibling as she loaded a wrap onto a plate.
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡexhIFAPQli
Hunter crossed his arms, pouting as he rolled his eyes. "What are we having?"
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2aaOikM0ZB
"Tofu Stir Fry." Between the cost of food for three people, at this rate, it was their best choice. That, and at least they could all eat it.
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcN7O4PwwRx
"Humans eat meat, Jordan." Hunter pulled the computer closer to him, as he was seated. "Just because you're vegan doesn't mean the rest of us should starve!" He whined. "It's why we have these!" He poked himself in the tooth.
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Bzn9xAsVz
Jordan had to resist an eye-roll as Hunter moved his laptop from the table.
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAAZVieMcSU
"Wait, why do we have four plates?" Hunter questioned.
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsBrPO8c0xB
"I invited Ms. Carlsburg from down the street over for dinner." Jordan kept her demeanour the same.
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2HdEnn1iGO
"Why would you do that?" Hunter was... he hadn't moved on. How long had it been now? Four years, maybe six? It didn't matter, what mattered was that that takes time.
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM7bHNqzHjQ
"I thought it could be good for Dad," Jordan admitted. Not to mention she may have the chance to just... relax. How long had it been since she'd been a normal kid? Since they'd had a day without an argument? Ah, siblings. "Be nice to her." She pointed a finger at him.
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYpfNykbPaz
Jordan walked to the door, hearing a knock. There she was... pink shirt, purple overcoat, long brown hair, greenish eyes, a yellow pearl necklace around, well, her neck, and a pie in her hands.
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS7XDww9tZw
"Hello." Ms Carlsburg said.
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnqcm8AaMLq
"Hi."
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFsaxQwMM0U
Within a minute or so, the three were sitting at the table, as the siblings' father walked past the doorway, still on the phone.
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBTI07PK7GV
"Yeah, yeah. Just grabbing a quick bite. Yeah, thanks. Alright, yeah. Uh, bye-bye. Yeah, I'll call you back, I need to finish another call. Yeah, say hi to your wife for me." David's call ended as he looked into the kitchen, at the three sitting down. "Hello." He had probably been switching between a call on hold with one of the parents in his group and maybe a new job-
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmida5rURCl
"Hi, dad." Jordan tried to seem excited. Maybe he'd be happier today.
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi1b7AMfin6
"What's going on?"
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbMjn43zCuE
"Dad, you remember Ms Carlsburg."
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN6WoJw0wo2
"Sure. Hey." David didn't remember her name.
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrXFjxXkZzo
"Jacqueline." The now-named woman smiled.
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoLsmalTzL2
"Can we.. talk, for a minute?" David gave Jordan a look, causing her to stand up. "Jordan." Just to make sure.
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXYpdNWemNa
In the kitchen...
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQf88wmshlM
"You can't just leave, dad." Jordan tried to argue. He had to get back into the scene eventually.
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFHB4mxNHge
"I have another call across town. It's a big one. A rewire job. It could be a lot of money." David was more concerned with having food on the table and a working Wi-Fi connection.
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOy4cR3PVOZ
"Ms. Carlsburg," Hunter did his best innocent voice. "I'm awfully thirsty. Do you think you could get me some soda from the fridge, pleeaaasseee?"
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA93zDTIXbv
"Oh, of course.. sweetie." Jacqueline tried to keep being nice.
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyPs93Wwhka
"I just thought it'd be good for you," Jordan explained.
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1wEczmZvr2
"Jordan, I appreciate the effort, but I told you, when it's time, when I'm ready, I'll find my own date." David insisted, knife in the pie, eating a piece of it.
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuFLQZhyUTz
"Sorry to interrupt." Jacqueline came in.
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJf2iweFIZF
"Oh." Came from Jordan.
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1GOqK9G00n
"Oh. Good pie. Mmm." David couldn't hide the awkwardness.
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT5Ir2nTcSa
"Thank you. Hunter wanted some more soda." Jacqueline went for the fridge door...
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9OuX55jz5N
"Hmm."
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsbGeJyPxnM
Then David shared a look with his daughter.
