This is Gonna Require a Little Finesse
Chapter 15
((RECAP))
The four of us rushed to the front door and looked down the street…
…only to see Kari standing in front of a man in a mask with a gun.
…only to see a quick spray of blood from her chest after he pulled the trigger.
I felt sick. I screamed her name, trying to call her back to the house. It was no use though, she fell to her knees as her legs gave out. The shooter stepped forward and lowered the gun to her head, right between the eyes. NO!
"Get the fuck back, Jackie." Bobby growled quickly, shotgun in hand. My oldest brother walked in a dead calm down the front steps and brought up the weapon with amazing speed to shoot the masked man in the chest.
He fell, dead I assumed, onto the pavement. For a brief moment I thought it was over; but a van came peeling around the corner, buddies of the shooter.
Kari stumbled away trying to get to some level of safety. I blinked at the rapid gunfire that erupted against her leg, bringing her involuntary to her knees once again in a snow pile. I made a move to run to her, but Bobby forced me back into the house. Above the cracking of gunfire I could hear her screams.
For help.
For me.
... ... ... ...
((Kari's POV))
I could clearly recall being shot, everything after that was a blur. A very loud blur. My throat burned and I could vaguely remember screaming at the top of my lungs.
I was laying on my back in front of my old house; the Mercer brothers, along with Sofi, were gathered around me, looking distraught and horrified. They all had tears streaming down their faces and they were talking to me, but I couldn't hear them, their lips just moved animatedly.
Movement behind them caught my eye. Sofi was shaking and appeared to be screaming desperately into a phone.
Everything slowly drifted to darkness.
They say that before you die... life flashes before your eyes.
It not so much flashes, as it does haunt your entire being. At first it was things I didn't recognize: a white dress, a house that was a home, a little girl who looked like me. Then it was of things I knew and was all too familiar with: some images of hiding from a lurking woman, nights of crying myself to sleep, Evelyn's murder, growing up with four amazing 'brothers' and the people that loved them.
((Flashback))
"Please, come with me. Angel won't come, and I don't want to go by myself. Por favor, chica?" an 18 year old Sofi was giving me the hurt puppy look.
I huffed in the way that 15-going-on-16 year-olds do, "If you stop looking at me like that, yes."
"Yay!" Sofi squealed and gave a small hop.
"Ma! I'm leaving!" I screamed back into the house. No answer. Not that I'd been expecting one.
"But Sofi, I don't really have the money to buy stuff." I was still trying to get out of it.
"I know! But I think I heard Angel’s mom saying it was your birthday soon and I wanted to get you something." She smiled at me. Sofi was being nice, this was new.
"Sofi, you don't have to ge-" I argued.
"Nah! I want to. You're my friend too, you know!" she smiled.
"Nothing big. A pair of earrings or something. Okay?" I made her promise.
I was a part of Angel’s family. More importantly I was the girl in Angel’s family so she and I bonded. Or she had always tried to bond with me, anyway.
((END))
I opened my eyes again, taking in a labored breath. Still no noise, just a loud ringing.
I should have been nicer. I shouldn't have been such a bitch to Sofi all these years.
Shit, Angel don't cry.
Darkness blanketed me once again.
((Flashback))
"It's not that hard, Legs!" Angel hollered as he skated backward in front of me. I was 10. Angel was about 15.
"I can't do it, Angel! I just can't! I'll fall!" I screamed back. But I was giggling uncontrollably.
Angel was trying to teach me how to skate. I'd seen them all playing hockey and I needed to learn.
I took a tiny step forward and screamed with laughter as I threw my arms out on either side of me for balance.
"There you go! See, you're moving!" He encouraged. He gripped my arms for extra balance. "Just try not to take off there. Hm?" he said, referring to my airplane-like stance.
I laughed again. "Shut up! I just don't wanna-"
"Fall. Yeah, you keep saying that. Well, it's bound to happen eventually, Kari." he reminded me.
"Maybe. But I intend on taking my time before I fall." I grinned. Adrenaline was set in my veins and I dared. I pushed forward with one foot and glided across the ice. Albeit a bit wobbly.
I got a handle on skating very quickly after that.
