Chapter-2 Reunions

After we finished cleaning, we put in a movie and sat back on the couch. We didn't have a DVD player, but we still had a TV that could play VHS tapes. Besides, there really wasn't much else to do. The living room consisted of just the TV and the couch. There were two baskets next to the couch that held my clothes, one full of my clean clothes and the other my dirty.

"Finally!" Zack cheered in exhaustion as he flopped back on the couch.

His shaggy brown hair flew in the air, landing back down and covering his face.

"You act like you did something," I replied as I walked over to the couch.

I flopped down next to him and grabbed the remote. Right before I was about to press play, I heard a knock at the door. "I wonder who that is," I groaned.

I got up and stretched as I walked over to the door.

"Probably some ghetto kid selling candy," Zack replied.

I just rolled my eyes at his comment and opened the door.

"Hey Bro! I left my keys again," Lux chimed with a nervous-looking smile.

She had bags upon, bags railed down her arms.

"You gotta stop doing that," I laughed as I started to take the bags from her.

Lux was a little bit taller than me. She had long raven locks and ocean blue eyes, and she had this amazing ability to make anyone around her smile. No matter what mood they were in. She was still in her nurse's trainee uniform with her hair tied up in a ponytail.

"Oh, my sweet Lux has arrived! My darling, how could you keep your future husband waiting!" Zack cheered, exploding to life, not looking the least bit fatigued anymore.

"Oh, I'm sorry. How could I ever leave poor old Zack waiting? However shall I make it up to you?" My sister sarcastically replied as she walked into the kitchen.

"It's okay my dear. I'll forgive my darling this time," Zack hummed, practically skipping over to her. "Come my dear; let's watch a movie together on the couch." Lux laughed as she took her hair down. Letting her hair cascade onto her shoulder.

"Give me a call when you're legally allowed to watch R rated movies, okay hun?" With that, she started walking away to her room.

"Does buying a rated R movie from a shady Puerto Rican guy count?"

"Are you talking about Sarah's Game? Dude, you almost pissed yourself every time one of those dolls showed up." I about died at the memory of Zack's girlish screams.

Zack spun around quickly on his heels and glared at me.

"Hey! When the dolls start taking over and eating your flesh, I'm gone!" He spoke so seriously, I had a hard time telling if he was joking or not.

He turned back around toward my sister and I heard a loud squeal come from him. He fell back onto the floor yelling, "Kill it! Kill it!" I looked to see my sister holding up her baby doll. The doll was no bigger than her hand. It had curly brown hair and a worn blue sundress. It had pale skin and a cracked green eye. The left eye was missing (total nightmare fuel.) She's had that thing ever since we were kids.

"Oh, my darling Zack, did my friend Emily scare you?" Lux laughed as she shut the door to her room.

"She knows she wants me," Zack said, getting up from the ground.

"I don't think she's into seventeen-year-olds," I muttered.

We sat back on the couch and started the movie up again. An hour into it, I could barely keep my eyes open. Crap! No! No! No! I can't fall asleep! Zack's gonna prank me! My eyes were getting heavier, and heavier. I could see the flashes of darkness, then suddenly everything was black.

That's when the picture started to form. I was in the middle of the street, which seemed oddly familiar. I looked around trying to get my bearings, and that's when she appeared. Everything suddenly made sense. I was with Mom, walking down the road where I grew up. I looked over at her long raven locks and mesmerizing blue eyes. I hugged her immediately.

"Mom! I missed you!" I cried into her as I buried my face into her side.

She was so warm and soft. She slowly moved her arms around me, not saying a word.

"Oh Stryder, if only you really did love me." She whispered softly into my ear, like she was telling me a secret.

I was stunned, I let go of her slowly, looking up at her face. She was still giving me that same smile, but it felt like it was mocking me now. My heart began to race and I could barely keep still.

"That's not true. I do love you Mo-"

Bam! Something exploded against my mom's back! She fell face-first on the ground like a rock. Her back was bloody and busted open. My mind slowly went to mush. I couldn't think, breathe, or move. I looked up and saw a black humanoid figure standing there with a gun in his hand. The words 'all your fault' started appearing everywhere around me-on the floor, the sky, and the walls. I even started hearing it in my ears.

"Stop it," I begged, but the voices just got louder and louder. The words swirled around me like a ball, trapping me in a sphere. "I said stop!"

Then everything flashed in my eyes with a blaring white light. I quickly sat up, my heart racing and sweat rolling down my face. It was like I ran a marathon. I couldn't stop panting, I was still petrified. I looked around, and I could tell I was home. Zack was sleeping next to me on the couch, drooling and mumbling something about chickens.

"It was just a dream," I murmured.

I wiped my face and noticed the tears. I heard someone moving behind, I turned around to see who it was. It was Lux, staring at me with concern. She was fully dressed in her trainee uniform for her morning classes. Seeing her calmed me down some.

She stared intently at me for a moment. Then, she quickly ran over to me and wrapped me in her arms. I melted into her embrace, it felt so comforting. Like getting a hug from a teddy bear when you were scared at night. I couldn't bring myself to let go of her, so I ended up holding onto her for a while.

"I can tell you had that dream again," she whispered softly, gently petting the back of my head. "Remember, it's not your fault what happened to Mom. It was out of your control." I accepted the words she spoke, but I didn't believe it for a second.

"Yeah..." I replied with a cracked voice.

"I love you Stryder, no matter what that dumb, old drunk says. Now go take a shower, and make sure this idiot does too." She said, pointing at Zack.

"Gotcha," I replied, giving her a strained smile.

"Oh, I made bacon and eggs for you guys. It's in the microwave," she chimed, right before rushing out the door.

I sighed and got up, trying to clear my head as I walked to the bathroom.