Among the Dead

Alex

I drove us all back to my house, the ride enveloped in complete and utter silence. We were all left to our own thoughts. What would I tell my older brothers? How would I tell my older brothers? Would I tell my older brothers?
As we stepped out of my car to go inside, I couldn't help but feel like we were being watched. Calm down, Alex. You're just shaken up, that's all. There is nothing out to get you.
I opened the front door, and threw my keys on the stairs.
"Roman? Cort?" I called out, secretly praying for a response.
Stop it, Alex. They're not eaten, and neither is Mara. Your mind must have been playing tricks on you.
"In here, T-Rex!" I heard Cort holler from the family room, using my nickname. I gained that name when I was a baby, and when Cort was just a toddler. He's only two years older than me, and when they announced my name to be Alexandra or Alex for short he called me T-Rex because he thought that's what my name was. It stuck ever since.
I walked through the hall and into the family room to find Cort in the recliner, Roman on the couch, and Comedy Central on the television. Cort turned around in the chair to look at us, being careful to not spill the beer in his hand.
"I thought the bonfire ended at 12," Cort said, checking the time to find that it was only 10:30. "What brings you home so early?"
I stood there with my mouth open, not sure what would come out.
"....Well?" Cort said, when I didn't say anything.
"S-something happened. Something...terrible," I finally answered, taking a seat on the couch. Alice and Violet followed.
Cort looked at me skeptically. "You pregnant?" he asked, dangerously.
"Oh my go-Cort! Why would you say something like that? Why would you even think it?" I exclaimed, completely embarrassed.
"Hey, I'm just lookin' out for my baby sister. Ain't nobody gonna get you preggers, cuz if they do, I'll certainly be making sure they never have the equipment to do it again," Cort warned.
"Okay, that's not what we're talking about here," I said, pinching my nose in frustration and embarrassment.
Cort shrugged in a defensive gesture and turned his attention back to the TV, taking a sip from his beer can.
"Anyway..." I began again. "Something happened at Mara's. Everyone had been drinking, but me. So they all decided to go into Mara's woods. They thought it would be fun or whatever. Alice, Violet, and I didn't go because we were sober enough to see that the woods was just a few yards of trees. So a few minutes later we hear screaming, and we just thought it was a prank."
"The first scream was a prank. But then they got louder, longer, and more desperate," Alice cut in.
"We looked to see what was the matter, and saw a bunch of people run from the tree line, and sped off on their cars. After that, we saw Mara come out, begging for someone to help her...."
"But she was attacked. Something, or, rather.....someone jumped out at her. It tackled her to the ground, and......it tore right into her. Bit right into her flesh..." Alice finished for me.
I looked up from my lap, and at Cort who had his cheeks puffed out to control his laughter behind it. Finally, he let it out, and broke down, laughing his ass off. Roman just kind of chuckled along side him.
"You two are unbelievable! I'm scared shitless, and all you do is laugh at me! Screw you!" I insulted, walking from the room.
Cort got up, and grabbed my wrist to turn me around to face him, a stupid smile plastered to his face.
I glared at him as he said, "Come on, T-Rex, you said there was drinking there, right?"
"Yeah," I said, not understanding what he was getting at.
"Alright, well then there might have been pot there, as well. Did you see anyone smoking anything? Did you smell anything?"
"You think I was high when I saw what I saw?! Dammit, Cort! You know I don't do any of that! You are so impossible!" I yelled at him.
"Oh, come on, Alex! Why don't you just drink on it!" Cort said, holding his beer can out to me.
I smacked it out of his hand, as he hollered, " 'Aaaayyy!"
I grabbed Alice and Violet and stormed upstairs to go to bed.

»•« »•«

"Cort is such a dick," Alice said, as we were putting our pajamas on. "If he saw what we saw, he would flip his shit, too! Damn, people piss me off!"
"Whatever..." I said, laying down on my bed, and running my fingers through my long blonde hair. "I just want to forget about tonight. You know...I can't believe he actually though I was high. After everything that's happened.....I would expect him to know that..."
I had a good reason as to why I don't drink or smoke....I just.....don't talk about it. It's not something that I am willing to revisit any time soon.
Violet walked over and hugged me in a reassuring type way. Alice just gave me a sad smile.
"Anyway..." I went on, trying to change the mood. "Thanks for staying with me tonight. I don't know if I would've been able to get through the night by myself."
"Yeah, well....neither would we," Violet said, slipping under the covers with me as Alice laid on the other side. I sat up to turn off my lamp, and closed my eyes, hoping for a blissful sleep.