Ten Zillion Fireflies
The Start of something New
May 31, 2009
6:52 p.m.
I lay on my stomach in my bed reading a Batman comic. Despite the fact that the bad guys always lose in the end, it was still one of my favorites. There’s a small knock at the door, and I look up long enough to see mom poking her head in.
“Can I come in?” She asked with a small smile, and I nodded.
“I just wanted to let you know that dinner’s going to be ready in a couple of minutes.” She says looking around at the way I had arranged things. “Comic books huh?” She asks and I nod. “When did you start liking those?”
“I dunno. About the time I started liking folk music I guess.” I said and watched disappointed as she looked confused.
“When was that? I thought you liked rock.” She said.
“Me and Brendon both liked folk mom. We both switched over.” I explained.
“When?” She exclaimed.
“When we were seventeen.” I said.
“Oh,” she mumbled. “I guess there was a lot that I didn’t know?” She said quietly. “Well I’ll have one of the boys get you when dinner’s ready okay?” she says as she walks out of the room. “Oh, by the way, we’re going to the beach in a week, so you can pack whenever. We’ll go shopping Wednesday okay?” She continues, beginning to close the door.
I admire the Joker for awhile, appreciating the bright color and dark sense of humor wrapped so tightly into his character. I set the comic aside, getting up and riffling through drawers until I found my old bathing suit. The bright green stuck out sorely against my pale white skin, but that would change at the beach. My father’s side of the family was Italian, so me and Bren always got wicked tans whenever we went out into the sun. My eyes criticized myself in the mirror. Traveling from my sickly pale skin to the ribs still poking out in my chest, despite the amazing home cooked food I’ve gorged on since getting here. My bandaged wrists caught my attention next, and then drew it to the war scarred battle zone on my thighs. There were scars from past battles mixed among the newer wounds. They laced over each other reminding me of a stitched together monster overtaking my body.
There was no way that I could possibly go to the beach looking like this. At least I had the sense to keep the scarring high on my legs so that it could easily be hid by a pair of shorts. I pulled on a pair of blue jeans to test it and heard a light knock on the door. I pulled on a tank top.
“Come in.” I said expecting Jace or Kyle. Avvian poked his head in.
“Dinner.” He explained, a bright red coloring his cheeks, and quickly left shutting the door behind him. He really must hate me.
I take my place at the table just as the last of the food is set on the table. We wait on Kyle to reach a “stoppable” place on his game to start eating. It’s a new adopted tradition that I’m in love with. Finally he arrives and everyone bows their heads to say grace, something that has became ritualistic to me over the years. Somehow, I’m missing the depth of the faith that my mother harbors. Silently her whispers break the silence as Jace eloquently delivers the grace. My eyes fall to Avvian, his eyes are closed, fluttering as he mouths the words in another language, his brow furrowed in concentration. His dark hair fell into his eyelashes, and my eyes traveled down noticing the scripted tattoo poking out of his dark purple v-neck. A black tribal tattoo traveled down his right arm, and it made me wonder how much of his arm it actually covered, but the prayer was over much to quickly for me to make a guess. I stuffed myself with mashed potatoes and Italian chicken. It was one of my mom’s best dishes.
“Dang Maddie, I didn’t know someone so small could eat so much.” Kyle said without thinking earning himself an elbow to the ribcage by Jace.
“This is my favorite goob.” I said playfully kicking him under the table. “Mom,” I said turning to her, “This is delicious.”
“Thank you.” She said.
“Mom,” Jace said, “We should go get Maddie’s jellyfish after dinner.” She nodded looking towards mom and Anna.
“It’s okay with me as long as it’s okay with you all.” She said to them, and they looked at each other.
“It’s already close to nine, and it’s a ten hour trip there and back.” Anna said hesitant.
“We can stay at the house.” Jace argues.
“The furniture is gone already. What are you all going to sleep on?” Mom asks.
“We can take sleeping bags, and make the trip back later on tomorrow, and we can stop by the mall. I’m dying to go shopping. Plus now I have a mall buddy.” Alex pleads, and I watch as all the parental faces melt.
“Okay, okay.” They all agree in unison making all the kids jump in triumph.
