15/4/24
All you need to know is that, right now, in this one flicker of history, there's this girl. Fifteen, brown hair, brown eyes, ponytail, kind of a shy klutz, maybe. This is Jordan, Jordan Sands. Kind of important for this story. But that's just a name, but names are always important. All of time and space, everyone's important to somebody at some point. Allergies, poor eyesight, all that jazz.
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR4679taIpR
Dark night, and trying to get home, don't ask why she's out so late, she just is, carrying two bags of groceries, a bouquet sticking out of one. All according to plan. The keys were a bit tricky, though.
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx5LQgKlTa1
Look, her family wasn't exactly well-off right now, but if things went how they were currently, and they cut down a little, they'd have power past the fifteenth.
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8oLXZHiX0A
But the lights weren't on. Ugh, great. The breaker must've tripped. Bag onto the counter, tomatoes spilling, as she tried to pick them up, but a sound came from around her... somewhere, in the house. Maybe she was hearing things.
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYLZRSraeOE
"Hello?"
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUyN09pPlF4
She tried to open the fuse box... and there came another sound.
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVyBOywda3X
As Jordan turned around, there it was, some sort of monster, conveniently the height of...
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoNmiKuxhEM
She screamed, a camera flash in her face... and a nice, quick swing, before turning to the right, opening the switch box, and turning on the lights.
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFFcLyQ23iD
"Hunter!" Jordan, was, in a single word.. pissed. Her brother just kept pushing her closer and closer to the edge, and it was tiring enough worrying about her future. She was only fifteen, she didn't need this... "What's your problem?"
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPSYA8Jq5hu
Her younger brother sat up. Messy brown hair, blue eyes, he'd be fourteen soon... and still at least a few inches shorter than her. At least she still had that over him.
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtAFnYMhWvo
"Oh come on," he removed the mask from his face. "That was a good one."
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUaVOfxNNjA
"Come on, we have to make dinner."
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdnGDoROWHO
At Least Twenty Minutes Later...
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsg9ESNA6Jx
Hunter was at 'his' laptop. Laptop computer, really. Not like they could afford more than two. But Jordan just used hers for her stupid homework.
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD8hqKp6NY5
"The download.. of death.." Came from the audio receptors.
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjaPVMLu1CY
"Did I tell you? Destruktor Four is coming out this weekend." Hunter tried to share an interest with his sister. It had been a while...
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGNfXNRg9hl
"Yeah, you mentioned it." Jordan tried to not let out a sigh. "It's Rated R."
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmd2AG4TZtn
"Dad said he'd take me." Hunter tried to say.
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAWVwCKWyoQ
"No, he said 'we'll see'." Jordan had to be the mature sibling as she loaded a wrap onto a plate.
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAdKls8k06M
Hunter crossed his arms, pouting as he rolled his eyes. "What are we having?"
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOGPl7Q9rjU
"Tofu Stir Fry." Between the cost of food for three people, at this rate, it was their best choice. That, and at least they could all eat it.
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPBNztqlfh9
"Humans eat meat, Jordan." Hunter pulled the computer closer to him, as he was seated. "Just because you're vegan doesn't mean the rest of us should starve!" He whined. "It's why we have these!" He poked himself in the tooth.
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiVP5i3H6xP
Jordan had to resist an eye-roll as Hunter moved his laptop from the table.
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡditk96UtuX
"Wait, why do we have four plates?" Hunter questioned.
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOXEaOY07J1
"I invited Ms. Carlsburg from down the street over for dinner." Jordan kept her demeanour the same.
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSoDvBbpH2k
"Why would you do that?" Hunter was... he hadn't moved on. How long had it been now? Four years, maybe six? It didn't matter, what mattered was that that takes time.
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR2iWgDzs1B
"I thought it could be good for Dad," Jordan admitted. Not to mention she may have the chance to just... relax. How long had it been since she'd been a normal kid? Since they'd had a day without an argument? Ah, siblings. "Be nice to her." She pointed a finger at him.
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlQNVHnCLzN
Jordan walked to the door, hearing a knock. There she was... pink shirt, purple overcoat, long brown hair, greenish eyes, a yellow pearl necklace around, well, her neck, and a pie in her hands.
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ93JmfKx0yG
"Hello." Ms Carlsburg said.
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuIRSaf4x9w
"Hi."
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVz8EZyCsf3
Within a minute or so, the three were sitting at the table, as the siblings' father walked past the doorway, still on the phone.
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2JgE6DBoa5
"Yeah, yeah. Just grabbing a quick bite. Yeah, thanks. Alright, yeah. Uh, bye-bye. Yeah, I'll call you back, I need to finish another call. Yeah, say hi to your wife for me." David's call ended as he looked into the kitchen, at the three sitting down. "Hello." He had probably been switching between a call on hold with one of the parents in his group and maybe a new job-
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAKKg5kRnNH
"Hi, dad." Jordan tried to seem excited. Maybe he'd be happier today.
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxVfqytTKMc
"What's going on?"
