Walking Contradictions

Brad stood in the doorway, arms folded, a cold glare set on Oz as he tested out his new bed. "This was suppose to be my room," he growled.

"Sorry kid," Oz sighed, sitting up and bouncing around a bit, "but I'd strangle you guys if I had to see you all the time. I don't see how your dad does it." He looked around. "You won't even know I'm here. My own bathroom, bedroom, kitchen, living room. My own exit. Yeah you'll never even know."

"Except for the billows of smoke coming from under the door," Thomas smirked as he came out of the small bathroom. "If you're gonna smoke, do it on the back porch. And open the windows when you do."

"Too tempting for you?" Oz smirked.

"I smoked enough pot for the THC to never be fully out of my system. I don't need anymore. Oh, and I don't kill them because I have self control."

The world continued to spin for a few more days. The family felt complete again with Oz back in the picture. His business picked up quickly in the ghetto part of town and there was more money coming in to the household, so pressure was off Brad for a bit.

"Wow I'm getting better business here then in LA," Oz smiled one night as he sat at the dinning room table, counting out twenty dollar bills. He slid about $100 across the table to Thomas. "Your rent money, my dear friend."

"The rent is too damn low," Anna mumbled.

"And why do you say that?" Oz asked, leaning on his elbows.

"Because there are ghosts here," She replied, widening her eyes. "I've seen em! They want us out!"

"Anna," Thomas said firmly, "we've been over this. There are no ghosts here."

The cell phone in the other room started to ring. All four people looked at each other. Finally Thomas sighed and got up and left the room. "Hello? Oh hey Sarah....what the hell happened?....you're fucking kid-how? Who? Oh jesus christ. Ok, ok, calm down. Look I'll be on the next flight out." He came running back into the room, his face pale. "I have to go. Something's happened."

"What happened?" Oz asked, getting up, "Is your mom ok?"

"Mom's fine. It's Mike," Thomas swallowed, trying to keep his emotions in check, "someone attacked him. He's in the OR right now."

"I'm going with you," Anna said.

"No. You two need to stay here. Oz, you too. I need to go handle this on my own. I have a feeling this is my fault," Thomas sighed and wiped at his eyes, leaving to go upstairs and throw a bag together before leaving.

He was gone within an hour. Brad, Anna and Oz stood there on the front porch, shocked.

"Why'd he have to take the car?" Brad mumbled, finally turning and heading inside.

Anna let out a small sob, the whole thought of someone attacking her uncle finally hitting her. Oz put an arm around her and pulled her into his chest. "It's ok babydoll. Everything's gonna be ok."

"What if he doesn't make it?" Anna sobbed.

"He will sweetie, I promise," Oz looked up into the dark night sky, as if looking for guidance of some kind. Or maybe just advice in general of what to do. Instead, he saw snow flakes falling down. "Hey, kiddo, look, it's snowing."

Anna sniffed one last time and looked up. Her eyes widened and a smile came on her face. She then let out a giggle. "Wow,"

"There's the pretty girl I like seeing," Oz smiled, kissing her forehead. "Go put your coat on and you can go play in it."

The snow came down hard and heavy, quickly covering the ground. Anna and Brad ran around like a pair of idiots on the front yard. Izzy and Seb joined them eventually and the four started a snowball fight while Oz stood on the front porch, smoking a cigarette and watching them.

"Ahh cold!" Brad screamed as Izzy shoved snow down his shirt. "It's cause I'm black isn't it?"

"Totally," Izzy smiled, kissing him lightly before sneak attacking him with a hunk of snow to the face. "Bitch," she laughed, running off.

"You's a bitch!" Anna laughed, throwing a snow ball at her brother.

"I'm no body's bitch," Brad retorted, packing a snowball and chucking it at his sister, who ducked. The ball hit Oz square in the chest. Everyone stopped and stared in stunned silence as Oz looked down at the snow melting off his chest, sighed, put his cigarette out, and walked off the porch.

"You want war? You got it, bitch boy," He grinned, quickly making a snowball. The war ensued until someone driving by got their car hit by a rogue snowball. Then everyone scattered like cockroaches.