Chapter Fifty Five

Lyla's Point Of View

"Food is ready boys!" I shouted from the kitchen, setting the last bowl on the table.

I immediately heard footsteps pound on the floor as I stood beside Nalla proudly, watching with a smile.

"Soup!" Elisa shouted as she jumped into her chair.

"Smells good!" Peter smiled and sat beside Jameson who had already grabbed two bread rolls.

"Ugh, water?" Sammi eyed her glass.

"Yes Sammi." I crossed my arms and smiled. "Water."

She teasingly glared at me as she took a sip of it.

I sat down beside Ben and smiled at everyone.

"Let's say Grace." I took Ben's and Nick's hand into my own.

My mind drifted back to three months ago, the warehouse, the guns, my father.

The government saving us, giving us protections and a home, all of it.

"Amen." Nick squeezing my hand brought me back to reality.

I made eye contact with him and his worried eyes. I smiled once more and grabbed my spoon.

"It's potato soup, your guys' favorite." I took a bite of it.

"Yeah it is!"

I looked up and I saw Elisa shoveling spoonfuls of the soup into her mouth, making quite a mess.

"Slow down Silly." I smiled and took a slice of apple.

"Yeah," Nalla jumped in, slightly angry. "Or else I'm gonna throw an apple at you!"

I sighed as Elisa sat up straighter.

"Oh yeah?" Elisa challenged, fire also in her eyes. "I dare you."

In one swift move, Nalla scooped up an apple slice and threw it at Elisa. Except, Elisa caught the apple and just as fast, threw it back at Nalla, succeeding in hitting her as well.

"You little brat!" Nalla stood up.

Seriously? We can't even eat together without fighting? I rubbed my temples.

"Come on Feather Head!" Elisa shot up as well. "If you would've gotten your head out of your butt you would've caught it!"

"You're just a dumbass, you Feline bast-" Nalla yelled, but I cut her off.

"Knock it off!" I slammed my hand on the table, causing everyone to snap their heads towards me. "Can't we just have lunch without you guys fighting?!" I shouted, my voice cracking with anger. "You guys can't keep doing this! We are a family and I don't need you two to break us apart!"

Elisa and Nalla sat down slowly, shame on their faces. Jameson set down his glass of water and waiting for me to continue.

Tears welled in my eyes. "I already lost a member of my family and I don't want to lose any of you." I stood up and dropped my napkin on the table. "Excuse me." My voice cracked and I began to walk to my room.

Dylan why did you have to leave?

It's so hard without you. The boys are falling apart. They're having panic attacks and flashbacks. They have short tempers. It's so hard.

I closed the door behind me and sat on the floor, pulling my knees to my chest.

"I remember tears streaming down your face, when I said I'll never let you go." I rocked back and forth slightly as I cried quietly. "When all those shadows almost killed your light."

I heard the door open and shut but I still kept my eyes closed and continued to rock myself.

"I remember you said, don't leave me here alone." Ben tried his best to sing as he sat down beside me. "But all that's dead and gone and past, tonight."

"Just close your eyes. The sun is going down. You'll be alright. No one can hurt you now." Nick sat beside me and wrapped his arms around me. "Come morning light, you and I will be safe and sound."

I snuggled against the tree and began to cry.

It was all my fault. Why must I always mess up?

"Hey, are you okay?" A boy peered down at me and tries to catch a glimpse of my face.

"No." I sniffed, looking up at me.

"Oh." The boy frowned and sat down beside me. "What happened?"

"My brother is missing and it's all my fault." I buried my head into my knees again, my tears overwhelming me.

"What's your brother's name?" The boy asked after a slight pause.

"Drew." I sniffed, still hiding my face.

"What's yours?"

"Lyla." I looked up, curious to see what he would say next

"Well Lyla, my name is Dylan." He smiled sympathetically. "And I will find your brother, even if I have to become a police officer and it takes me a million years!" -

"I miss him so much." I sobbed into Nick, all of my memories of him and I together exploding in my head. "Why did he have to leave? Everyone I have ever loved is either dead or hurt! What does the world have to prove?"

"How strong you are." Sammi sat down in front of me. "It's proving how strong you are."

I looked up at her, my lip quivering

She nodded once. "You are strong."

"And So was Dylan, your mom, Drew, Anna, Everyone you ever lost." Jameson kneeled down and smiled encouragingly.

"How about we visit him?"

——

"Ew, cemeteries are scary." I scrunched my nose as Dylan and I walked past it.

"No they aren't." Dylan frowned, stopping his walk to look at the cemetery. "They're amazing. They're a final home for hundreds of people. It's where my mom is."

"Oh." Was all I could say.

"We'll be in there one day." Dylan smiled. "We should treat it with respect because it will protect us when we are dead." -

"Hi Dylan." I set down the flowers on his graves and sat down, facing him. The boys all gathered around me, some holding hands, others linking arms and leaning against one another. "Today is a lovely day, isn't it?"

"We really miss you Police Dude." Elisa smiled slightly, touching the side of his gravestone.

"You told us that we need to watch over Lyla," Nalla spoke up. "But she's been the one taking care of us. We've causing her a lot of stress and I'm sure you're cussing us out for it right now." Nalla smiled sadly, her imagination running wild. "I just want to say sorry. You gave us one job, and we're failing at it." Nalla let out a dry laugh. "I guess we need to you smack us across our heads."

"I'll do it." Sammi raised her hand.

We all managed a laugh and there was a strong breeze.

Maybe that was Dylan laughing with us. Maybe he was trying to give us a hug, or even a good hit on the head.

"But Dylan, I promise you that we will be better now. We can only do this one way." Nalla smiled over at Ben. "And that's together."

Ben's eyes welled with tears as did everyone else's.

"Thank you Dylan." I stroked the top of his gravestone. "Thank you for being my best friend."

- End of Broken Remains -

extras will be posted soon