Breaking News
Zach
It took me about 20 minutes to get Calia dressed and ready for school. Our parents leave as soon as Calia is done with breakfast, so we barely see them. They are real estate agents, meaning they are never really parents and are hardly there for our parent and teacher conferences. I don't think Calia understands our situation as a 6-year-old should. I mean, I had some time with them before they started working like dogs; but Calia never really experienced that since she was so young. I think that is why she is so close to me. I think she feels like I'm the parent, both the mother and the father as well as her brother. I don't think she will ever understand the circumstances of our parents' relationship. I can't tell Calia because I don't have the heart to break my little sisters world apart, as it breaks my heart enough already.
"Zay!" I was knocked out of my thoughts by Calia, who had her arms crossed and tapping her left foot impatiently.
"I'm sorry Lia, I spaced out on you," I replied as I stooped down and took her up in my arms. Every time I do this, it makes me feel like I can protect her from anything. Taking a deep breath, I put her on the ground and motioned for her to go to my truck. As I heard the door close, I turned around and started to turn off lights when I heard the Breaking News alarm go off. Normally Calia would wait so she could see if a miracle had shut down our school. Finding the remote, I sat down and listened to the last few minutes of the channel.
"-so what you're saying, Lily, is that the lab was destroyed and dangerous test subjects were accidentally released into the city?" Scoffing, I turned off the TV and grabbed Calia's grey jacket. Monsters were legends, stuff that parents told kids to listen to. The real monsters are not the ones hiding under your bed, it's the one in the heads of human mankind. Locking the door behind me, I turned around, only to hear police sirens in the distance. 'Probably chasing some druggy again' I thought as I got in the driver's seat and leaned over the middle to play 'Barbie Princess and The Pauper Soundtrack' in the disk player. Lia giggled with joy as she started to bounce around in the passenger's seat. Her giggle always brought the light back into the world. So innocent, so young, such a perfect little sister. I'm a very lucky brother to have a sister like Calia.
Calia
Going to school with Zay always thrilled me since we both listen to our favorite soundtrack, 'Princess and the Pauper' from Barbie. I could tell he was worried about something, 'School maybe? No. . . Oh! Maybe it's because we didn't get to watch the news this morning!' Looking over at Zach, I watched in dismay at his forehead crinkled in deep thought. Grabbing his grey and red flannel and giving it a tug, I asked: "Is something wrong Zay?" he looked at me and smiled.
"Everything's alright we just got to get you to school on time," he explained while pulling into the school's parking lot. Everyone watched as we got out and I could feel their stares. 'They're just jealous' I thought as I grabbed Zay's hand and pulled him to my classroom. Sometimes, I hear them whisper mean stuff about Zay, and. . . I can see it hurts him so much.
Zach
I could hear the whispering in the halls as Calia weaved her way to her class:
'Aren't they brother and sister?' 'Why are they so close?' 'are they- ewww what if they are?'
Sometimes I want to move, to take Lia with me and leave this godforsaken town, to never look back. Lia always said that Greece was a pretty place. She always looked up pictures and places, making posters and reading books about the cities there. It made me so proud of her. I think if our parents would just spend the whole day with her then. . .
"Zach!" I felt a huge tug on my flannel. Geez, I spaced out on Lia again. Glancing down at her, I saw she was confused.
"Yes, Lia? What is it?" She looked almost shaken up.
"Did you see it?" She pointed out the window to where the woods were. Shaking my head, I grabbed her hand and took her to class when I heard something that sounded like a wild animal being torn apart. The screams loud and high pitched as if it was in a lot of pain. Looking out in the distance, to the woods, I saw what looked like a cat, its face split and indents in its skull where eyes should be… but there weren't. It was as if it was staring right at me and Calia. . .