Angel was smiling at me from ear to ear. "Alright! Now, stopping."
My face fell. "Ughh... do I have to?"
He laughed and took off down the ice, snapped his feet to the side and stopped. He repeated the process when he sped back. "Your turn."
I was pale as I did as told. I took a deep breath and leaned back as I pulled into a hockey stop. My butt hit the ground and I could hear Angel laughing as he skated over quickly.
"Doesn't hurt as bad as you thought, does it?" he teased.
"No..." I said uncertainly. I thought it would have killed, and I waited for the pain; it didn't come. Smiling, I looked up at Angel. "How do you get up now?"
He laughed again and showed me. By the time it was starting to get dark out I had it down pat.
"You're a quick learner." he admired, ruffling my hair.
"You're a good teacher." I hugged him and waved from my front steps.
((END))
I squirmed against the ground. I recognized that I should be cold, I was laying in snow and was soaked. But my body was too numb to feel anything except the burning pain.
I could taste however. As soon as I realized this I wished I couldn’t. All that filled my mouth was the coppery salt taste of my own blood as gathered, only to dribble sickeningly down my chin and across my face.
Jerry seemed to be staring at me, but he was looking through me in shock.
((Flashback))
"What are you on about now!?" Jerry asked as I knock on his door for the thousandth time.
I held up my homework with a wounded-puppy face and whined: "I can't do it. Can you help me? Please?" I drew out the "e" sound just to annoy him.
He snatched the paper from me and stalked back into his room. "Let me see that." he mumbled. As he turned away from me, I could see the crooked smile that betrayed his angry demeanor.
"I just need help on number three. After that I should be okay. It's factoring numbers, I guess." I said scratching my head.
Jerry’s pencil waved through the air as he thought about the problem. I could all but see the gears whirring in motion in his head.
A few moments later and Jerry was showing me how to do it on my own. He was the Mercer brother who kept me in school and who helped me keep my grades up. Jerry kept me off the streets and in school. I owed him a lot.
((END))
The first thing I realized was that this time, there was sound. Mostly it was that loud ringing in my ears still, but I could hear Bobby. I focused on him for a moment.
"Come on, Legs." Bobby pleaded through his sobs, "Come on. Damn it Kari, you gotta breathe!"
((Flashback))
It was late August and Jack and I were about to start freshmen year of high school this fall. I was going to be the youngest in the grade- as always.
Bobby was back, he was visiting for a while and 'taking it easy'.
Jack and I were chewing some grape flavored bubble gum. We were seeing who could make the biggest bubble.
I laughed at Jack as the gum shot out between his lips and hit the dusty Detroit earth. He glared at the gum, then at me.
"Shit, Jackie. What's with the death glare?" Bobby's voiced asked him, he leaned against the tree that was a yard or so from the picnic table Jack and I sat on.
Jack just shrugged and dug through his pocket in search for a new piece. I knew it had been his last one.
I sighed and looked at the pure blue sky - until something that scared me even more that my mother caught my eye; and it was a half and inch from my face.
A bee.
A yellow jacket had smelled the grape fragrance that stained the air around my face. The tiny demon hovered outside of my lips. The buzzing was the most petrifying sound I'd ever heard.
With out opening my mouth I screamed from within my throat. A terrified scream, and tears washed from my eyes quickly.
Jack froze at my side, unable to think of anything to do.
Bobby, however didn't miss a beat. He stepped forward and without hesitation grasped the bee in his outstretched hand and squeezed.
"Fucking, son of a..." he cursed as he pulled his hand to his chest.
I was still staring wide-eyed at the space in front of my lips, where, moments ago, a yellow jacket had been prepared to attack. I was hyper-ventilating with fear.
"Fairy, go get me a safety pin, or needle or something and a band-aid." Bobby ordered his little brother.
Jack mumbled something about the nickname, but obeyed.
I instantly spat the gun out of my mouth, next to Jacks' piece. I leapt off of the table and into Bobby’s arms. "THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!" I cheered.
Bobby gently brushed the squashed bee from the palm of his hand. "The asshole stung me." he complained. He needed the needle to get the stinger out.
I looked at his hand and then up at his face.
