Feathers of a dream

Chapter 5

Opening the front door both her brothers were sprawled out on couch watching TV. A familiar thick Irish accent flooded the living as she saw her favorite movie was on.

           “Rope? Name one thing you need this rope for!” Lythia copied the movie as she sat on the floor in front of the couch.

           “Told you Jacob! I do believe you owe me ten dollars now.” Davin held out his hand.

           Jacob slapped his hand. “Call it even form the last time.”

           “Did you really think I wouldn’t know the words?” She pretended to be shocked.

           “That’s not even a fair bet.”Their mother chimed in as she walked through the front door with their dad. “I’m fairly certain she has that movie a 100% memorized by this point.”

           “That’s what I said! He swore there was no way she could memorize the whole movie.” Jacob whined.

           “Are you guys going to watch it with us?” Davin asked while their parents were headed toward the steps.

           Arron stopped at the bottom of the stair well. Putting his finger to his cheek and tapping it, acting like he was deep in thought. “Is this the two hundredth or three hundredth time this movie has played? At my old age I’m loosing count.”

    “Gratuitous violence never ages dad.” Lythia chirped.

Jacob snorted. “Only you would use one of the movies quotes right now.”

              “It does when you over play it. Why don’t we do a family movie night Saturday and watch something new?” Their mom offered.

           Hearing the words Saturday Lythia looked up toward her brother. He had definitely already forgot about the party while he pondered his mother’s idea. Knowing she couldn’t say it out loud she quickly elbowed his knee. His attention dropped down to her. As she mouthed the word “party" to him, the light bulb suddenly kicked on.

           “As much as we would love to, we can’t. Pretty sure we agreed to hang out with the group this weekend.” Jacob shrugged.

           Their mother eyed all three of them. “We?”

           “Our whole group of friends.” Lythia smiled innocently.

           “Doing what exactly?” she questioned. “Are any of you planning on drinking?”

           “I don’t plan on it. It’s just a group of us hanging out. Maybe gobbling, watch a couple of movies. Who knows.” Jacobs phone started to ping in his hand. “We won’t get into much trouble.”

    Arron smiled at his wife. “That means we’ll have the house to ourselves Caroline.” He raised his eyebrow in a suggestive way.

      “Oh that sounds nice!” She kissed her husband on the cheek. Then glared back at all three of them. “If any of you come home drunk again I’m going to make you scrub this entire house down with a toothbrush.”

           Jacob and Lythia gulped while nodding in understanding, making sure to keep eye contact. Caroline was definitely the stricter parent out the two. She could be very scary when she wanted to be. The last time the three of them messed up and did something they shouldn’t have, she had then outside with scissors cutting the grass. A

           Davin couldn’t help himself. He alwaysblikes 5o provoke people around him. Watching the smirk spread across his face. “I can’t promise that. Hot date and all.”

           “I don’t want to even know. But what your mother just said still applies to you. No drinking and driving!” Arron looked toward him sternly.

           Davin nodded his head. “Yes sir, I promise if I drink I will call someone.”

           A flicker of irritation flashed across Arron’s face. He seemed to be silently debating something amongst himself. “Thanks” was all he said before he headed up the steps.

           Lythia’s attention fell onto Davin. He was cocky sometimes and arrogant others but she knew he said all that to try and get the attention off of them. She couldn’t help to smile at him for helping. Even if they weren’t blood brother and sister, he had proven time and time again that he was still her brother none the less.

           When they were younger Davin only lived a few houses over with his real parents. His real parents had been best friends with theirs. Lythia  and jacob always called them aunty and uncle and Davin did the same with theirs. The three children spent most days running between each others houses, having fun. So to her he was just like her brother for as far back as she could remember.

           Jacob and Davin were a different story though, always inseparable and joined at the hip. Best friends and brothers from the day they were born. Only being a month apart their parents would throw conjoined birthday parties. That is a tradition they still do as adults.

Lythia wasn’t much older than five, when Davin had to come live with them.  She had to stay home from school with the flu. After school Jacob stayed with her to keep her company. Lying on the couch they watched movie after movie. Once one movie was done another would play. Their father had brought some chicken noddle soup out to them when the phone rang. As her mother answered her smiled disappeared, and her voice became muffled. Tears started to drip from her chin.

           Lythia’s mother walked toward the kitchen and told Arron whatever the phone call was about. He stood there with a blank look on his face as it started growing pale. The next thing she knew he grabbed his coat and ran out the door. Not sure what was going on she sat there quietly eating her soup.

           Later that evening she was lying on the couch watching another movie while Jacob was napping on the other end of the couch. Arron had returned home by then and was talking to Caroline in the kitchen. A soft knock came to the door.

