15/4/24
All you need to know is that, right now, in this one flicker of history, there's this girl. Fifteen, brown hair, brown eyes, ponytail, kind of a shy klutz, maybe. This is Jordan, Jordan Sands. Kind of important for this story. But that's just a name, but names are always important. All of time and space, everyone's important to somebody at some point. Allergies, poor eyesight, all that jazz.
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMys7syXK54
Dark night, and trying to get home, don't ask why she's out so late, she just is, carrying two bags of groceries, a bouquet sticking out of one. All according to plan. The keys were a bit tricky, though.
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Jla2lml8w
Look, her family wasn't exactly well-off right now, but if things went how they were currently, and they cut down a little, they'd have power past the fifteenth.
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJiXDp8MjlN
But the lights weren't on. Ugh, great. The breaker must've tripped. Bag onto the counter, tomatoes spilling, as she tried to pick them up, but a sound came from around her... somewhere, in the house. Maybe she was hearing things.
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtLSRUc0KH1
"Hello?"
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJdIXIF7X2z
She tried to open the fuse box... and there came another sound.
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡriAs2HZ0Zm
As Jordan turned around, there it was, some sort of monster, conveniently the height of...
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm2e20ViktJ
She screamed, a camera flash in her face... and a nice, quick swing, before turning to the right, opening the switch box, and turning on the lights.
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY8exI0PSbi
"Hunter!" Jordan, was, in a single word.. pissed. Her brother just kept pushing her closer and closer to the edge, and it was tiring enough worrying about her future. She was only fifteen, she didn't need this... "What's your problem?"
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgS9IplQF3j
Her younger brother sat up. Messy brown hair, blue eyes, he'd be fourteen soon... and still at least a few inches shorter than her. At least she still had that over him.
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2R6IwufohA
"Oh come on," he removed the mask from his face. "That was a good one."
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDiDB7M18In
"Come on, we have to make dinner."
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡafK8ZVACyP
At Least Twenty Minutes Later...
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFsKsmpN7nR
Hunter was at 'his' laptop. Laptop computer, really. Not like they could afford more than two. But Jordan just used hers for her stupid homework.
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI1MORRYcwQ
"The download.. of death.." Came from the audio receptors.
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1XnX5CjWSE
"Did I tell you? Destruktor Four is coming out this weekend." Hunter tried to share an interest with his sister. It had been a while...
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Sqetql83t
"Yeah, you mentioned it." Jordan tried to not let out a sigh. "It's Rated R."
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdina2uts0p
"Dad said he'd take me." Hunter tried to say.
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7mXzBsdGT4
"No, he said 'we'll see'." Jordan had to be the mature sibling as she loaded a wrap onto a plate.
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlBZCjtb7ae
Hunter crossed his arms, pouting as he rolled his eyes. "What are we having?"
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs4A15nK2OI
"Tofu Stir Fry." Between the cost of food for three people, at this rate, it was their best choice. That, and at least they could all eat it.
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxgOfQnYR4x
"Humans eat meat, Jordan." Hunter pulled the computer closer to him, as he was seated. "Just because you're vegan doesn't mean the rest of us should starve!" He whined. "It's why we have these!" He poked himself in the tooth.
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSknhc2xSX6
Jordan had to resist an eye-roll as Hunter moved his laptop from the table.
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaeOdWAsy3V
"Wait, why do we have four plates?" Hunter questioned.
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDfgbl4FMLT
"I invited Ms. Carlsburg from down the street over for dinner." Jordan kept her demeanour the same.
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfXpMCMtTTJ
"Why would you do that?" Hunter was... he hadn't moved on. How long had it been now? Four years, maybe six? It didn't matter, what mattered was that that takes time.
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ4CxftmYZp
"I thought it could be good for Dad," Jordan admitted. Not to mention she may have the chance to just... relax. How long had it been since she'd been a normal kid? Since they'd had a day without an argument? Ah, siblings. "Be nice to her." She pointed a finger at him.
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhVyPxumx0K
Jordan walked to the door, hearing a knock. There she was... pink shirt, purple overcoat, long brown hair, greenish eyes, a yellow pearl necklace around, well, her neck, and a pie in her hands.
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRduSsP3713
"Hello." Ms Carlsburg said.
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8neUOIprAq
"Hi."
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpxfXviQ7Ig
Within a minute or so, the three were sitting at the table, as the siblings' father walked past the doorway, still on the phone.
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg8fDNJjGVi
"Yeah, yeah. Just grabbing a quick bite. Yeah, thanks. Alright, yeah. Uh, bye-bye. Yeah, I'll call you back, I need to finish another call. Yeah, say hi to your wife for me." David's call ended as he looked into the kitchen, at the three sitting down. "Hello." He had probably been switching between a call on hold with one of the parents in his group and maybe a new job-
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFnGIfkCUcD
"Hi, dad." Jordan tried to seem excited. Maybe he'd be happier today.
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDw4hICx0Mc
"What's going on?"