He saw my confused expression and raised an eyebrow.
"Why?" I asked him in utter amazement.
"Why, what?" he asked back, looking more shocked than confused. "Why crush the little bastard?" he tried clarifying my question. He stroked my hair comfortingly, "Because I would always take a bee for you, K. I wasn't gonna stand there and watch the thing hurt you. That would hurt me more than this does." he said waving his wounded hand in the air.
I smiled.
((END))
I know right now he'd trade places with me if he could. I'm so lucky to have someone care about me that much.
But there was someone who cared about me even more, if that were possible.
Jack.
I looked up at him. His eyes were red and he was sobbing uncontrollably. He was holding my hand, I couldn't tell if it was him shaking or if it was me. His other hand was firmly against my cheek, "No, Kari, no. Keep your eyes open, please. Please! Don't die, Kari! Please, God. No" he begged.
In his eyes I could see it, he'd give anything to change places with me at this moment if it meant I would live.
But I wouldn't wish this on him. Never. No matter how angry we were at each other. I wouldn't be able to do it, I couldn't live if I watched him die. But he's upset because he feels guilty about the fight. And now I might - I'm going to - die.
"You have to keep breathing, Kari."
I closed my eyes for the last time.
((Flashback))
I slapped my hand on Evelyn’s door at 11:30 at night. My hand left a bloody mark on the door as I returned it to holding the gash on my left arm, which was bleeding freely.
I was 11 years old and Jack had only been with Evie for about six months. He was finally starting to warm up to me, and since I refused to leave him alone he decided to put up with me.
No one ever told me about his past foster parents; which was why when Evelyn opened the door she looked at me and paled and then told Angel to take Jack upstairs. As the two of them hurried past, Jack got curious and looked over.
I knew I had a black eye, and I had a cut on my forehead that had blood dripping down the side of my face. I was thankful that he couldn't see the butchered graffiti on my left arm - he might have died right there. He shakily wandered up the stairs.
… … …
I sat, curled up on the couch, Evie had tried to get me to go upstairs but I couldn't make it. She had to go speak with Jack.
I leaned back on the sofa and closed my eyes, well, eye. Evie had me holding an ice pack on my swelling eye. I sighed as the Advil I had taken started to kick in. I slipped into a light sleep.
Only to be woken about thirty minutes later by the a weight being added at my feet on the sofa. I sucked in a lung full of air in fear, and swiped the icepack away. She found me! She got in and she's going to carve in the rest of the letters!
"Kari! It's ok!" a voice said, a hand touched my knee.
"Jack?" I sighed, laying a hand over my heart. "Don't freakin' do that! I nearly screamed. Oh God." I rambled while breathing quickly.
"Sorry." he whispered. He hung his head in the dark in embarrassment. "H-How... um... bad is it? Are you gonna be ok?"
I was surprised by this, "Uh... I'm fine. I guess. It's not that bad; I've actually been worse." I laughed darkly at the thought.
The two of us sat in silence for a while. The only sound was the crunching of ice outside as cars drove by and the muffled sound of police sirens blocks away.
And the sound of my stomach growling. I hadn't eaten anything since breakfast, it was now 1 am.
Jack disappeared into the kitchen. "What're you doing!?" I whispered.
He reappeared and took his seat, loyally, next to me. "You sounded hungry, and the way these things go... they don't really take the time to feed you while they beat you around the house." He handed me a sleeve of saltines. "Sorry, all I could find. Bobby was over earlier this week and Ms. Mer – Ma's going to get food tomorrow." He was still getting used to the whole "being adopted" thing.
I smiled and popped open the plastic. "I don't think I'd be able hold anything else down anyway. Thanks for the crackers, Jack." I placed a saltine on my tongue and hummed thoughtfully, "I like that: Crackers, Jack. Cracker-Jack. I think we've just found your new name." I teased.
He laughed then helped himself to some of the crackers, also.
"How did you know? About her not feeding me, I mean." I stuttered.
He sighed, and turned his sad green-blue eyes to me. "You never wondered why I was jumbled from foster home to foster home? Or where all the bruises were from."
"I just figured you had bad luck." I teased gently. I hated talking about this stuff, it was a pretty heavy topic.
