A Single Touch

Chapter 1: No Control

It was January 15th the day my mom died and I had

no way of knowing what was coming next. I was so consumed trying to forget what day it was and why she had to have died 8 days before my birthday. As soon as I walked in I saw a picture of my dad and brother sitting on the counter with a letter that said "For the one and only Branwen Cane, From: Colton Cane,". My heart seemed to fly out of my chest with excitement. Were they finally coming home?! "Please be coming home, Pleeease be coming home!" I said under my breath. Hurriedly I opened the letter, ripping open the envelope in excitement. As soon as I read the first sentence my eyes swelled up with tears making me regret ever walking inside. It was like I had no control over my body, it just wanted to be this big bowl of emotions that spilled out every moment of the day. Here's what the letter read, " Hey sis, its Colton. Last week we were stationed at an army camp near Alabama. A group of campers apparently decided they didn't like the camp anymore and ended up opening fire. We fought back and ended up winning. As you can tell I am OK but dad was put with the camps' medic with 5 gunshot wounds in the chest. Sure I had gotten shot in the leg yet it is not as serious as what happened with dad. Dad was reported dead 2 days ago and that is just assuming you got this letter on the 15th. Sure I am writing it as it has happened today (which it did, yet not for you) yet I cried my heart out when I found out. Not only was he our only parent left, but he was the most selfless person in our family. I sent you a locket with a picture of dad and mom in it that should be arriving shortly. Anyway I am sorry, and love you sis.

~Sincerely,

Colton R. Cane

So now, not only is it the day my mother died, but the day I found out my father died too. Why do things like this seem to only happen to me. It's like the whole world relies on me being in pain. If I'm not in pain the whole Earth seems to come out of orbit. No matter what happens my emotions will be like a spilled smoothie, although I have never had one in my lifetime, it seems to just nonstop flood out of the glass and I cant control it and someone always ends up mopping it up. "B you home? Branwen... Come upstairs..." Mia (Me-uh) called from upstairs.

"Coming!" I yelled to make sure she could hear me. How come most things happen when you least expect them and don't want them to. The sound of my footsteps bounced back and forth across the walls. When I entered the room the first thing I saw was blood sprawled across the hardwood floor. "Mia what did you do?!" I asked yet when my eyes finally reached her she was laying on the ground half-blacked-out.

"I don't know what happened, he just-he just..." Her hand landed on her side which was bleeding. Why did she not scream? Why couldn't she have yelled out sooner? I asked myself these questions as I dialed "911" on my brand new iPhone 5.

"Hello, 911 what's your emergency?" The lady on the other end of the phone asked.

"Hello? Yes, well my friend is laying on the floor passed out and has large cut in the side of her chest. I got to her when she was barely keeping her consciousness. All she said is that she didn't know what happened and then she just kept repeating 'he just'. Please come quick!" I practically shouted into the phone. My heart raced as if it were a racetrack with cars zooming nonstop around the course. I had no idea what was going to happen next. So many things had happened just in this little bit of time that I didn't even want to find out.

<Branwen Cane>

¥ Jaxon Callawagh ¥