Survivor // Ben Parish

//7//

"So you make your bed, polish your boots, follow my orders without questions, and don't ever talk back to Reznik ever" zombie explained to peanut. "Understand?"

"Yes" peanut mumbled.

"Good" zombie said and walked to his bunk.

Sammy was laying down next to me with his arm resting on my belly. I should of pushed him away or send him back to his own bed, but he's too much like my brother. Toby would rest his hand on my belly as I messed around with his hair or as we talked about the most random stuff a five-year-old could come up with.

Once we were laying on the couch cuddling as we watched cartoons, I thought he had fallen asleep but he was still wide awake.

"Where's mom and dad?" He asked.

I wanted to shrug my shoulders because I really didn't know where they were. They could be in Hawaii for all I know. They never tell us where they're going.

"Working" I lied.

He looked up at me and just gave me a small smile. I kissed his head and caressed his cheek.

"I love you" I mumbled.

"I love you too" he laid his head back on my chest and continued watching his cartoons.

I watched the cartoons as well but I didn't really pay attention instead I just buried myself in my own thoughts.

Suddenly my sister bursts into the house and slammed the door behind her. Toby and I sat up quickly.

"What the hell!" I shout angrily.

"Give me money" she said and clenched her fists.

"I don't have any, I used it to buy groceries"

She pressed her lips together and stared at me. She knew I was lying. She grabbed Toby, her hands gripped his hair tightly. Toby started yelling out in pain.

"Leave him alone!" I yelled and pushed her as hard as I could and she stumbled backwards hitting a table and falling over, while knocking over a few glass flower bases.

Toby fell on the floor crying. I picked him up and ran to my room as fast as I could. I closed the door and locked it, I could hear her shoes echoing through the hallway.

"Open this dam door!" She yelled. I covered Toby's ears and kept him close to my chest.

"You better leave or I'll call the cops!" I was bluffing. I wouldn't call the cops, not even on my own sister. I couldn't do something like that.

I could hear her laughing like it was the funniest joke in the world.

"Fine I'll go. You better fucking sweep down stairs, there's broken glass everywhere" she laughed and soon I heard her footsteps further away from my room door and then the front door slammed shut.

I let out a loud sigh and looked down at Toby. "Everything is fine" it wasn't fine. Nothing was fine, everything was horrible. This is not what I wanted for Toby.

"Killer!" Sammy called out.

"I'm right here buddy, you don't need to shout" I said and ruffled his hair.

"I Kept calling your name" he said.

"Oh.. I'm sorry. What is it?" I asked.

"I'm scared" he whispered.

I didn't notice the lights were off and the doors were Shut. It's time for bed I guess.

"Of what?"