"Trust me, I think that's a huge part of it." he mumbled, and pushed another cracker between his thin lips.
"Don't think that Cracker-Jack. That stuff has nothing to do with how you acted. BLAHH! I don't want to talk about this. I mean there's no use talking about it, and I won't deny it because it's hard to when I'm bleeding because of it." I argued.
The two of us sat in silence again. "Sorry." I whispered.
His head snapped around to look me with an "are-you-crazy?" look. "Sorry for what? You didn’t--"
"About coming here. I should have known. You just got here, I saw how you looked. I didn't mean to freak you out like that." I explained.
He hesitantly put his arm around my shoulders. "Shut up. I'll get over it. That stuff doesn't happen to me anymore. I'll make sure that it doesn't happen to you any more either." he promised.
A promise he and the rest of the Mercer brothers would, sadly, be unable to keep.
"Thanks, Jackie."
((END))
"You can't leave me here, Kari." Jack demanded. "I need you."
There's no more pain. That's good. And the snow isn't melting through my clothes, that's a lot better.
"Jack, I'm okay now. JACK!? BOBBY!? SOFI!? GUYS!?"
Something caught my eye in this white room that had no visible floor, ceiling or walls. A woman was walking towards me. "...Evie...? What are you doing here? You-- you're dead." No.
Evelyn Mercer smiled at me gently, as tears flowed down my cheeks. "Kari, honey." she hugged me. "You need to turn your pretty little ass around and march straight back there you hear me!?" she ordered.
I looked at her wide-eyed. She smiled again. "I need someone down there with a head on her shoulders to keep my boys out of trouble. Besides, I don't know how much more my Jackie can take without you."
"I don't think I can, Evie. I mean... I'm..." I stuttered, but she was gone.
"I love you. Kari, please..."
Jacks' voice called from behind me. "Jack!?" I screamed, spinning around. His voice faded, I turned back to Evie. But she was gone, disappeared into thin air.
"God, no. Kari... I'm so sorry."
I could hear him getting fainter and fainter, I ran as fast as I could toward the melodic sound of his voice.
The four of us rushed to the front door and looked down the street…
…only to see Kari standing in front of a man in a mask with a gun.
…only to see a quick spray of blood from her chest after he pulled the trigger.
I felt sick. I screamed her name, trying to call her back to the house. It was no use though, she fell to her knees as her legs gave out. The shooter stepped forward and lowered the gun to her head, right between the eyes. NO!
"Get the fuck back, Jackie." Bobby growled quickly, shotgun in hand. My oldest brother walked in a dead calm down the front steps and brought up the weapon with amazing speed to shoot the masked man in the chest.
He fell, dead I assumed, onto the pavement. For a brief moment I thought it was over; but a van came peeling around the corner, buddies of the shooter.
Kari stumbled away trying to get to some level of safety. I blinked at the rapid gunfire that erupted against her leg, bringing her involuntary to her knees once again in a snow pile. I made a move to run to her, but Bobby forced me back into the house. Above the cracking of gunfire I could hear her screams.
For help.
For me.
... ... ... ...
((Kari's POV))
I could clearly recall being shot, everything after that was a blur. A very loud blur. My throat burned and I could vaguely remember screaming at the top of my lungs.
I was laying on my back in front of my old house; the Mercer brothers, along with Sofi, were gathered around me, looking distraught and horrified. They all had tears streaming down their faces and they were talking to me, but I couldn't hear them, their lips just moved animatedly.
Movement behind them caught my eye. Sofi was shaking and appeared to be screaming desperately into a phone.
Everything slowly drifted to darkness.
They say that before you die... life flashes before your eyes.
It not so much flashes, as it does haunt your entire being. At first it was things I didn't recognize: a white dress, a house that was a home, a little girl who looked like me. Then it was of things I knew and was all too familiar with: some images of hiding from a lurking woman, nights of crying myself to sleep, Evelyn's murder, growing up with four amazing 'brothers' and the people that loved them.
((Flashback))
"Please, come with me. Angel won't come, and I don't want to go by myself. Por favor, chica?" an 18 year old Sofi was giving me the hurt puppy look.