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLOiXBgmpCQ
Oh no. Oh no. Oh no no no no no no.
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8fpqEYwWNQ
A fake, beating organ, spurting ketchup to act as fake blood...
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJtLiI3ItNP
A scream..
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkdJABr2JtT
"Hunter!"
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ9CxN0QtGX
Ah crap.
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2YhFSrxMHM
The Next Day
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2hIQzEB8zt
TAFT High School
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSolWhTjWQb
16/4/24
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSM40r3MGtS
Jordan sighed, closing her locker. When you're young, they tell you to grow up, get a job, have a kid... and that's it. But there had to be more, hidden truths, maybe something darker, something madder, something fun, something to make her feel alive.
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ5y4FI0uA2
It was like a cycle. Make breakfast, hope dads at home, get herself and Hunter to school, go through a school day, get home, do whatever she needed to, make dinner, study, sleep, repeat. It had been like this for a while now. But she'd gotten through a few periods just fine. Now it was lunch. Had she been taking care of herself?
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaXcIsoyqv9
Every thought was panic. What was she doing with her life? She was only fifteen and she was worrying about her future, adulthood, college! Could she even get into college? And then it would be a loop of working, trying to find a home, until she could maybe retire and enjoy what little time she had left...
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdUr7Mhpjjl
What happened to the girl she was? Before the allergies, before things all went.. bad? Sure, she'd struggled to talk to people, at least, when she didn’t know them. Sure, she was fine with just a few close friends. Heck, that was what she preferred. But that gets hard when you keep moving around. If it happened again... at least she could keep in contact with them. At least she had that. It wasn't like she hadn’t enjoyed being outside reading and doing the odd bit of sport...
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxT6MQP90VZ
Why couldn't she have a few more years? Couldn't she have more time? She'd be ok, right? right?!
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6uk284w2l5
Mom. Mom. It was hard to remember what she looked like now. A picture, a picture, she'd need to look at a picture- just a faceless body in the dream... it was something she and Hunter still had in common. They used to get along so well... things could still go right, right?
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1ru4xZMMP4
Why couldn't she encounter the things she and Hunter knew were out there?
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9vOtHF9Ip9
Why couldn't she be who she was before? Before it all went wrong? It was like there was some sort of empty feeling that just wouldn't go away. Her hair hadn't stopped being wild since her last birthday, her eyes looked more of a bluish-brown... her teeth looked a bit sharper, and when she saw meat? She drooled. Her allergies were still there, it was a few weeks before she was out of the hospital...
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPGw1bo3sxV
"Yo, Jordie." Came from next to her. It would be right to say that Jordan had gotten stuck in her own thoughts, a hand on her shoulder— Becca. "You in there, girl?"
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2FC4BXOVke
"Oh, hey guys." Jordan smiled slightly.
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Tle0rzsJ7
"Come on, we're gonna be late." Tina tried to turn on one heel, almost stumbling. She hadn't broken in those new heels yet, but even Debbie could see she’d probably be better off without them.
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEYryk644aP
Great, among her three friends, heading for the lunch hall, with all the usual teenage stuff, like acne. It's normal, no use complaining, it'll be gone eventually, people still trying to figure themselves out...
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJuKdX0EgkV
Two Minutes Later...
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFcrz4gZHFO
"Jordan, he's over there. Ask him to the prom." Becca gently elbowed Jordan as they stood in the line for lunch.
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡayUgtxYXzx
It would be right to say Jordan hadn't slept much. "..Huh? Forget it. No possible way. I'm not even sure I like guys." Jordan admitted, pushing her glasses back on, strands of hair sticking out.
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxoUAZez9ee
"J, you've been drooling over McCann since he
transferred from Harrison." Tina reminded.
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcHdZIYauFS
"I don't drool." Jordan defended. "And besides, what am I gonna say to him?"
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzQH4AfeamT
"Nothing. You say nothing. Look at Ashley. They've got it down. The hair flip, the lip pout, the over-giggle. It's a language all its own." Debbie pointed out.
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgAu3RlI3IH
Jordan had to pause and wonder if that was Ashley's actual personality. They'd never seen her outside of school, and with how everyone was for two days last year... friend groups had majorly shifted, and he'd been a good bit less desirable to some girls.
