Worlds Apart: Volume I

The During: Father's Love

Tuk sat between Ney'ite's legs as Ney'ite brushed her hair. Kiri and Roxto sat in front of them. Kiri was grinding up some medicine while Roxto was sorting something that his grandmother had given him. After Ney'ite was finished brushing her sister's hair, she looked down at her work.

"I know it's late in the day, but do you want me to put the braids back in your hair?" Ney'ite asked as she looked at her sister.

"Yes," Tuk looked back at her. "You have the beads, right?"

"You ask me that every time, and every time I say yes," Ney'ite chuckled.

"You spoil her too much," Kiri glanced at them.

"Maybe," Ney'ite said as she started to braid Tuk's hair. "But she won't stay this little forever. I might as well spend time with her while she still wants too."

"I'll always want to hang out with you," Tuk said.

"How do the three of you always want to be together?" Roxto asked as he looked at them. "I would think that you would all be irritated at each other."

"I've been asking myself that for years," Kiri said. "I think it's because of our parents. Remember what they always say?"

"Sully's stick together," Tuk, Ney'ite, and Kiri all said at the same time.

Roxto's eyes widened, "How many times have the three of you heard that?"

"Too many," Ney'ite laughed. "You get use to after hearing it so many times, Roxto. At this point, it's just second nature."

"I wish I had siblings," Roxto said as he went back to sorting. "It must be nice to have people you can always count on."

"It's nice most of the time," Kiri said with a smile.

"There we go," Ney'ite said as she finished braiding Tuk's hair. "All finished."

"Thank you, Yite," Tuk said as she turned to face her sister.

"You're welcome, Tuk-Tuk," Ney'ite said as she hugged her.

"Oh Ewya," Kiri groaned.

"What's wrong?" Ney'ite said as she looked at her sister.

"Lo'ak and Neyetam are following back Mom and Dad to the hut," Kiri said. "Mom and Dad look so mad while Lo'ak and Neyetam look like they want to disappear."

"What did they do?" Ney'ite whispered to herself.

"Are we going to eavesdrop?" Kiri ask.

"Of course we are," Ney'ite said as she got up.

"How badly do they think they're going to get yelled at?" Tuk said as she held Ney'ite's hand.

"It's not going to be good," Kiri said as she got up.

"You're just going go?" Roxto asked them. "Won't you all get in trouble?"

"Only if we get caught," Ney'ite shrugged. She looked back and saw Tsireya and Aunong walking down the walkway. They both looked upset. "I would recommend you check in on Tsireya and Aunong. Whatever happened did end well for anyone."

"This is why I stay in the reef," Roxto muttered. "You can't get in trouble if you stay in the reef."

"Let's go," Kiri said as Roxto walked away from them.

The three sisters quietly walked to their hut. They made sure to take the back way, so their parents wouldn't see them. When they arrived at the back at their hut, their father was clearly at the end of his rant.

"What do the two of you have to say for yourselves?" Jake asked the boys.

"They don't understand him!" Lo'ak argued. "He isn't a killer."