I huffed in the way that 15-going-on-16 year-olds do, "If you stop looking at me like that, yes."
"Yay!" Sofi squealed and gave a small hop.
"Ma! I'm leaving!" I screamed back into the house. No answer. Not that I'd been expecting one.
"But Sofi, I don't really have the money to buy stuff." I was still trying to get out of it.
"I know! But I think I heard Angel’s mom saying it was your birthday soon and I wanted to get you something." She smiled at me. Sofi was being nice, this was new.
"Sofi, you don't have to ge-" I argued.
"Nah! I want to. You're my friend too, you know!" she smiled.
"Nothing big. A pair of earrings or something. Okay?" I made her promise.
I was a part of Angel’s family. More importantly I was the girl in Angel’s family so she and I bonded. Or she had always tried to bond with me, anyway.
((END))
I opened my eyes again, taking in a labored breath. Still no noise, just a loud ringing.
I should have been nicer. I shouldn't have been such a bitch to Sofi all these years.
Shit, Angel don't cry.
Darkness blanketed me once again.
((Flashback))
"It's not that hard, Legs!" Angel hollered as he skated backward in front of me. I was 10. Angel was about 15.
"I can't do it, Angel! I just can't! I'll fall!" I screamed back. But I was giggling uncontrollably.
Angel was trying to teach me how to skate. I'd seen them all playing hockey and I needed to learn.
I took a tiny step forward and screamed with laughter as I threw my arms out on either side of me for balance.
"There you go! See, you're moving!" He encouraged. He gripped my arms for extra balance. "Just try not to take off there. Hm?" he said, referring to my airplane-like stance.
I laughed again. "Shut up! I just don't wanna-"
"Fall. Yeah, you keep saying that. Well, it's bound to happen eventually, Kari." he reminded me.
"Maybe. But I intend on taking my time before I fall." I grinned. Adrenaline was set in my veins and I dared. I pushed forward with one foot and glided across the ice. Albeit a bit wobbly.
I got a handle on skating very quickly after that.
Angel was smiling at me from ear to ear. "Alright! Now, stopping."
My face fell. "Ughh... do I have to?"
He laughed and took off down the ice, snapped his feet to the side and stopped. He repeated the process when he sped back. "Your turn."
I was pale as I did as told. I took a deep breath and leaned back as I pulled into a hockey stop. My butt hit the ground and I could hear Angel laughing as he skated over quickly.
"Doesn't hurt as bad as you thought, does it?" he teased.
"No..." I said uncertainly. I thought it would have killed, and I waited for the pain; it didn't come. Smiling, I looked up at Angel. "How do you get up now?"
He laughed again and showed me. By the time it was starting to get dark out I had it down pat.
"You're a quick learner." he admired, ruffling my hair.
"You're a good teacher." I hugged him and waved from my front steps.
((END))
I squirmed against the ground. I recognized that I should be cold, I was laying in snow and was soaked. But my body was too numb to feel anything except the burning pain.
I could taste however. As soon as I realized this I wished I couldn’t. All that filled my mouth was the coppery salt taste of my own blood as gathered, only to dribble sickeningly down my chin and across my face.
Jerry seemed to be staring at me, but he was looking through me in shock.
((Flashback))
"What are you on about now!?" Jerry asked as I knock on his door for the thousandth time.
I held up my homework with a wounded-puppy face and whined: "I can't do it. Can you help me? Please?" I drew out the "e" sound just to annoy him.
He snatched the paper from me and stalked back into his room. "Let me see that." he mumbled. As he turned away from me, I could see the crooked smile that betrayed his angry demeanor.
"I just need help on number three. After that I should be okay. It's factoring numbers, I guess." I said scratching my head.
Jerry’s pencil waved through the air as he thought about the problem. I could all but see the gears whirring in motion in his head.
A few moments later and Jerry was showing me how to do it on my own. He was the Mercer brother who kept me in school and who helped me keep my grades up. Jerry kept me off the streets and in school. I owed him a lot.
((END))
The first thing I realized was that this time, there was sound. Mostly it was that loud ringing in my ears still, but I could hear Bobby. I focused on him for a moment.
