x
I opened my eyes to the rain tapping the window. The water dripping down the windshield and windows, I sat up and looked towards Jith.
291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmZ8yIzGL95
“We're almost home, the rain only slowed us down a little.”
291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxz5kQz8fRX
This dull melancholic pain coursed through me, I could feel a clear warmth from Jith besides me but just outside the car the world howled and the unwavering chill blew.
291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU6oakDUW0b
The gray and brown city blended together with the rain, the road was rough, waves of water slashed as we drove. Jith turned down a street and pulled up in front of the garage, jumping out the car against the storm, opening it up and driving us inside. I watched quietly, as they closed the garage door.
291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn58YM4Bwpk
“Let’s go Fran, it's freezing.”
291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuUEJqa0rpd
There was a door at the end of the small garage, behind it was a tunnel that led to stairs and the door to our home. I followed as they scrambled for the keys, opening the door to the light gasp of two kids sitting in the living room.
291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqmw4xQLRoH
The kids stared with wild wonder surrounded by dated and used furniture. Their wide eyes, and harsh features looking at Jith and I.
291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH9Wi570p02
“Dace and Juy, its Frans Birthday!”
291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkn3xit6ja5
“Happy birthday!” said the smaller one, happy to have someone else around.
291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ3sw0hHDeC
“Happy birthday” said the older one, seemingly bothered by me.
291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpakBaQC9V5
I noticed a droplet slowly forming above Dace, it dripped down hitting him square in the forehead, “Ahh”, he jumped back.
291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvyd8mOFA4B
“Oh for the love of god there's a leak.” Jith rushed to find a bucket, finding a bucket nearby and placing it under.
291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX3cX55RNQz
Jith sighs “Anyways you babies hungry? I’m going to make Zole since its Frans favorite.”
291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFAqg0dsECo
Dace was watching on as Juy went back to her business.
291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3oEyjt6ojI
“Fran?”
291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbntHFZbEQw
I turned my head to Jith, to see them twisting a gas tank, connecting it to a stove.
291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN7uJS0CcFh
“We don’t have long noodles right now, are shorter ones ok?” Jith said out of breath.
291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKLDTBzywAb
“Sure” Juy not even looking up from their phone.
291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8FjcdQZDyV
“Yea!” Dace says playing with a game.
291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc1rsLHf99G
“Um yea” I noticed a red mark under Jith’s rolled up sleeves.
291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡprOpEtqDCw
Jith had the flame lit and poured the ingredients in a pot. Finally turning to me they saw me looking at their arm.
291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5a1QiYyw1K
“Oh, that’s my “sign”, we all have them actually. Red means I'm a supportive person” ,Jith slightly raises their voice while looking at Dace, “and what does blue mean?”
291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBqAPtbVJkl
“Strong!” Dace says, shadowing his blue mark off.
291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBLuLFV12vI
“Yep” Jith looks back at me “But you know, I guess you need a “sign” too. I think you're strong so go with a strong blue “sign”.
291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ8NwWVoo0T
I was speechless, my eyes and mind became lost somewhere, I looked to my hand, legs and body. I felt uncomfortable with that idea of me, I was still a bit dirty and covered in scuffs and scratches.
291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLhU4Ptn6MV
“That's right….” I thought. I stood completely still, with something new within me.
291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCRU4EnVcwk
“Dace, Catch!” yelled Jith, throwing a lighter to the young boy. “Go get the boiler on so Fran can take a shower.”
291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOURJNjUQgz
“Ok” Dace dashed out the front door.
291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5d4EH693RJ
“Go shower, the soup should be ready by the time you're out. Its the door closest to the front door”
291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo4YD87FjYK
I said nothing, I walked towards the bathroom, opening it and shutting it behind me.
291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlrNWjrLiaj
Do I need to be strong? It's what my creator has told me. I looked at my frame and where my arm was supposed to be. I felt sad that I didn't have an arm anymore, its gonna be really hard to do stuff, but I have to…
291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcPgrsfpyGK
I have to be strong for Jith.
291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxmxhlbQWQl
I turned the hot water on and felt great in the warmth.
291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU8dRHahcBO
I forgot about my thoughts in pure bliss.
291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7FZU5QANal
I showered, brushing my rough frame, it hurt my hand.
291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS0SQSPbCFu
I dried myself off and walked out to see Jith serving bowls around the table.
291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7utre9WhYd
“Soups ready kids.”
