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.
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSyqgYFZBI8
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.
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHahA60svav
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.
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxOa53B86xE
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.
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkECm0mz88c
"Hello?"
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGo3K7Py6io
She tried to open the fuse box... and there came another sound.
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPvYzA795Oi
As Jordan turned around, there it was, some sort of monster, conveniently the height of...
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfaG445iwnc
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.
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyXMMVKdlJs
"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?"
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2kYnvyLp3k
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.
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdHJAaJaPg6
"Oh come on," he removed the mask from his face. "That was a good one."
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVS1Qsd387P
"Come on, we have to make dinner."
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOJZizK38YV
At Least Twenty Minutes Later...
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP4KldJxpSg
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.
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR78arIQd1i
"The download.. of death.." Came from the audio receptors.
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRRM9p4EloF
"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...
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgQTnnrPfbW
"Yeah, you mentioned it." Jordan tried to not let out a sigh. "It's Rated R."
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVZ1KlMmFXg
"Dad said he'd take me." Hunter tried to say.
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTkLYigbeD6
"No, he said 'we'll see'." Jordan had to be the mature sibling as she loaded a wrap onto a plate.
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR9osevo9BC
Hunter crossed his arms, pouting as he rolled his eyes. "What are we having?"
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfLF3I4v8Vd
"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.
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEipFOTw8GR
"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.
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqtVJnrJUxY
Jordan had to resist an eye-roll as Hunter moved his laptop from the table.
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIxAdDt1qMt
"Wait, why do we have four plates?" Hunter questioned.
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡriKdUBRlzs
"I invited Ms. Carlsburg from down the street over for dinner." Jordan kept her demeanour the same.
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq2ATFvOsJ9
"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.
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrggvLY1xJ3
"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.
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDs39tT6QhK
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.
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRqqKAOOcT6
"Hello." Ms Carlsburg said.
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVfG3GeTc4G
"Hi."
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5FywuKTVvu
Within a minute or so, the three were sitting at the table, as the siblings' father walked past the doorway, still on the phone.
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcrNhN8em3y
"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-
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2qK1Ay2yFW
"Hi, dad." Jordan tried to seem excited. Maybe he'd be happier today.
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdTCiRr7yMg
"What's going on?"
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡccKquXU24z
"Dad, you remember Ms Carlsburg."
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOfKW2I3ySC
"Sure. Hey." David didn't remember her name.
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdIhocwD3cA
"Jacqueline." The now-named woman smiled.
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2plJwBH7yS
"Can we.. talk, for a minute?" David gave Jordan a look, causing her to stand up. "Jordan." Just to make sure.
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd5WWg5ZHgk
In the kitchen...
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDyEswIeEf6
"You can't just leave, dad." Jordan tried to argue. He had to get back into the scene eventually.
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0u3JFD6BGF
"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.
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxuLFMK4XdI
"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?"
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOK6tpiefwe
"Oh, of course.. sweetie." Jacqueline tried to keep being nice.
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOkH6uv0rFq
"I just thought it'd be good for you," Jordan explained.
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAdoGcqX0oq
"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.
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjMoeZbOcyj
"Sorry to interrupt." Jacqueline came in.
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8YwJ80V5YK
"Oh." Came from Jordan.
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhkF3gW8vhZ
"Oh. Good pie. Mmm." David couldn't hide the awkwardness.
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt8gS8IEODF
"Thank you. Hunter wanted some more soda." Jacqueline went for the fridge door...
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3vPL6ujuDA
"Hmm."
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBB0x6tpAMQ
Then David shared a look with his daughter.
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDakT8QlbTq
Oh no. Oh no. Oh no no no no no no.
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeJSQmnj0LD
A fake, beating organ, spurting ketchup to act as fake blood...
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtxVUmbe05l
A scream..
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuXAk2pN0oT
"Hunter!"
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBoaqz5RmlO
Ah crap.
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡia8NbSQrVr
The Next Day
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt6D873maPp
TAFT High School
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlfulDqo9r0
16/4/24
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoaCIcOoInG
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.
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfLEdp3EAoj
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?
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd2HiyI02xe
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...
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLkgqOqdeDy
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...
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmpV8dSip0e
Why couldn't she have a few more years? Couldn't she have more time? She'd be ok, right? right?!
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzXaiZY2Hep
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?
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx718h7ZRmc
Why couldn't she encounter the things she and Hunter knew were out there?
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ43gLf03nfT
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...
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVkmnwJbde8
"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?"
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcHEd0bj9zA
"Oh, hey guys." Jordan smiled slightly.
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRv5rDUDEpd
"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.
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdosUrVOF4M
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...
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVI2fJAn4jy
Two Minutes Later...
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRPmidLtHY8
"Jordan, he's over there. Ask him to the prom." Becca gently elbowed Jordan as they stood in the line for lunch.
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDj12W7abEu
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.
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPesz9xiAtP
"J, you've been drooling over McCann since he
transferred from Harrison." Tina reminded.
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBDPRSiheFd
"I don't drool." Jordan defended. "And besides, what am I gonna say to him?"
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa6lrI7bMdO
"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.
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2pO1gF1CkG
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.
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSRukSkWr6g
"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.
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe3E2i55WNr
"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.
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLIf6OwoTa0
Nope. Not her and him, never gonna happen.
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2UU0BS5Yc1
Later
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxXE3DLzIDg
"Heads up!" The kick, her worried attempt to block. "Ooh!" Another... "Aah!" And her hitting the ground.
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5a06UhDj64
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.
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIS1jOoDd0v
"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.
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4ieMyZPEBD
"Your sister kind of stinks, dude." Richie said from the side of the building.
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9M4WYsoLpX
"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?
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZfPxixV9vP
"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.
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡae2dkWf6jn
"Patience, my apprentice."
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT2nSu9xvSR
"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.
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwlIu8k7KHF
"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."
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8GPyQTwmYB
She had wanted to make the team when she was younger, but it always seemed just out of reach.
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZCp8mobxeq
"Here we go." Hunter smiled to the rest of his quartet. "Watch this."
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTWZWUwPIYl
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!"
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyl2Gb3TtV9
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.
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnrhUu87NAF
"...Dude." Came from Becca, standing next to Jordan, her attention directed to the scream, their heads turning.
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ747KTtKfbA
"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?
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvMH8Lp1O4E
"Don’t even know him.”
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjPteVWAzDh
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
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcok7zAC0qr
Ah yes, the table, bills being sorted under Jordan's hands. This was no life for a teenager.
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtmJNNg8qrr
"Ok, so this one really needs to be paid. And, um, the rest of them can wait until the 15th."
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAuJHFZrjem
Tired. That's what they both were.
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7MY3m76NmH
"...Dad, everything's gonna be all right, isn't it?"
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ02I0szJgKq
"Mmm. Sure. Of course it is." David tried to be reassuring. Maybe he'd ask Carl about that electricity trick he had...
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3aUfcNtxuN
"We need a miracle. A big, big miracle." Jordan could see that.
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpTgrCEtu4q
"Hey, look, I don't want you guys to worry, all right? I'll figure this out. I promise."
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSinWVndswK
"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.
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmAoUlNiEOd
"Suspended again?"
182Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRKq1foqfMe
Jordan only nodded.
ns 15.158.61.10da2