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ7MhpUl1hH
"This is not the time to be the mouse, Jordan. You're the predator, and he's your prey, a test run. The practice." Becca encouraged.
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmvxoO8vS2Q
"All right. See ya. Bye, court. Dang it. I forgot my wallet." Came from McCann's mouth. It's high school, they're allowed to experiment with their love lives... but sometimes you're just not feeling it.
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqAgCbmthwJ
Nope. Not her and him, never gonna happen.
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGtCcyN7eGZ
Later
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZiHXAqeLNE
"Heads up!" The kick, her worried attempt to block. "Ooh!" Another... "Aah!" And her hitting the ground.
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCluTvrGvFi
Seriously, she needed a way to get excused from P.E. She could be spending that time studying, researching, reading... maybe check on an online friend.
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsEJEg4B3lk
"Come on, Sands. Get a hand up!" Came from their teacher. It was nice to have someone believe in her... if she wasn't down on the grass with the left lense of her glasses broken.
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEwq99JGh5v
"Your sister kind of stinks, dude." Richie said from the side of the building.
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf4zNhtXrnR
"Yeah." Hunter didn't want to admit it, but part of him cared about his sister... and what better way to show it than getting her out of P.E?
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRM5Z47K0cy
"Are you sure that's the bag?" Robert, or as they called him, Petey, rose her eyebrows. Why did he let a girl hang around him? Eh, she wasn't as gross as others.
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpd0fmwYOLJ
"Patience, my apprentice."
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7W9M4VrQ7A
"Ooh!" Jordan needed to get off of the pitch, she didn't know what was coming... or why she kept trying.. or if her glasses being broken would be compensated by the school.
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTaUZg7KM6i
"Come on, Sands. Did I say you can take a break? You want to make this team, I'm gonna need a little more effort."
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfcXutBBb5H
She had wanted to make the team when she was younger, but it always seemed just out of reach.
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6UpoPsIrxg
"Here we go." Hunter smiled to the rest of his quartet. "Watch this."
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeGgHnAxoqK
As the teacher reached into the bag... an excellent reproduction of a human head, a terrified expression on both ends... it's not like someone could tell the difference in a moment like this. "Aah!"
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLClYm6bmFU
Jordan didn't even react as the fake head rolled over to her feet. Maybe she'd have made the team if she still had her former dedication.
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCvzdFmoLfz
"...Dude." Came from Becca, standing next to Jordan, her attention directed to the scream, their heads turning.
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi5TB7Te88e
"Hey, isn't that your loser brother, Sands?" Came from Ashley. Yes, her brother was annoying, but she wouldn't say a loser... ok, maybe she would. Maybe she'd punch her in the arm for that later… wait, was Tina standing with Ashley? Since when did those two hang out?
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPVBfP3DL0T
"Don’t even know him.”
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG9iV2V7IXq
She was probably not making the team. At least there wasn't any dead mom jokes today. She would've punched someone.. if it wouldn't end up risking her suspension.
Later that day,
Sands House
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqTBcezIkke
Ah yes, the table, bills being sorted under Jordan's hands. This was no life for a teenager.
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuhR6mB45yJ
"Ok, so this one really needs to be paid. And, um, the rest of them can wait until the 15th."
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7F0ypdGj8k
Tired. That's what they both were.
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlvrsbUN8FL
"...Dad, everything's gonna be all right, isn't it?"
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFuYbU8CJ4z
"Mmm. Sure. Of course it is." David tried to be reassuring. Maybe he'd ask Carl about that electricity trick he had...
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm8tbb91Lgr
"We need a miracle. A big, big miracle." Jordan could see that.
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxOcvUuCAN5
"Hey, look, I don't want you guys to worry, all right? I'll figure this out. I promise."
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAN6LPmRIw4
"Oh, and, um, there's something else that I just... yeah? What's that?" Jordan sighed. Sure, he got her out of P.E, but this wasn't good.
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc1lC2P7vvv
"Suspended again?"
143Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy0LPiFRf0V
Jordan only nodded.
ns 64.252.185.87da2