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9cCoHyVLMZ
"Dad, you remember Ms Carlsburg."
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8SRugWTjb9
"Sure. Hey." David didn't remember her name.
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcKhj3G7Pwc
"Jacqueline." The now-named woman smiled.
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeOGG2P6DwU
"Can we.. talk, for a minute?" David gave Jordan a look, causing her to stand up. "Jordan." Just to make sure.
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYgE8pb5s5z
In the kitchen...
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNZ6f7h1Ia5
"You can't just leave, dad." Jordan tried to argue. He had to get back into the scene eventually.
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbwdHyzHkbi
"I have another call across town. It's a big one. A rewire job. It could be a lot of money." David was more concerned with having food on the table and a working Wi-Fi connection.
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQF7yBiTqXV
"Ms. Carlsburg," Hunter did his best innocent voice. "I'm awfully thirsty. Do you think you could get me some soda from the fridge, pleeaaasseee?"
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsQurtoxYvJ
"Oh, of course.. sweetie." Jacqueline tried to keep being nice.
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqSVL9hm95M
"I just thought it'd be good for you," Jordan explained.
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfJk4R99xgf
"Jordan, I appreciate the effort, but I told you, when it's time, when I'm ready, I'll find my own date." David insisted, knife in the pie, eating a piece of it.
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsTtFeIuSno
"Sorry to interrupt." Jacqueline came in.
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJLRONptvC7
"Oh." Came from Jordan.
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEkathUUuSs
"Oh. Good pie. Mmm." David couldn't hide the awkwardness.
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU3RI7G44rK
"Thank you. Hunter wanted some more soda." Jacqueline went for the fridge door...
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBXY8oowAKy
"Hmm."
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIOsC7jpRLp
Then David shared a look with his daughter.
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7dMGTksnXH
Oh no. Oh no. Oh no no no no no no.
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw6QrPmqNF5
A fake, beating organ, spurting ketchup to act as fake blood...
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeBqWFGhZv3
A scream..
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFJNeXNCYqe
"Hunter!"
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNJHeq4RFB9
Ah crap.
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡioVpdWb167
The Next Day
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzyrSLxThUp
TAFT High School
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWiMjMtqgtl
16/4/24
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuoaNiAxe4v
Jordan sighed, closing her locker. When you're young, they tell you to grow up, get a job, have a kid... and that's it. But there had to be more, hidden truths, maybe something darker, something madder, something fun, something to make her feel alive.
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjHUiyBtMIC
It was like a cycle. Make breakfast, hope dads at home, get herself and Hunter to school, go through a school day, get home, do whatever she needed to, make dinner, study, sleep, repeat. It had been like this for a while now. But she'd gotten through a few periods just fine. Now it was lunch. Had she been taking care of herself?
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSPI8Xbr4db
Every thought was panic. What was she doing with her life? She was only fifteen and she was worrying about her future, adulthood, college! Could she even get into college? And then it would be a loop of working, trying to find a home, until she could maybe retire and enjoy what little time she had left...
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlFqgyRUkrN
What happened to the girl she was? Before the allergies, before things all went.. bad? Sure, she'd struggled to talk to people, at least, when she didn’t know them. Sure, she was fine with just a few close friends. Heck, that was what she preferred. But that gets hard when you keep moving around. If it happened again... at least she could keep in contact with them. At least she had that. It wasn't like she hadn’t enjoyed being outside reading and doing the odd bit of sport...
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhDFhF47zqx
Why couldn't she have a few more years? Couldn't she have more time? She'd be ok, right? right?!
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr4tVm5elAP
Mom. Mom. It was hard to remember what she looked like now. A picture, a picture, she'd need to look at a picture- just a faceless body in the dream... it was something she and Hunter still had in common. They used to get along so well... things could still go right, right?
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb57NdUoPyO
Why couldn't she encounter the things she and Hunter knew were out there?
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9wdXRlynSQ
Why couldn't she be who she was before? Before it all went wrong? It was like there was some sort of empty feeling that just wouldn't go away. Her hair hadn't stopped being wild since her last birthday, her eyes looked more of a bluish-brown... her teeth looked a bit sharper, and when she saw meat? She drooled. Her allergies were still there, it was a few weeks before she was out of the hospital...
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡANHFwWCIgx
"Yo, Jordie." Came from next to her. It would be right to say that Jordan had gotten stuck in her own thoughts, a hand on her shoulder— Becca. "You in there, girl?"
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrRxTLhhjEl
"Oh, hey guys." Jordan smiled slightly.
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs2qvf05imJ
"Come on, we're gonna be late." Tina tried to turn on one heel, almost stumbling. She hadn't broken in those new heels yet, but even Debbie could see she’d probably be better off without them.
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjJda5y6Acn
Great, among her three friends, heading for the lunch hall, with all the usual teenage stuff, like acne. It's normal, no use complaining, it'll be gone eventually, people still trying to figure themselves out...
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ItvoItt9b
Two Minutes Later...
