Blood slides down from my throat as if someone had gone behind me and slit it open. Feeling around, I don't feel blood. Smell blood, there's nothing. No fleshiness, no blood. My palms are clean of all blood but when I look in the mirror... I see so much blood, just dripping down my neck soaking into my shirt. 

I rush out of the bathroom, hitting George's solid chest. He smiles down at me, "Done hogging the bathroom?!" he's teasing me but falters when he sees my face. Grabbing my shoulders he asks wildly, "What's wrong?!" 

What's wrong... Swallowing the thick lump in my throat I shake trying to appear calmer than I am, "I... No, nothing wrong. I accidentally poked my eye when putting on my makeup." I pat his shoulder, "You better get in before Rin comes down to hog it as well."

George nods slowly, "Ok..." He pats my head heading into the bathroom himself. Clicking the door lock. I lean against the hallway, taking deep breaths. My mind is running several miles per hour, and I can't make out anything from inside the jumbled mess it's creating. If I was really bleeding George of all people would have noticed this blood... I touch my neck from side to side, feeling for anything. It's a trick of the mind... a lie created by my eyes...

I reenter the kitchen watching dad pack lunches. He always makes us lunch, and even when the others became adults, he makes them their lunches with as much care and love as he did when they were kids. He sees me smiling, waving me to sit next to him. He begins to ask me questions about this new idea he has to try and teach his students a complicated problem. He talks a lot about teaching with me, especially when I expressed at a young age that I wanted to teach too. 

Teachers have a low salary, high college costs, and little respect. It's a job that goes over eight hours a day with little breaks even during the weekend. It's not an easy job, but someone has to do it, and I want to do it. I want to teach, and bring light to students' eyes as they suddenly get a question right. I think I can do a good job too. 

I hear a shout from the living room. Looking over the ledge, smiling. George and Rin are playing a game on the TV, sitting on our old brown couch. It's a nice size TV with several different stations with games on them. Behind the couch, is a large computer desk with dad's computer on it. It's mostly for schoolwork, but we put a few games on it to play during the summer. There are several bookcases and another large brown chair that mom uses when she's reading her books. 

Dad pats my back nodding to them. I once again find myself smiling, washing my hands, and went over to play with them. We played for a good few minutes before dad came in with two lunch boxes handing them to Rin and George. Rin's holding back his tears unsuccessfully holding tight to the box while George smiles, "Dad, we are adults now. We don't need lunch boxes every day."

Dad just laughs, "It's all your favorites, but if you are too old, I can eat them myself."

George snatches his box away from dad, "Nope, I will adultly eat this!" he takes a peek at it, before closing it up, "Guess this is a goodbye then..." he looks to me and then to dad, "We'll call... Take care." 

I run to them both hugging them tight, "I love you both!"

They hold onto me fighting their tears. "Us too..."

Back to us, they open the door... and left... left us alone. Dad and I... I lean into dad's arm, crying. "Daddy! I miss them already!" 

He hugs me tight, "So do I... but they'll be fine. They'll call us. And on holidays we will all be together. Just wait and see. For now," he wipes my tears, "You have school to look forward to. Don't let this sadness ruin that."

I nod, "You're right." I rub my eyes trying to appear brave, "I'll go up and get my stuff."

"We leave in Twenty minutes."

"Kay!"

I slowly walk up the stairs, hand against the railing. The house is going to seem so quiet without the sound of their footsteps, or the crashing of doors and yelling of names. I won't ever smell Shyan's perfume, or hear her talking lovingly to her boyfriend. I won't ever hear Rin and George argue and bicker.  

I stop my hand hoving over my doorknob, my breath quickening. Closing my eyes, I slam it open and whirled to look at the mirror. Reflecting back at me is my round baby face and oddly shaped body... along with a blood-soaked neck. I stare hard at the mirror, even going as far as pressing my fingers against the place where the Tree was. But I see nothing. No mist, no tree, no strange figure with snake-like things over them...

Scolding myself, I force my feet to turn away from it. It has to be just my imagination, something wild I dreamt of last night and it appeared in my mind during a moment of sleepiness. That is all. 

I dress in my shoes, jacket, and bag. Make sure I am completely ready for school... While waiting I slump onto my bed trying hard not to sob as I turn the TV back on. 

The weather report is on, when there's a sudden flash of red, and the words 'Breaking News!' tore a hole into the humdrum of normalcy. A woman appears, I know her as one of the typical news women I see talking about sports usually. She's blond though I am sure she's actually a brunette, with thick lips painted in red and eyes too large to be natural. She smiles even though the news she's saying is far from... smiley. She lifts up papers, though she doesn't look down to read them, instead her eyes are glued to something off-screen.

"Good morning folks, there's some breaking news all around the world. People are posting on social media thousands of selfies with a self-declared Silver Tree." She lifts a hand and pictures of people posing next to empty mirrors flash through, "But there is no actual evidence that the Tree exists as you can see." 

