As the World Falls Down

"Lauren, would you please come here for a minute?" my mother called from the kitchen. Was it that time already?

" I need you to babysit tonight," she began.

"Yeah yeah, nothing different. I'll watch Elyse. Go have fun with your new man. Just not too much fun because you know where that got you."

"Thank you so much, sweetie. Look, I can pay you if you need when I get home."

"Mom, I'm fine. You keep the money, okay? Now go."

As she headed out the door, I couldn't help but smile. She was always so sweet to me then. That's why I didn't mind her dating Robert. With my stepfather, however, it was a different story. Anyway, it got better. Well, almost. My younger sister got the worst of living with him, I think. She had anger issues and she was always crying or begging for attention. You see, he was abusive her whole life. Yes, I got angry with her, but I can understand why she was the way she was. It's just really sad, though, because she was only six and already had issues because of something that could have been avoided if my mother had left him.

I was still really quick to anger, though, which was a bad thing for our sisterly relationship. That's why my grin faded a bit as a small voice cried out in pain. What on Earth had she gotten herself into this time?

"Sissy, I need you NOW! Help me!"

"I'm coming!" I yelled as I raced up the stairwell to her pink painted door.

As it turns out, she fell off of her bed and landed on her back onto the hardwood floor. If she hadn't been jumping, this wouldn't have happened.

"How many times have I told you not to do that?" I shouted. I guess my anger really does get the better of me.

"I'm sorry, sissy. I won't do it again." Yeah, right. In five minutes, it would be the same thing all over again. I hugged her and went to apologize for getting so loud when I heard a crash from downstairs.

Someone was breaking into our house.