They Walk Among Us

Rose Carter walked out into the wet outdoors. She pulled her dark hood over her hair down to her deep green eyes. Slouching against the weight of her napsack, she walked down to the other side of Sleepy Hollow's Highschool to Building C, the shared elementry school.

Her converse fell into a deep puddle as she tried to dodge the dense rainfall. Peering into the dark windows, she looked into the small classroom of A-14. The small desks were covered in crayons and colorful paper with pictures of stick figures smiling and holding flowers.

Suddently, Rose felt a small tug on her rainjacket and removed her gaze onto the small child clinging to her left leg.

"Hi Rosie," Jamie Carter smiled through his tightly woven scarf. Rose ruffeled her seven year old brother's hair.

"Hi Jamie. How was school today?" Rose asked as she took his hand and they walked into town.

"Alright. We learned about flowers and how they need sugar or something." Jamie said as his gaze turned to bright yellow flowers, drooping on the sidewalk. Rose smiled as Jamie continued to describe how the leaves kidnap the sun's babies and change them.

"Photosynthesis." Rose told Jamie as he mispronounced it. "It's how flowers eat."

"They don't have to eat the sun." Jamie scowled at the side walk, his rainboots thumping against the hard pavement.

They finally reached their wrought iron porch and shook out their jackets. Rose helped Jamie remove his wrap-around scarf and they entered the gray home.

Rose's grandparents had bought the old victorian before Jamie was born and Rose was only eight. When Jamie was two, their parents had died in a car accident. Rose and Jamie were taken to their only other guardians, Gran and Pa, but Pa had died a year ago when Rose was 14.

Through the many deaths in their family, Jamie has never remembered a single one. Gran has pictures of their parents thrown up apon the hallway walls but Jamie can't recall any memory of them. Rose has nightmares constantly about them. They were filled with her parent's faces from the old photos. Blank and emotionless, pools of blood spread about them. Every night Rose would start to wake up in a cool sweat, catching her breath as if it was her last.

Walking into the musty living room, Jamie threw his backpack onto the ground by the coat rack, and Rose hung her's up delicately, adjusting it so no water would fall. At the sound of squeaky, wet sneakers on the wooden floor, Rose's grandmother rolled herself into the room.

Gran had had trouble walking after her son past away. She had many medications given to help her knees but didn't have enough for a complete operation. Her grey hair, streaked with white, was pulled back into a small braid that ended at the nape of her neck. Her dark blue eyes, with a distant look to them, copied her lips and parted a smile at her too big grandchildren.

"How was your day?" her sturdy voice echoed in the room as she pushed her wheelchair over to where Rose stood.

"Alright. Jamie learned about Photosynthesis." Rose muttered softly, looking to Jamie's blank expression, fixated onto the television.

Gran's hands shook slightly as she reached out and took Rose's. "And what about you?" She said, reaching up and stroking blonde hair out of her granddaughter's face.

"Not important," Rose shivered, and pulled her fleece tighter around her wet body. "Did you take your medication today?" This time, finally looking into her grandmother's eyes.

Gran nodded and wheeled infront of the small television set. "Grandma!" Jamie whinned and slumped into the plaid couch.

"Homework," Gran stated and took the remote from his small hands. "No TV until you've finnished."

Rose stood, arms still folded over her chest, and watched Jamie grab his backpack and stamp up the spiral staircase. Gran went into the kitchen, beckoning Rose with a bony finger.

Hesitantly, she followed and found her self sitting at the small oak table. Gran poured herself some orange tea and shuffled umcomfortably. Rose itched her nose and did the same, not remembering what kind of trouble she might be in now. Gran raised the small glass to her head and looked out the window and Rose started trasing small circles in the floral carved wood.

"Jamie's gotten so big lately," Gran sighed and took a drink.

"Hm?" Rose looked up. "Oh, oh yeah. He really has..." she also sighed and returned to her invisible circles.

Rose could feel Gran's eye on her face and she felt flushed. Her hair fell over her eyes and she lowered her head, her finger felt numb.

"He looks a lot like your mother... Round cheeks and bright green eyes." Gran said slowly, letting her words sink in. "You- You look a lot like your father-"

"What do you want Gran?" Rose interupted, looking up, her finger stopped in mid spin.

"Nothing, nothing." Gran said, putting her hands up in defeat. "I just wanted to talk." She put her gaze into her tea cup and raised it to her lips again. "You're also too shy like your mother."

Rose had had enough, she stood up and put her palms on the table. "I don't want to talk about it grandma!" She whispered, incase Jamie had his ear to the wall.

"Then you never will! You don't talk about anything Rose. You're so shy... How many friends do you have?" Gran said, her brow creasing.

None of your business! Rose thought, wishing she would say it. But she turned on her heel and speed upstairs, slamming her bedroom door behind her.

Slowly and carefully, she sank to the carpet, her hands by her side, feeling the grooves of her door. She sighed deeply and wish she would talk and have friends. Ever since her parents died- she has just shut the world out, not wanting to become weak. To be strong for Jamie and Gran.

She took another shaky breath and walked slowly to her bed. Jamie had put her knapsack on it for her, her old teddy bear, that was suppose to be in the closet, was on the bed also. She put the old animal back in it's place and started on her algebra. Her history report was next, her old computer was humming very low and the keyboard had some numbers rubbed out.

It was around diner when Rose had fell asleep in mid type. Gran had checked up on her, but decided to leave her be. Jamie was curious the next morning about the loud noises, but Rose kept her lips pressed in a thing line.

The whole morning was quiet except for Jamie's prolonged Saturday TV marathon.

All day Rose Felt Gran's eyes on her, waiting for her to talk. No. Rose would be strong... She would be strong-

However, little by little, she felt her defenses break.