6:52 p.m.
I lay on my stomach in my bed reading a Batman comic. Despite the fact that the bad guys always lose in the end, it was still one of my favorites. There’s a small knock at the door, and I look up long enough to see mom poking her head in.
“Can I come in?” She asked with a small smile, and I nodded.
“I just wanted to let you know that dinner’s going to be ready in a couple of minutes.” She says looking around at the way I had arranged things. “Comic books huh?” She asks and I nod. “When did you start liking those?”
“I dunno. About the time I started liking folk music I guess.” I said and watched disappointed as she looked confused.
“When was that? I thought you liked rock.” She said.
“Me and Brendon both liked folk mom. We both switched over.” I explained.
“When?” She exclaimed.
“When we were seventeen.” I said.
“Oh,” she mumbled. “I guess there was a lot that I didn’t know?” She said quietly. “Well I’ll have one of the boys get you when dinner’s ready okay?” she says as she walks out of the room. “Oh, by the way, we’re going to the beach in a week, so you can pack whenever. We’ll go shopping Wednesday okay?” She continues, beginning to close the door.
I admire the Joker for awhile, appreciating the bright color and dark sense of humor wrapped so tightly into his character. I set the comic aside, getting up and riffling through drawers until I found my old bathing suit. The bright green stuck out sorely against my pale white skin, but that would change at the beach. My father’s side of the family was Italian, so me and Bren always got wicked tans whenever we went out into the sun. My eyes criticized myself in the mirror. Traveling from my sickly pale skin to the ribs still poking out in my chest, despite the amazing home cooked food I’ve gorged on since getting here. My bandaged wrists caught my attention next, and then drew it to the war scarred battle zone on my thighs. There were scars from past battles mixed among the newer wounds. They laced over each other reminding me of a stitched together monster overtaking my body.
There was no way that I could possibly go to the beach looking like this. At least I had the sense to keep the scarring high on my legs so that it could easily be hid by a pair of shorts. I pulled on a pair of blue jeans to test it and heard a light knock on the door. I pulled on a tank top.
“Come in.” I said expecting Jace or Kyle. Avvian poked his head in.
“Dinner.” He explained, a bright red coloring his cheeks, and quickly left shutting the door behind him. He really must hate me.
I take my place at the table just as the last of the food is set on the table. We wait on Kyle to reach a “stoppable” place on his game to start eating. It’s a new adopted tradition that I’m in love with. Finally he arrives and everyone bows their heads to say grace, something that has became ritualistic to me over the years. Somehow, I’m missing the depth of the faith that my mother harbors. Silently her whispers break the silence as Jace eloquently delivers the grace. My eyes fall to Avvian, his eyes are closed, fluttering as he mouths the words in another language, his brow furrowed in concentration. His dark hair fell into his eyelashes, and my eyes traveled down noticing the scripted tattoo poking out of his dark purple v-neck. A black tribal tattoo traveled down his right arm, and it made me wonder how much of his arm it actually covered, but the prayer was over much to quickly for me to make a guess. I stuffed myself with mashed potatoes and Italian chicken. It was one of my mom’s best dishes.
“Dang Maddie, I didn’t know someone so small could eat so much.” Kyle said without thinking earning himself an elbow to the ribcage by Jace.
“This is my favorite goob.” I said playfully kicking him under the table. “Mom,” I said turning to her, “This is delicious.”
“Thank you.” She said.
“Mom,” Jace said, “We should go get Maddie’s jellyfish after dinner.” She nodded looking towards mom and Anna.
“It’s okay with me as long as it’s okay with you all.” She said to them, and they looked at each other.
“It’s already close to nine, and it’s a ten hour trip there and back.” Anna said hesitant.
“We can stay at the house.” Jace argues.
“The furniture is gone already. What are you all going to sleep on?” Mom asks.
“We can take sleeping bags, and make the trip back later on tomorrow, and we can stop by the mall. I’m dying to go shopping. Plus now I have a mall buddy.” Alex pleads, and I watch as all the parental faces melt.
“Okay, okay.” They all agree in unison making all the kids jump in triumph.
♠ ♠ ♠
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