Mystery Boy

"Easton?" I murmured, causing the little boy to look up at me, from the computer screen. "Where's your dad?" I asked since I couldn't get the topic out of my mind.

Easton shrugged. "He died a long time ago."

I held my breath as the words settled in. I wanted to ask more and since Easton didn't seem too upset about it, I asked, "How long has it been?"

East sat up, since we were laying on our stomachs with the laptop out in front of us. Easton ran his hand through his matted hair and thought about it for a second before saying, "It was before I was born. He and my mom weren't together very long, I don't think."

I stopped asking questions after that, realizing that he didn't know much about it. I sighed and ruffed his hair before the three of us turned our attention back to the end of the movie.

Taite yelled that it was his movie's turn so I stuck Cars into the computer and let the commercials play as the boys raced to their rooms to grab their blankets. I squealed as Easton came running back into the room and jumped over me on the bed as that he could lay by the wall. Taite followed after him and clambered up onto the bed and jumped on my back, since I was laying in my stomach.

I laughed as the boys tried to tackle me. I closed the laptop and rolled over on my back as Taite and Easton tried to tickle me. Taite was sitting on my stomach as Easton grabbed one of my feet. I screeched and kicked my feet so he was forced to let go. That caused him to sit on my legs, facing my feet, as he began to tickle them again, Taite going for my sides and armpits.

"Help!" I shouted between my laughter. I sat up and grabbed Taite before playfully pretending to throw him to the ground. He clambered up from the floor and belly-flopped on my stomach as I thrashed my feet away from the 11 year old. I grunted as Taite's weight landed on my stomach.

"Help me!" I screamed playfully, gently kicking East off of me laughing when he fell to the floor. I picked Taite up and dropped him on his brother before I screamed and ran down the hall towards their own room.

I heard their loud footsteps as they raced down the hall after me. I raced through the door way of their room and dropped myself to the floor, throwing myself under East's bed and curling up as they came into the room.

"Taite," I heard Easton whispered. My eye grew wide as I saw each little boy move to stand next to their own beds. "One," Easton whispered, "Two...."

I screamed and reached out to yank Easton by his ankles. The boy fell to the floor and screamed loudly as I dragged him under the bed. Taite started screaming too as Easton did.

Easton was pulled completely under his bed and I covered his mouth, stopping him from screaming automatically. I heard Taite whine and I could imagine his gorgeous blue eyes wide. Easton's eyes move to meet mine and I gave him a pointed look, warning him not to scream when I released his mouth so he could breath better.

When he didn't scream we both turned our attention back to Taite who was now taking cautious steps towards us. Easton and I shared a smile and Easton reached out slowly and flicked the edge of the blanket that was hanging over the edge of the bed.

Taite screamed loudly and turned to run out of the room. "Mommy!" he yelled, his bare feet pounding against the floor. When he was out of the room Easton and I busted out laughing and climbed out from under the bed as we heard Taite screaming for his Mom and Dad.

"That's so mean," I said between laugher as Easton and I peaked out of the bedroom and down the hall towards the living room where Taite was speaking loudly about the bed monster eating his brother.

Easton shrugged and raced back into my room before Taite could see him. I hurried and followed after him, deciding to drag him out to the living room to show Taite that he was still alive, before we both got in trouble by either Ina or Dad.

"Come on, Easton," I said, "You have to go tell him it was just a joke," I told him, pointing to the living room.

Easton was still laughing but he sighed and climbed off of my bed and shrugged his way out of my room and out to Taite who was still explaining what happened to Decklan, Ina, and Dad.

"He's dead!" Taite shouted to Decklan, who was trying to hide his laughter at the young boy's words.

Decklan glanced over at us as we walked up and then he turned back to his younger brother and said, "Uh T, if Easton's dead then there must be a zombie in the house."

Taite stopped talking and looked to Decklan who nodded in our direction. And as Taite moved his gaze slowly over to us, stopping to look at everything else along the way, Easton grinned and stood hunched over like a living-dead. When Taite's gaze met Easton's form, the four year old screamed louder than I had heard before, and threw himself into our Dad's lap.

Easton and Decklan started cracking up as Ina scolded them and tried to calm Taite down automatically.

As I smacked the back of Easton's head, I felt like I was apart of the theatrics of this family. An important piece that would put in a chink in the whole family if I was missing. Like chess, but for the first time since I showed up, I didn't feel like a pawn in their games.