Chapter 1

"Aaron! NO! Please don't hurt me! I am your sister, please I am begging you, you are only 14 you have your whole life ahead of you!" It hurts so much to scream and struggle against these ropes. I close my eyes tight and open them again repeatedly. I just wish this nightmare would stop. I was stupid and now I am going to be killed because my brother can't remember who he is. The anger in his blue eyes and his frazzled blonde hair tell me he wants nothing more than to kill me.

"Aaron, no!" my voice squeals through the rainforest echoing for miles. The spear he cradles in his hands mock every ache in my body. His eyes shift from me back to the spear. He lets out an ear piercing squeal and lunges directly towards my throat as I brace for impact, squeezing my eyes shut hoping that I will awaken. I peek out of one eye to see the sharp rusted point of the spear narrowly miss my throat by just inches as he trips over a rock. He is out cold.

England

Donnie my 17 yr. old brother has brown hair, and brown eyes. His hair is shoulder length that has yet to be brushed. There is a deep scar that runs from the edge of his forehead snaking down to the edge of his mouth. "Donnie why are you leaving us?" with tears stream down my face it is difficult to see the fire in his eyes. He glares back at mom who is holding onto my twin brother from the front door. Her chin rests on his left shoulder. All Aaron can do is stare.

"Cassie I love you, you know I do." And with that he walks off towards the brick gate with a duffel bag, shifting its weight behind him. He kicks open the gate knocking off some loose cement. Dust flies everywhere as he shoves it shut with his left foot. Moments later we hear the roaring of his car as he speeds off in the wrong direction, nearly smashing into an oncoming vehicle. I glance back to see mom has fallen to her knees while Aaron tries desperately to comfort her. She sobs softly in the background as we just watch him disappear into the distance.

That was a month ago and not much has changed. Mom cries every night while she thinks we are both asleep, sometimes while doing dishes, and probably while we are at school. While walking down the stairs, I stop and hunker down, watching mom talk on the phone. I can't make out what she is saying, but her eyes are red and misty. Her blonde hair is pulled into a bun. She is only wearing a pink robe. Her free hand is flailing in every direction. My heart skips a beat. She is talking about Donnie and something terrible has happened. I stay still and hold my breath, sinking to the step and clutch onto the railing while keeping an eye on her as she paces back and forth.

"Is he going to be ok? Do you need me to come over there?" Mom says a bit louder than her usual relaxed posture causing me to jump a bit. She starts sobbing and clamps a hand over her mouth, mumbling something and then finishes with "What do you mean there is nothing I can do? I am coming over there right now!" With that she slams the phone to the ground, crying harder, sinking to the floor, pulling her knees to her chest, and burying her face. It feels as though all air has been sucked out of the room and everything starts spinning.

I have to get out of here. Something has happened, something… commotion comes from where mom is. She quickly scrambles up grabbing her shoes and her purse from the living room. I make a dash for my room, but she spots me and walks directly towards me. I do all I can to keep from bursting into tears as well. "Cassie," she starts "I need you and Aaron to take the school bus today. I will pick you up later, okay?" she grabs me by the shoulders and pulls me into a hug before turning back around.

"But what was that about? Is Donnie okay?"

"Please honey, I will pick you both up later. Please… just don't… ask…questions" her voice quivers again while she breaths deeply between those words. Mom rushes out the door, leaving me struggling to comprehend what happened.

The day passes slowly. All I can do is think of the worst possible thing that could happen to him. Maybe she stabbed him to death then stuffed his body in a closet. She might be covering his death up so mom won't get suspicious. The entire school carries on as if nothing is happening to my brother, as if mom didn't just have a panic attack, and as if Dad didn't just suddenly die in a horrible car accident, two months ago. Kids laugh and chase each other through the hallway, some kissing, and some gathering in large groups causing a pile up.

Nothing can be worse than this. I just hope mom is doing okay. I hope Donnie survived that brutal attack from his girlfriend. Images race through my mind, each worse than the last, as I push and shove my way through the hall. My face hurts so much from all the tears that will not stop.

"Move it runt!"

"What?" I spin around and before I can do anything, he shoves me out of the way knocking me to the ground. Kids just step over me as if I don't exist.

Math class isn't much better. There is no such thing as concentration when your whole world is turned upside down. I place a hand on my chin and stare out the window.

Flashback

"Donnie! You are grounded. You are not leaving this house!" Mom shouts at him.

The storm clouds roll in from the southeast with thunder crackling louder. Wind picking up.

He storms towards the front door, with mom chasing after him, grabbing him by his right shoulder. He spins around clenching his teeth, narrowing his eyes at her. "Oh yeah, watch me. If you try to keep me from her I am leaving this family. I will. Even you can't stop me from seeing her. I am 17 years old and I can do whatever I want."

"No I don't care what you say I am forbidding you from seeing her, Donnie." Her voice fierce, hands clenched into fists.

The rain starts coming down hard.

"How dare you accuse her of something, she has never done, Marianne." Donnie shouts at her up in her face, shoving her away from him.

"Do not call me by my first name Donnie. You know how much that hurts me," she shouts at him. "Never shove me either! Go to your room." Her knuckles white as a bed sheet.

"That is it! I am out of here, Marianne. I am leaving and you don't need to know my business."

Lightning flashes across the sky, and thunder crashes, drowning out their voices.

"Donnie! Donnie! Get back here this instant. You are not walking out on the family." She screams as he storms out the door, slamming it in her face just missing her fingers.

The lightning comes down sharp several times in a row.

End Flashback

"Cassie! Cassie! Earth to Cassie," Mr. Johnson says knocking on my desk and waving a hand in my face.

The class bursts out into laughter as I sink low into my seat.

"Class knock it off she is going through some rough stuff right now," he says coming to my defense.

"Thanks." My face is burning with more tears and embarrassment as I wipe them away quickly.

"Cassie, your mother is at the office, you should probably get going."

My eyes widen with fear and all I can do is choke back a sob before racing out the door.