“Chase, what is going on?” Jade asks, her urgent eyes seeking what’s behind me, behind the door, lying on the living room floor.
I suck on my front teeth, a chill trickling down my spine. I reach to close the gap between me and the door, then I shift toward my younger sister and crouch to eye level.
“Hey, I need you to do me a favor.” I feel like I’m talking through water, both of my hands desperately latching onto her thin biceps.
She shakes her head, then groans, “If it’s cleaning up your room again…I’m…” She pauses, looks down at my grip on her. “Chase, you-you’re hurting m-me.”
“Fuck,” I spit, letting go. “I didn’t mean?—”
She cuts me off, smiles sadly. “I know.”
I take her arms again, this time, much more gently. “I need you to climb out the window and go to the shed, then I need you to count to five-thousand and if I’m not there by the time you reach it, go next door, okay?”
Jade crosses her arms and rolls her bright blue eyes. “I’m not ten any?—”
She was ready to whine but when the sound of choking slips beneath the door, she flinches, eyes widening with fright.
“You hear me?” I ask, pinching her arms a little tighter as she stares over my head. “Go to the shed, count to five-thousand, if I’m not there?—”
But she hasn’t taken her eyes from the door. “Chase…I’m scared…for her,” she admits, speaking over me.
And her truth silences me, then sparks pain through every synapse.Because so was I.
I pull her into my chest. I don’t say anything.
Jade begins to tremble and it almost kills me.
Another thud comes from behind the door, then a crash.
“You ready?” I ask, my eyes widening.
She nods, then reaches out, her hand pulling at my bright red hoodie. My eyes follow the movement, then flick back to hers, confused.
“Can I wear it?” she whispers.
I jerk my chin toward her chest of drawers. “Grab one of your?—”
She cuts me off, a tear rolling down her cheek. “No,” she sobs. “I need to wear yours. I need to know you’ll come back for it.”
Then, my heart snaps in two.
I tear the fabric away from my body and pull it down over her head. She slips her thin arms in, pushing the cotton to the bends of her bony elbows. It’s huge on her, it swallows her whole.
“Alright, go.” I spin her around by her shoulders, guiding her toward the window.
She’s through it before I can blink, only before she runs, she turns back, her blue eyes latching onto mine. “Hey, Chase. Is she going to be okay?”
A spider of fear skitters across my arms.
I hope so.
Dark clouds muscle in, sliding over the sky, the rumble of thunder in the distance, an ominous picture and terrifying track of how I’m feeling on the inside.
I shiver again.
“Yes…” My voice comes out in a whisper.
And Jade nods and takes off toward the shed, and I clench my teeth when they begin to chatter.