291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf2Ecra7cYZ
Dace jumped up from the old couch and Juy got up quietly to take a seat at the table.
291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh681znsItr
“Fran, we gotta sing happy birthday before food gets cold.”
291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSe7WPtempb
I took a seat with them, finally getting a look at Dace and Juy.
291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLKa96XUaHr
Dace has these kind eyes and bouncy energy while also being a rough, strong signed kid. Juy’s eyes were more focused, while being a bit more quiet and seemed in their own world, I couldn't see their sign.
291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2BrSKIrTlr
“Ok guys, 1,2,3 happy-” They all sang the happy birthday song, Dace throwing in Cha-cha-cha. I was embarrassed but a little happy. “Remember to make a wish as you eat your soup.”
291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhFQWqLSBjY
I felt a connection with them, like I had always known them. I need to be strong not only for Jith, but for Dace and Juy too.
291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbLIfGsOHAy
Dace finished his soup first, washed their hands and came up to me.
291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSU9GpGxtAn
“When you finish eating want to play games with me?”
291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4uSqzieOdg
“Yea, sure.”
291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX7GDk4acl3
Juy finished and washed their hands and went into their room.
291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwbAqp8pUXZ
Me and Jith finished at the same time and they offered to wash my bowl.
291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr7eLxlLw6L
“Go see what Dace is doing.”
291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwisht500WC
I nodded and walked towards Dace playing a handheld console while laying on the couch.
291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJdpH8df8lr
“Hi Fran, you still love Elfo’s adventures, right?”
291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4OXLe7rJuy
“Yea, I do”, why did I say that? I thought.
291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhO2zo88hMA
“Oh nice, I can make a new save file for you since I’ve always liked watching you play.”
291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPvRpwlzPGf
“Well It might be hard for me, since I just got one hand.”
291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiwMr7GAuZ8
“Oh yea… umm-” Dace semed a bit let down, he was still a kid after all.
291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOuWuh9HSUw
“Its cool Dace, I can just use my left hand and you can control the right side of the controller.”
291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡljZMI0FHey
“Really! thats sounds awsomee.”
291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRR2qRbIj2E
I smiled and he handed me the game. The house felt warm, the shower, the soup, my family. I could still feel the dull pain in my body but something else had taken the wheel, like how I was with Dr. Tylor.
291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZvUiQoPcB5
We played our game for the rest of the day, Juy did not exit the room and Jith quietly read a paper on the table. I just played the game with Dace, he was happy to do so, I felt proud again to make someone else smile. time passed until night fell and the door opened.
291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp7Ta5fNnNM
A large person entered the house, soft but hard eyes they seemed tired holding a bag of bottles.
291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTZNox0moyc
“Hey kids, oh Fran is here already? Want a bottle Fran?” he chuckled.
291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsHNRegM37R
“HI Cer!” Dace exclaimed.
291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBFNNWpNhxO
Jith put their magazine down, “ Picked them up earlier today.” Jith got up walking towards the person hugging and kissing them, “Fran, this is Cer your step father.”
291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE21Li4Mo5c
I looked up dull eyed, I noticed his strong “sign” on his arm. “Hello.” I said.
291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi6TvVdlF0f
Jith walked him towards the table, “I made some soup Cer, want me to warm it up?”
291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtku61zAyAf
“Yea and make it quick i'm tired as hell”. He sat down.
291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRnFsk36TOM
That person, Cer, confuses me. I don’t feel as if they’re a person capable of producing warmth but they don’t seem that cold.
291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFab5IkU1V1
I could see something that gave me a conflicting idea of him.
291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ913YXpA8GQ
We continued playing our game, Cer finished his food and went to sleep. Dace yawned, Jith heard and said we should head to bed. They opened the door where Juy had entered earlier seeing three beds.
291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXFi4smDuDv
Juy was on her phone on the bed to the left corner, Dace sleepily laid on the middle bed.
291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvS9nAQKxER
"Juy, you should sleep soon don't be on your phone so much. Fran try and sleep too, you know where the bathrooms and fridge is. Goodnight."
291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgo8QGLxiUS
Jith closed the door, and the room was dark. I could faintly see a light coming from Juy's phone. My eyes naturally closed but the pain lingered within me, never letting me find true comfort. I felt a sensation of bugs crawling on my back and all around me.
291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL6eqnb2SUj
I itched and moved a lot to be comfortable. Eventually I drifted to sleep, and began to dream of another's life.291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBjprWqYqhX