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQK5DtbwZ8H
"Jordan, he's over there. Ask him to the prom." Becca gently elbowed Jordan as they stood in the line for lunch.
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTprqXlLLHw
It would be right to say Jordan hadn't slept much. "..Huh? Forget it. No possible way. I'm not even sure I like guys." Jordan admitted, pushing her glasses back on, strands of hair sticking out.
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡalXvx4doMe
"J, you've been drooling over McCann since he
transferred from Harrison." Tina reminded.
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOWSRmmoPgt
"I don't drool." Jordan defended. "And besides, what am I gonna say to him?"
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt7UsSLvzyh
"Nothing. You say nothing. Look at Ashley. They've got it down. The hair flip, the lip pout, the over-giggle. It's a language all its own." Debbie pointed out.
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwoxVVmn8PM
Jordan had to pause and wonder if that was Ashley's actual personality. They'd never seen her outside of school, and with how everyone was for two days last year... friend groups had majorly shifted, and he'd been a good bit less desirable to some girls.
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYM0rY5R6Pj
"This is not the time to be the mouse, Jordan. You're the predator, and he's your prey, a test run. The practice." Becca encouraged.
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq4G1OfHdZQ
"All right. See ya. Bye, court. Dang it. I forgot my wallet." Came from McCann's mouth. It's high school, they're allowed to experiment with their love lives... but sometimes you're just not feeling it.
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOkLVqlLddI
Nope. Not her and him, never gonna happen.
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJa5zrLkFNQ
Later
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyrovCk3Nm5
"Heads up!" The kick, her worried attempt to block. "Ooh!" Another... "Aah!" And her hitting the ground.
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPdYVghNt92
Seriously, she needed a way to get excused from P.E. She could be spending that time studying, researching, reading... maybe check on an online friend.
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrodZDdt1CV
"Come on, Sands. Get a hand up!" Came from their teacher. It was nice to have someone believe in her... if she wasn't down on the grass with the left lense of her glasses broken.
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTWkzNSfmkY
"Your sister kind of stinks, dude." Richie said from the side of the building.
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6NA1oa0am4
"Yeah." Hunter didn't want to admit it, but part of him cared about his sister... and what better way to show it than getting her out of P.E?
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNR7WYuAzK6
"Are you sure that's the bag?" Robert, or as they called him, Petey, rose her eyebrows. Why did he let a girl hang around him? Eh, she wasn't as gross as others.
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡll09f364l8
"Patience, my apprentice."
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmPo3ygew2p
"Ooh!" Jordan needed to get off of the pitch, she didn't know what was coming... or why she kept trying.. or if her glasses being broken would be compensated by the school.
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡloOEVz1087
"Come on, Sands. Did I say you can take a break? You want to make this team, I'm gonna need a little more effort."
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxxOMV4CjPy
She had wanted to make the team when she was younger, but it always seemed just out of reach.
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQsgW5ryOiT
"Here we go." Hunter smiled to the rest of his quartet. "Watch this."
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVRBa7OXPAO
As the teacher reached into the bag... an excellent reproduction of a human head, a terrified expression on both ends... it's not like someone could tell the difference in a moment like this. "Aah!"
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡndek5NSHoF
Jordan didn't even react as the fake head rolled over to her feet. Maybe she'd have made the team if she still had her former dedication.
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡobqH3TSpZT
"...Dude." Came from Becca, standing next to Jordan, her attention directed to the scream, their heads turning.
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1CnGkdqtQS
"Hey, isn't that your loser brother, Sands?" Came from Ashley. Yes, her brother was annoying, but she wouldn't say a loser... ok, maybe she would. Maybe she'd punch her in the arm for that later… wait, was Tina standing with Ashley? Since when did those two hang out?
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ESdAzLKhV
"Don’t even know him.”
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ3yIhCJ9p7
She was probably not making the team. At least there wasn't any dead mom jokes today. She would've punched someone.. if it wouldn't end up risking her suspension.
Later that day,
Sands House
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjWrbqRnFWa
Ah yes, the table, bills being sorted under Jordan's hands. This was no life for a teenager.
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡorJoTPWuXp
"Ok, so this one really needs to be paid. And, um, the rest of them can wait until the 15th."
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLejtUBebCb
Tired. That's what they both were.
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf24y5Exhpt
"...Dad, everything's gonna be all right, isn't it?"
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNv60CwcQzg
"Mmm. Sure. Of course it is." David tried to be reassuring. Maybe he'd ask Carl about that electricity trick he had...
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRraFl5nS9I
"We need a miracle. A big, big miracle." Jordan could see that.
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf6NBm1BAoR
"Hey, look, I don't want you guys to worry, all right? I'll figure this out. I promise."
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYYR554XqLp
"Oh, and, um, there's something else that I just... yeah? What's that?" Jordan sighed. Sure, he got her out of P.E, but this wasn't good.
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0lB66S2j4F
"Suspended again?"
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9oUVBpfkut
Jordan only nodded.
ns3.16.10.2da2