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXMMDA1aTyT
"Dad, you remember Ms Carlsburg."
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg3eLDkmSoU
"Sure. Hey." David didn't remember her name.
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqYmn9MH0S8
"Jacqueline." The now-named woman smiled.
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqPpSBihgfT
"Can we.. talk, for a minute?" David gave Jordan a look, causing her to stand up. "Jordan." Just to make sure.
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡacr0pc0ReC
In the kitchen...
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqvsnOxIMkv
"You can't just leave, dad." Jordan tried to argue. He had to get back into the scene eventually.
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Qx0z4OvHX
"I have another call across town. It's a big one. A rewire job. It could be a lot of money." David was more concerned with having food on the table and a working Wi-Fi connection.
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH0OyvZXQ0P
"Ms. Carlsburg," Hunter did his best innocent voice. "I'm awfully thirsty. Do you think you could get me some soda from the fridge, pleeaaasseee?"
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFm2ol8D3nw
"Oh, of course.. sweetie." Jacqueline tried to keep being nice.
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNconfdTs2m
"I just thought it'd be good for you," Jordan explained.
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhGp3FfTYyh
"Jordan, I appreciate the effort, but I told you, when it's time, when I'm ready, I'll find my own date." David insisted, knife in the pie, eating a piece of it.
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIImeGsAvH2
"Sorry to interrupt." Jacqueline came in.
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdbUyoFPSKL
"Oh." Came from Jordan.
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIZI2pkebWN
"Oh. Good pie. Mmm." David couldn't hide the awkwardness.
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ7N42QzWDi
"Thank you. Hunter wanted some more soda." Jacqueline went for the fridge door...
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4QxhhtKWbv
"Hmm."
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbYIWrrgxzr
Then David shared a look with his daughter.
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsXx2YE1isy
Oh no. Oh no. Oh no no no no no no.
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdvU5OatQ4o
A fake, beating organ, spurting ketchup to act as fake blood...
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCHbKhn0wt9
A scream..
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX8NXb1wFQX
"Hunter!"
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡObJIn3eq2H
Ah crap.
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBLMcHjgUJW
The Next Day
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr3phBhNEnf
TAFT High School
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBFuL0PX5S9
16/4/24
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiqaRNkYwsa
Jordan sighed, closing her locker. When you're young, they tell you to grow up, get a job, have a kid... and that's it. But there had to be more, hidden truths, maybe something darker, something madder, something fun, something to make her feel alive.
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGa4HnqLN0J
It was like a cycle. Make breakfast, hope dads at home, get herself and Hunter to school, go through a school day, get home, do whatever she needed to, make dinner, study, sleep, repeat. It had been like this for a while now. But she'd gotten through a few periods just fine. Now it was lunch. Had she been taking care of herself?
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK8rGEXEuOI
Every thought was panic. What was she doing with her life? She was only fifteen and she was worrying about her future, adulthood, college! Could she even get into college? And then it would be a loop of working, trying to find a home, until she could maybe retire and enjoy what little time she had left...
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAfAb2HL18g
What happened to the girl she was? Before the allergies, before things all went.. bad? Sure, she'd struggled to talk to people, at least, when she didn’t know them. Sure, she was fine with just a few close friends. Heck, that was what she preferred. But that gets hard when you keep moving around. If it happened again... at least she could keep in contact with them. At least she had that. It wasn't like she hadn’t enjoyed being outside reading and doing the odd bit of sport...
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo3zDjBU1Pl
Why couldn't she have a few more years? Couldn't she have more time? She'd be ok, right? right?!
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL4qhiykBjl
Mom. Mom. It was hard to remember what she looked like now. A picture, a picture, she'd need to look at a picture- just a faceless body in the dream... it was something she and Hunter still had in common. They used to get along so well... things could still go right, right?
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6EHOAlI35A
Why couldn't she encounter the things she and Hunter knew were out there?
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSjfoa9upZb
Why couldn't she be who she was before? Before it all went wrong? It was like there was some sort of empty feeling that just wouldn't go away. Her hair hadn't stopped being wild since her last birthday, her eyes looked more of a bluish-brown... her teeth looked a bit sharper, and when she saw meat? She drooled. Her allergies were still there, it was a few weeks before she was out of the hospital...
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyEwmfJkHrU
"Yo, Jordie." Came from next to her. It would be right to say that Jordan had gotten stuck in her own thoughts, a hand on her shoulder— Becca. "You in there, girl?"
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtUDs51R0BU
"Oh, hey guys." Jordan smiled slightly.
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXduQ22nsO0
"Come on, we're gonna be late." Tina tried to turn on one heel, almost stumbling. She hadn't broken in those new heels yet, but even Debbie could see she’d probably be better off without them.
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjVRhRaDbMx
Great, among her three friends, heading for the lunch hall, with all the usual teenage stuff, like acne. It's normal, no use complaining, it'll be gone eventually, people still trying to figure themselves out...
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXsTnLTgc9E
Two Minutes Later...