           Two police officers and a strange woman came in as her father opened the door. Davin followed closely behind. Lythia smiled at him and waved him to come over. He sat on the couch with a painful expression across his face. Not sure what to do she covered him with some of her blankets and laid her head on his shoulder.

             The adults looked at the three of them before stepping into the kitchen. They stayed in there for awhile before finally emerging. The strange women waved good bye to the children as her and the officers left.

           Davin sat there as tears started rolling down his cheeks. Lifting her little head she wrapped her arms around him and tried to muster up the biggest hug she could. Accepting her warmth he berried his head into her chest and started crying harder.

          Arron and Caroline watched both children from the doorway. Tears were streaming down their faces too. Lythia was confused and kept looking between her parents and Davin. She didn’t want to say anything because she was worried it would make him more upset, so she bit back her questions.

           After a little while his crying became softer and soon he was sleeping in the little girls arms. Lythis pulled her pillow from behind her and set it in her lap, then as gently as she could she put Davins head down on it and laid back falling asleep

           Feeling a weight being lifted off of her, Lythia’s little eyes fluttered open. Arron was carrying a sleeping Davin up the stairs. Caroline came over and hugged her daughter. She explained that Davin will be living with them. When she asked why, more tears started running down her mothers face. She explained that aunty and uncle were watching over everyone in the sky and wanted Davin to stay with his loving and supportive extended family.

           Lythia nodded like she understood but honestly she was still confused. Worried it would upset her mother more she gave her a big smile. Caroline took comfort in that, hugging her daughter she went upstairs.

          Chills stared running across her little body.  Pulling the blanket tightly around her, she felt like throwing up again. The fever she had been fighting all day was back. Her little body was tired and exhausted. Arron appeared with her medicine right on queue. Taking it in one big gulp she laid her head down in her father’s lap.

          He rubbed the top of her head as her eyelids got heavy. Slowly closing her eyes, something shinned brightly across the room. Fighting sleep she look at the stairs to a little blond haired boy. His blue eyes caught the light in the living room making them sparkle. Lythia couldn’t help but smile at him and he returned it. Happy to see him, she finally closed her eyes and drifted off into sweet dreams.

           Not sure of what she just remembered she peeled her eyes off of Davin and looked at the steps. Of course nothing was there. An eerie feeling swept down her spine. The little boy from her dreams had sat on the steps in her childhood memory. She could clearly remember him, but yet no one else seemed to see him at that time.

Another shiver ran down her spine as more questions than answer kept sweeping through her mind. Could he be real? Did she imagine him while fighting sleep? Was he a ghost? Can a fever cause your mind to play tricks? Yet the deeper she thought about it the more her head started to hurt. It was a dull pain at first, but as she kept asking herself question after question it started to hurt more and more.

           “Hey, earth to Lythia!” Davin pinched her cheek.

           “Stop it!” She swatted his hand away looking away from the steps.

           David kneeled in front of her. “You were staring at me all zoned out, then you looked toward the steps and zoned out. You good? Or just being a  space cadet?.”

The pain started to lessen as she looked at her brother. Concern tugged at the corner of his eyes. Lythia couldn’t help but want to mess with him. A grin tugged at the corner of her mouth as she spoke.  “Whatever. I was looking at that large pimple on your nose. I hope your date tomorrow doesn’t get grossed out easily.”

           Davin freaked out instantly and ran into the bathroom. Satisfied at his reaction she moved toward the steps and raced toward her room shutting the door. Slumping down the doorframe as thoughts raced through her mind. The lies and rationalization she kept trying to tell herself was so full of holes she couldn’t stop poking at them. Nothing was making sense anymore. Then again when it came to the dream world nothing made sense.

Aside on cue her head started 5o hurt. The more and more she though about the dream or little boy her head started to hurt. Not wanting to deal with a full blown headache. She  pushed most of the thoughts to the back of her mind. Sighing a  heavy Lythia made her way to her dresser. Grabbing the first pair of shorts and tank to she saw. Then untying her hair next.

 Being both mentally and physically exhausted with everything that’s going on she laid down face first into the pillow. Moving on to her side she looked at the sky through her window. The moon was bright and almost full, making sure to Illuminate the world below. A feeling she couldn’t place washed over her while she stared. Everything felt familiar but yet so far away. It also sometimes felt like a piece of her was missing. The moon always seemed to stir feelings she didn’t understand.

Finally having enough of today she barried her head back into the pillow. Yanking the blanket at the end of the bed over her head. Sighing heavily Lythia let go of all her worries and let the darkness consume her.