"Come on, Legs." Bobby pleaded through his sobs, "Come on. Damn it Kari, you gotta breathe!"
((Flashback))
It was late August and Jack and I were about to start freshmen year of high school this fall. I was going to be the youngest in the grade- as always.
Bobby was back, he was visiting for a while and 'taking it easy'.
Jack and I were chewing some grape flavored bubble gum. We were seeing who could make the biggest bubble.
I laughed at Jack as the gum shot out between his lips and hit the dusty Detroit earth. He glared at the gum, then at me.
"Shit, Jackie. What's with the death glare?" Bobby's voiced asked him, he leaned against the tree that was a yard or so from the picnic table Jack and I sat on.
Jack just shrugged and dug through his pocket in search for a new piece. I knew it had been his last one.
I sighed and looked at the pure blue sky - until something that scared me even more that my mother caught my eye; and it was a half and inch from my face.
A bee.
A yellow jacket had smelled the grape fragrance that stained the air around my face. The tiny demon hovered outside of my lips. The buzzing was the most petrifying sound I'd ever heard.
With out opening my mouth I screamed from within my throat. A terrified scream, and tears washed from my eyes quickly.
Jack froze at my side, unable to think of anything to do.
Bobby, however didn't miss a beat. He stepped forward and without hesitation grasped the bee in his outstretched hand and squeezed.
"Fucking, son of a..." he cursed as he pulled his hand to his chest.
I was still staring wide-eyed at the space in front of my lips, where, moments ago, a yellow jacket had been prepared to attack. I was hyper-ventilating with fear.
"Fairy, go get me a safety pin, or needle or something and a band-aid." Bobby ordered his little brother.
Jack mumbled something about the nickname, but obeyed.
I instantly spat the gun out of my mouth, next to Jacks' piece. I leapt off of the table and into Bobby’s arms. "THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!" I cheered.
Bobby gently brushed the squashed bee from the palm of his hand. "The asshole stung me." he complained. He needed the needle to get the stinger out.
I looked at his hand and then up at his face.
He saw my confused expression and raised an eyebrow.
"Why?" I asked him in utter amazement.
"Why, what?" he asked back, looking more shocked than confused. "Why crush the little bastard?" he tried clarifying my question. He stroked my hair comfortingly, "Because I would always take a bee for you, K. I wasn't gonna stand there and watch the thing hurt you. That would hurt me more than this does." he said waving his wounded hand in the air.
I smiled.
((END))
I know right now he'd trade places with me if he could. I'm so lucky to have someone care about me that much.
But there was someone who cared about me even more, if that were possible.
Jack.
I looked up at him. His eyes were red and he was sobbing uncontrollably. He was holding my hand, I couldn't tell if it was him shaking or if it was me. His other hand was firmly against my cheek, "No, Kari, no. Keep your eyes open, please. Please! Don't die, Kari! Please, God. No" he begged.
In his eyes I could see it, he'd give anything to change places with me at this moment if it meant I would live.
But I wouldn't wish this on him. Never. No matter how angry we were at each other. I wouldn't be able to do it, I couldn't live if I watched him die. But he's upset because he feels guilty about the fight. And now I might - I'm going to - die.
"You have to keep breathing, Kari."
I closed my eyes for the last time.
((Flashback))
I slapped my hand on Evelyn’s door at 11:30 at night. My hand left a bloody mark on the door as I returned it to holding the gash on my left arm, which was bleeding freely.
I was 11 years old and Jack had only been with Evie for about six months. He was finally starting to warm up to me, and since I refused to leave him alone he decided to put up with me.
No one ever told me about his past foster parents; which was why when Evelyn opened the door she looked at me and paled and then told Angel to take Jack upstairs. As the two of them hurried past, Jack got curious and looked over.
I knew I had a black eye, and I had a cut on my forehead that had blood dripping down the side of my face. I was thankful that he couldn't see the butchered graffiti on my left arm - he might have died right there. He shakily wandered up the stairs.
… … …
I sat, curled up on the couch, Evie had tried to get me to go upstairs but I couldn't make it. She had to go speak with Jack.