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSYzSxqYlZp
"Jordan, he's over there. Ask him to the prom." Becca gently elbowed Jordan as they stood in the line for lunch.
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlzavmO9f6W
It would be right to say Jordan hadn't slept much. "..Huh? Forget it. No possible way. I'm not even sure I like guys." Jordan admitted, pushing her glasses back on, strands of hair sticking out.
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEbe4waxbB7
"J, you've been drooling over McCann since he
transferred from Harrison." Tina reminded.
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP4gLCOgl5g
"I don't drool." Jordan defended. "And besides, what am I gonna say to him?"
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXOaI5LCCwt
"Nothing. You say nothing. Look at Ashley. They've got it down. The hair flip, the lip pout, the over-giggle. It's a language all its own." Debbie pointed out.
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6or9KTukVf
Jordan had to pause and wonder if that was Ashley's actual personality. They'd never seen her outside of school, and with how everyone was for two days last year... friend groups had majorly shifted, and he'd been a good bit less desirable to some girls.
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGIljPUn5Lf
"This is not the time to be the mouse, Jordan. You're the predator, and he's your prey, a test run. The practice." Becca encouraged.
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCkEeChWMcE
"All right. See ya. Bye, court. Dang it. I forgot my wallet." Came from McCann's mouth. It's high school, they're allowed to experiment with their love lives... but sometimes you're just not feeling it.
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMpJii8RmtN
Nope. Not her and him, never gonna happen.
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoe0tmsj6OQ
Later
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡul4tYlNHMm
"Heads up!" The kick, her worried attempt to block. "Ooh!" Another... "Aah!" And her hitting the ground.
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfFCueq3Xvb
Seriously, she needed a way to get excused from P.E. She could be spending that time studying, researching, reading... maybe check on an online friend.
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Lyb6xFHHy
"Come on, Sands. Get a hand up!" Came from their teacher. It was nice to have someone believe in her... if she wasn't down on the grass with the left lense of her glasses broken.
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡejjbWZHYgT
"Your sister kind of stinks, dude." Richie said from the side of the building.
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3k7QBJthGp
"Yeah." Hunter didn't want to admit it, but part of him cared about his sister... and what better way to show it than getting her out of P.E?
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJvBVdIHjIy
"Are you sure that's the bag?" Robert, or as they called him, Petey, rose her eyebrows. Why did he let a girl hang around him? Eh, she wasn't as gross as others.
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMt4VsmYpv3
"Patience, my apprentice."
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9KBK7YKk92
"Ooh!" Jordan needed to get off of the pitch, she didn't know what was coming... or why she kept trying.. or if her glasses being broken would be compensated by the school.
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYPauu13OAA
"Come on, Sands. Did I say you can take a break? You want to make this team, I'm gonna need a little more effort."
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYltVnhODeE
She had wanted to make the team when she was younger, but it always seemed just out of reach.
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLcibnmEjDb
"Here we go." Hunter smiled to the rest of his quartet. "Watch this."
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡymvqeZgopg
As the teacher reached into the bag... an excellent reproduction of a human head, a terrified expression on both ends... it's not like someone could tell the difference in a moment like this. "Aah!"
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmtHgJ5LlJz
Jordan didn't even react as the fake head rolled over to her feet. Maybe she'd have made the team if she still had her former dedication.
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡewl2JPsXge
"...Dude." Came from Becca, standing next to Jordan, her attention directed to the scream, their heads turning.
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRsk7ryAC18
"Hey, isn't that your loser brother, Sands?" Came from Ashley. Yes, her brother was annoying, but she wouldn't say a loser... ok, maybe she would. Maybe she'd punch her in the arm for that later… wait, was Tina standing with Ashley? Since when did those two hang out?
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyRj7wz3YT8
"Don’t even know him.”
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFBDbqtYMbd
She was probably not making the team. At least there wasn't any dead mom jokes today. She would've punched someone.. if it wouldn't end up risking her suspension.
Later that day,
Sands House
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsaWHPxqAm1
Ah yes, the table, bills being sorted under Jordan's hands. This was no life for a teenager.
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpYGvzE4jQh
"Ok, so this one really needs to be paid. And, um, the rest of them can wait until the 15th."
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7EW3XLwxdI
Tired. That's what they both were.
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNrOh7Ah70X
"...Dad, everything's gonna be all right, isn't it?"
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPe5rCfChFV
"Mmm. Sure. Of course it is." David tried to be reassuring. Maybe he'd ask Carl about that electricity trick he had...
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcKW3U0VhcU
"We need a miracle. A big, big miracle." Jordan could see that.
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtB8IxgsRCA
"Hey, look, I don't want you guys to worry, all right? I'll figure this out. I promise."
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi1EFAeKN6f
"Oh, and, um, there's something else that I just... yeah? What's that?" Jordan sighed. Sure, he got her out of P.E, but this wasn't good.
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLCl2thoQ8R
"Suspended again?"
651Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY8doRPohIv
Jordan only nodded.
ns216.73.217.39da2
and then Add to home screen.