Chapter 7:

As I open my eyes, I can see colors other than black. I sit up, feeling my soft bed sheets beneath my fingers. I must be back in my bed. I try to recall what happened before I was here, but my memory is hazy. Oh, that's right. Something about my hair clip. I touch the spot my hair clip is usually in. It’s there. I could have sworn I gave this to my mom. I guess she put it back on me. Why did I pass out anyway? I honestly can’t remember.

“Big sis?”

I look at the door. There was Isaac. His freckled skin and soft green eyes really know how to make me feel better with just a look.

“Hey Isaac.”

“Big sis!”

Isaac runs to the side of my bed and hugs my side tightly. His expression looked worried. What did I do to worry him? Is it because I passed out?

“What's wrong? Why do you look so worried?”

“You were out for two days!”

“Two days!?”

I looked at what I was wearing; my outfit had changed. And man am I hungry... I look back at Isaac; his eyes were glistening with a light amount of tears.

“Hey buddy… There's no need to cry over something like this. I’m not dead or dying.”

“You never know that!”

I look at Isaac and blink a couple of times.

“Isaac… If I were dead, I wouldn’t be speaking to you right now, let alone be awake.”

Isaac lets go of me, “Oh yeah.”

“What time is it?”

Isaac looks back at the door.

"Well, Mrs. Mora is almost done making lunch, so I’d assume it's around noon.”

“So mom is making lunch.”

I kick my feet over the side of my bed and place them on the ground before standing up. My legs feel fuzzy and weak as I lose my balance. I guess that's what happens when you’re bedridden for two days straight. I manage to keep my balance with the help of Isaac. He grabs my hand and turns to me.

“I’ll help you walk since you seem to be stumbling.”

“Thanks Isaac.”

I slowly put one foot in front of the other, still stumbling, but Isaac holding my hand helps me keep my body upright. We make it to the kitchen as everyone but Caroline takes their seats. She’s probably at work. Everyone’s eyes turn to look at me. 

“Livy!” Alec shouts, and Oliva hits him on the back of the head.

“Keep your voice down, you noisy monkey.”

“Olivia! Watch your tone.” 

Mom places out plates of eggs and breakfast sausage. The smell of freshly cooked food filled my nostrils like a breath of fresh air. Never have I been more excited about breakfast as I am now. I wobble to my seat and carefully and slowly sit down. My head is heavy, twisting and turning with pain. I manage to keep my eyes open enough to see in full color, my eyelashes outlining my vision.

“You ok?” Alec pats my shoulder.

"Yeah, I’m ok. Just not in the best condition, right now.” 

“I feel you.” Alec grins his usually goofy yet pleasant grin. 

“Thanks? Was that supposed to be comforting, or was it just a statement?”

“Wow. How rude. And here I was trying to be nice.”

“Ok! Ok. I’m sorry, geez.”

I pick up a breakfast sausage from the serving plate with my fork, not even bothering to put it on my plate with other food; I just pop it into my mouth, straight from the serving plate.

“So what's with the deal about me passing out?” I blurt out, still chewing on my food.

My mom choked on the water she was drinking at the time. I stare at her blankly. What was she doing? My mom looks down at her plate, avoiding my gaze.

“Uh… Hello?” I ask again, hoping to get an answer this time.

“Let's not worry about that right now. What's more important is that you’re fed.”

“How can you say that without even looking me in the face?”

My mom snaps back. “Where has this attitude of yours come from all of a sudden!? I know you just woke up, but that does not give you the freedom to say whatever you want to me or anyone else in the building." 

My mom slams her fork onto her plate and finally looks at my face. Though it is a glare that screams rage, she's at least looking at me.

“Whatever…” I shove another sausage off the serving plate into my mouth.

“And for heaven's sake, put the amount of food you want onto your plate first!”

I grumble incoherent words under my breath and put more breakfast sausage and eggs onto my plate. I am not in the mood to be here at the same table as my mom. I’m tired and still mad at her about the book incident. I shove a bunch of eggs into my mouth.

