"Damn that was a lot!" Zack complained and dropped back onto the couch.

"Dude, you literally only took out the trash." I replied and walked over to him.

"And I helped clean out the fridge!" He pointed out.

"Yes, because eating our stale food is work."

"Be grateful the mighty Destroyer of Worlds was kind enough to grace you with his presence!"

I scowled and decided to reward his cheekiness by plopping down right on his stomach.

"Ah-! The hell!?" He coughed and shoved my waist, but I didn’t budge. “Get off!”

"Oh what? When did we get a talking couch?"

"Fine! Fine! I'll move!"

He tucked his legs in and I stood up. However, before I could even sit down a knock came from the door.

"Ugh, who could that be…?" I grumbled.

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

I rolled my eyes and walked over to the door. When I opened it up, I was met with a pleasant surprise.

“Hey bro! You're a lifesaver! I left my keys again.” My sister Lux said with an infectious laugh.

She had bags upon bags racked up her arms. I stepped closer and started taking the bags from her.

"What? Is that the third time this week?" I asked.

"Shut it! Nursing school fries my brain, alright?"

I chuckled and carried the bags off to the kitchen.

"Oh, my sweet Lux has arrived! My darling, how could you keep your future husband waiting!" Zack cheered and exploded to life.

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

"It's okay, my dear. I'll forgive my darling this time," Zack hummed and skipped over to her. "Come; let's watch a movie together on the couch."

Lux laughed and walked further inside. She took her hair tie out and let her raven locks cascade down onto her shoulders. I swear I could see Zack drooling as he watched...

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

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

This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

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

Zack spun around 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’s room , and suddenly dropped and started to scream "Kill it! Kill it!"

I walked closer and saw my sister holding out her old baby doll. It was no bigger than her hand, and had curly matted brown hair. Which was complimented by a worn out blue dress and a single cracked green eye. She tore the left one out a while ago.

"Oh, my darling Zack, did my friend Emily scare you?"

My sister laughed like a wicked witch and shut herself off inside her room.

Zack sat up."She knows she wants me.”

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

...

We sat back on the couch and started up a movie. An hour into it, I could barely keep my eyes open. The darkness from outside started to flood into the room.

I tried to struggle against its snare, but the darkness just lulled me away, until there was nothing. There was a flash of light, and the pictures started to form. I was standing on a sidewalk, and my skin started to tingle from the heat of the sun. That's when my eyes found her. The deep ocean eyes, her long raven locks. It was mom. Without a word, I wrapped my arms around her.

"Mom!" I cheered into her side.

She slowly snaked her arms around me and a warmth rose into my chest.

"Oh Stryder, if only you really did love me,." Sshe whispered.

Her words were like a cloud that blocked out the sun, sending a chill down my spine. I let her go and stepped away. My heart raced and I couldn't stop trembling. I moved my hand up to my lips and nibbled at my nails.

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

BAM!

My mom's body rocketed forward as something exploded against her back. Sending her body forward like a lifeless doll that dropped to the ground. There was a faint ringing in my ear, and the wind got knocked out of me.

Her back was bathed in crimson red, it pooled and streamed onto the ground. My eyes stared at the river of blood that flowed down to my feet. I looked up from the scarlet river and stared at the barrel of the gun. My eyes trailing down to the misty figure who pulled the trigger.

From the snarling mist, the words "all your fault" appeared around me. I stumbled back and looked around, trying to avoid the words. But they were everywhere I turned! I even started to hear it whisper into my ears. My legs buckled and I fell onto the ground. The smokey words pounced upon me and I closed my eyes.

"Stop it," I begged, but the voices just got louder. "I said stop!"

Suddenly there was a flash of white. I sat up on the couch, my heart practically beat its way out of my chest. Sweat ran down my back and face like it was raining, and I desperately tried to catch my breath. I looked around for mom, but I just found Zack drooling on the couch, mumbling something about chickens in his sleep.

"It was just a dream…" I mumbled.

I wiped my face and felt something cold on my hands. Must've been tears...

"Stry I- Hey are you okay?"

I jumped at her voice and turned around. There was Lux, wearing her nurse scrubs and oversized pink backpack.

Without a word she dropped her backpack and ran over to me. Her azure eyes stared into mine, then quickly pulled me into her arms. And I just melted.

"I can tell you had that dream again," she whispered and ran her fingers through my hair. "Remember, it's not your fault."

And there she goes, telling me sweet lies again...

"Yeah..." I mumbled.

She let go and took a step back.

"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 and pointed at Zack.

"Gotcha," I replied and painted on a smile for her.

"Oh, I bought some breakfast burritos for you guys. There in the microwave.” she called out as she rushed back out the door.

I walked over and shut the door behind her.

With her gone, I finally let the smile fade and I pressed my head against the door.

“You’re such a bad liar…”