The old man next to her coughs drawing attention away. He's very old, with more than just grey balding hair but liver spots all across his withered face and hands. He pushes up his glasses and reads the pages beneath him. "No one knows who started this phenomenon but it's taking root in every social platform. Hashtag Silver Tree. The cops are saying that there's no need to panic, and No mass hallucination is occurring. That this is exactly like bloody mary and that parents should not be concerned." He nods to her again, and she claims her voice, "What is truly concerning is that there have been reports of birds attacking people. Birds, bugs, wild, and even domesticated animals have been acting weird. The cops advise people to leave their animals in kennels especially if they start growling at you. Do not pet street cats, and be careful to wear jackets to protect against birds that will suddenly attack. Keep vigilant around you." 

Are animals acting weird? Does that mean there's some sort of rabies going around? I've always wanted a pet but since we moved too much we haven't so I guess that means we don't have to worry about the strange attacks. And the Silver Trees... It's strange that I saw one this morning and others are hashtagging about it. 

Mom doesn't like me being on social media. I know the others are, but that's because they are adults. I have to wait until I'm sixteen before mom will let me on Twitter and Facebook. 

I flip through some more news channels seeing basically the same thing. Wild animals attacking, and selfies. 

"Kiro!" Dad shouts from downstairs. I hit the record button and ran down meeting dad by the door where he hands me my own lunch box. He smiles, "Let's go."

I rush outside taking a deep breath of the outdoor air. It's cold, even though summer has started. There's the heat of the sun above, clouded over enough that the heat fades away against the breeze that rustles the light green trees that stubbornly cling to their leaves even during the winter.  

The entire neighborhood speaks of peace and tranquility. People leave their homes holding the hands of children of every age and ethnics to wait for the bus that's chugging along down the street. 

I know the bus driver, Mr. Grasswood, an old bus driver who even my mom remembers from her youth. On certain days I'll head out for the bus just to talk to him. But mostly I head out with dad. Turning I look up the house that mom spent a whole bunch of money to get just so she can live in her old neighborhood. The one she grew up in. It's not her house, but she was still happy the day we moved in. Just to be here...

Doors on cars bang open, and adults leave for work, while kids run up the bus stairs. 

Pets escaping from beneath the legs of owners ran after their kids excitedly licking their faces goodbye. Cat's purr, rubbing on anyone who'll give them time of day. It's odd the news said pets are acting off. But, they are as happy as they've always been. And the sky is full of birds who are not sweeping down to peck us on the head. 

There's only the humdrum of normalcy. 

Shaking my head I dance over to the grey van, "Shotgun!" 

Dad laughs, "You're the only one here unless you want to start driving."

"Driving!" 

He nods, turning on the van, "You're going to be fifteen soon. You'll have to think about the driver's test."

"Is it hard?"

Dad just shakes his head, "It's easy if you study. Most people only have to do it twice before they pass." 

"How many times did it take you?"

Dad blushes, "Five."

"Five!"

He nods, "But your mother completed it her first time." 

I shake my head, "what about Shyan and the others."

"Their first time I believe. Don't worry, I'm sure you'll do it your first time as well." 

I don't know about that. "I'll do my best dad."

"That's all we ask," He rubs my head playfully. 

I roll down my window leaning forward. "Can we get some Starbucks!"

He rolls his eyes, "If you wanted that then you could have asked beforehand. We don't have time now."

I pout, "We do!" 

He rolls his eyes, "How about after school." 

I beam, "That's fine!"

I hesitantly sit back, opening the shade panel with the mirror so I can see myself... I still have blood... it doesn't seem worse than before... but still strange and scary. I glance at dad wondering if I should tell him. I don't really want to... because if I do then... Will he stop talking to me like his family? Will I be sent to some hospital... Away from everyone and soon forgotten? 

But if I don't tell him and it's actually serious... I shake my head hating the complex feelings filtering through me. I glance at dad, "Did you watch the news this morning?"

Dad stops at a red light, turns on his blinker, and thought for a second. "I don't believe I did today. Was there anything interesting in it?" He glances at me, "Anything to worry about?" 

I shake my head, "Just some Internet Hashtag going about. Silver Tree in mirrors and taking a selfie. But so far no selfie has a Silver Tree in it. Like the Bloody Mary." I nod outside, "And supposedly there's been a lot of aggressive birds attacking people."

Dad laughs, "Arn't all birds aggressive." He thinks for a second, "I"m sure the students are going to be talking all about this Silver Tree then. You say you can only see it in mirrors?"

"Ya," 

"Then kids are going to ask to go to the bathroom like crazy today." He sighs, "I'll have to put a limit to how many and how long just to maintain some form of control." He glances at me, "Are you worried about it?" 

I nod a touch, "Let's see if they have anything new." I reach overturning on MPR. They're broadcasting the exact same story and together we listen to it. You can tell when dad is really concentrating on something because his brows are furry together and he taps his fingers at the words spoken. His eyes do this shifting between the radio and the road whenever he hears something especially interesting. 

He pulls into the teacher's parking, gathering his own stuff. I pop out dancing over to him and hugging him tightly. He smiles, kissing my forehead, "Be a good kid."

I tease, "Always am!" I dance away heading to the library where my friends and I agreed to meet up today. I want to forget about my siblings leaving, about the Silver Tree, and the blood on my neck. I just want to enjoy my day of normalcy.