“I’m going for a walk.”

“Wait right now?” Alec looks at me with a concern and a hint of confusion.

"Yes, right now.” I swallow all the eggs in my mouth at once.

“Not until you finish your plate, you’re not!”

“It’s fine, mom. I can just give the rest to you guys. I have to get out now. Bye!”

“But sweetheart, you’re still in your pajamas.”

“I know. That's why I’m going to change.”

I stand up directly from my seat, sliding the chair out behind me, and make a run for it to the only staircase in the entire building. I stumble on one of my steps and land on my knees. I don’t let that stop me now though; I quickly get up without a complaint and run up the stairs to the once long, always long, and thin hallway of the upstairs. Rushing into my room, I shut the door behind me and started digging through my closet, tossing out items of clothing I didn't want to wear. I land on a pair of jeans shorts, a plain white shirt, and a black cardigan. I toss on my pair of white sneakers and make my way back to the stairs.

I grab onto the railing and hoist myself onto it, sitting on the ledge as I slide down it like a slide. I jump onto the floor as I make it to the end and run out the door without a second thought. I wanted to get out of the house as soon as possible, especially because I was in bed for two straight days.

“Livy, wait!” My mom calls out, but by then I’m already out the door. 

The all-too-familiar rocky pavement beneath my feet crunched and crumbled under my feet just as it should. The cold wind blows across the town, free as can be. I continue heading west towards the town park. I like going there because of all the trees surrounding the bench area. It’s especially pretty when the trees change into their usual fall colors. All the reds, oranges, yellows, and yellow-greens always look like a painted masterpiece. I wish they could look like that forever.

I made it to the park gate after 8 minutes of sprinting. My legs are so worn out by now, they feel like jelly. I step through the old and tattered entryway. Following the dirt path to the center of the park, a couple of overgrown bushes scratch up against my ankles and knees. The center of the park is a circle of trees varying in height and number of trees in a column. Directly in the middle of it all was a moss-covered but intact stone fountain cycling water that is clean enough to drink.

I take a seat on one of the freezing metal benches that is just placed in a random spot in the giant open area. More chilled air blows as the hot sun beams down on my face. It’s so quiet that I can hear the flowing water from the fountain loud and clear even though its around 13 feet away from where I’m sitting. 

I breathe a sigh of contentment as I relax in the warm hug of the sun’s rays and the winds gentle cooling along with the relaxing sound of the fountain water and the birds’ chirping. Soon my relaxed and calm state is interrupted by the rustling of some animals and a couple gentle squeaks. I look towards my feet to see a rat.

“Agh! What the hell is a rat doing here!? Shouldn’t you be in the sewers or something?”

The rat looks up at me. 

"Wait... are those wings? Do flying rats even exist? I’ve never heard of them, and I’ve read every book on flying animals available to me. The only mammal able to fly should be a bat, right?

I poke at the fuzzy, grey wing-like pieces on the rat’s back. It jumps and scurries back in the same direction that I came from. Before it can get within 5 feet of freedom from me, a small kitten pounces on it from behind a bush, catching it under one of it’s small and fluffy paws.

“Aww… Well, aren’t you a cute one?”

The kitten starts poking and swatting at the rat’s back after it sits down right in front of it. The cat has all black fur except for the white fur on the tip of its tail and on it’s paws. It also has a small white fur patch surrounding it’s small black nose. I try walking up to the cat, but before I can get too close, it notices my presence and runs off, leaving the rat there with me.

“Gosh darn it! I just wanted to pet it.”

The rat springs up and flies away using it’s freeak of nature's pair of wings. I shiver at the weirdness and grossness of it’s existence.

“Must be a lab rat, literally.”

I look back in the direction where the kitten came. I was bored and wanted something to do. Plus, I really wanted to see that cat again and pet it! I decide to take a chance after it. I run through the bushes and overgrown weeds, through the tall and thick forest tree circle, and out of the town park.