I leaned back on the sofa and closed my eyes, well, eye. Evie had me holding an ice pack on my swelling eye. I sighed as the Advil I had taken started to kick in. I slipped into a light sleep.
Only to be woken about thirty minutes later by the a weight being added at my feet on the sofa. I sucked in a lung full of air in fear, and swiped the icepack away. She found me! She got in and she's going to carve in the rest of the letters!
"Kari! It's ok!" a voice said, a hand touched my knee.
"Jack?" I sighed, laying a hand over my heart. "Don't freakin' do that! I nearly screamed. Oh God." I rambled while breathing quickly.
"Sorry." he whispered. He hung his head in the dark in embarrassment. "H-How... um... bad is it? Are you gonna be ok?"
I was surprised by this, "Uh... I'm fine. I guess. It's not that bad; I've actually been worse." I laughed darkly at the thought.
The two of us sat in silence for a while. The only sound was the crunching of ice outside as cars drove by and the muffled sound of police sirens blocks away.
And the sound of my stomach growling. I hadn't eaten anything since breakfast, it was now 1 am.
Jack disappeared into the kitchen. "What're you doing!?" I whispered.
He reappeared and took his seat, loyally, next to me. "You sounded hungry, and the way these things go... they don't really take the time to feed you while they beat you around the house." He handed me a sleeve of saltines. "Sorry, all I could find. Bobby was over earlier this week and Ms. Mer – Ma's going to get food tomorrow." He was still getting used to the whole "being adopted" thing.
I smiled and popped open the plastic. "I don't think I'd be able hold anything else down anyway. Thanks for the crackers, Jack." I placed a saltine on my tongue and hummed thoughtfully, "I like that: Crackers, Jack. Cracker-Jack. I think we've just found your new name." I teased.
He laughed then helped himself to some of the crackers, also.
"How did you know? About her not feeding me, I mean." I stuttered.
He sighed, and turned his sad green-blue eyes to me. "You never wondered why I was jumbled from foster home to foster home? Or where all the bruises were from."
"I just figured you had bad luck." I teased gently. I hated talking about this stuff, it was a pretty heavy topic.
"Trust me, I think that's a huge part of it." he mumbled, and pushed another cracker between his thin lips.
"Don't think that Cracker-Jack. That stuff has nothing to do with how you acted. BLAHH! I don't want to talk about this. I mean there's no use talking about it, and I won't deny it because it's hard to when I'm bleeding because of it." I argued.
The two of us sat in silence again. "Sorry." I whispered.
His head snapped around to look me with an "are-you-crazy?" look. "Sorry for what? You didn’t--"
"About coming here. I should have known. You just got here, I saw how you looked. I didn't mean to freak you out like that." I explained.
He hesitantly put his arm around my shoulders. "Shut up. I'll get over it. That stuff doesn't happen to me anymore. I'll make sure that it doesn't happen to you any more either." he promised.
A promise he and the rest of the Mercer brothers would, sadly, be unable to keep.
"Thanks, Jackie."
((END))
"You can't leave me here, Kari." Jack demanded. "I need you."
There's no more pain. That's good. And the snow isn't melting through my clothes, that's a lot better.
"Jack, I'm okay now. JACK!? BOBBY!? SOFI!? GUYS!?"
Something caught my eye in this white room that had no visible floor, ceiling or walls. A woman was walking towards me. "...Evie...? What are you doing here? You-- you're dead." No.
Evelyn Mercer smiled at me gently, as tears flowed down my cheeks. "Kari, honey." she hugged me. "You need to turn your pretty little ass around and march straight back there you hear me!?" she ordered.
I looked at her wide-eyed. She smiled again. "I need someone down there with a head on her shoulders to keep my boys out of trouble. Besides, I don't know how much more my Jackie can take without you."
"I don't think I can, Evie. I mean... I'm..." I stuttered, but she was gone.
"I love you. Kari, please..."
Jacks' voice called from behind me. "Jack!?" I screamed, spinning around. His voice faded, I turned back to Evie. But she was gone, disappeared into thin air.
"God, no. Kari... I'm so sorry."
I could hear him getting fainter and fainter, I ran as fast as I could toward the melodic sound of his voice.