Preventive • Paul Lahote •

Chapter Two

As she stood next to Casen's truck she noticed he had packed the old rusted bed with a few duffel bags, as well as the shotgun that he kept in the floorboards under his bed. With questioning eyes, the fourteen year old girl looked up at her brother. His blue eyes were bloodshot as he continued to reposition the duffel bags in the back of the truck.

His head suddenly snapped up as he noticed the presence of his little sister. Looking at the innocent, worried, and curious blue eyes that were so much like his own as he listened to his mother's sobs, Casen wondered if he was being rational.

"Where are you going, Casen?"

Casen visibly grimaced as he heard the quiver in the voice of his wide eyed sister. The wind was blowing her long deep brown hair around, and he couldn't help but notice how much she had grown up. He knew that she was going to be furious, and the idea of the innocent looking angel in front of him threatening to smite him broke his heart, but the decision had already been made.

"I'm leaving, Mads."

Her heart clenched at his words as he slammed the rear door to the bed close, before resting his head on the truck for a second as if to regroup himself.

"Leaving... Where... Where are you going?"

His moment of silent reprieve was broken by her softly spoken words. He whipped his head off of the truck to sneak a glance at her, before heading for the cab.

"I joined the military, Mads."

His voice sounded harsh as he spoke the words before pulling open the front door and leaning into the car, as if looking for something. Maddison's feet slowly carried her around the truck to the side that he was on. Her body felt as if it was being controlled by someone else as she reached out and forcefully tugged on his arm.

"What do you mean you joined the army?! You just turned eighteen! You haven't finished school!"

"Like you said a few months ago, Mads, 'I'm flunking, and I am not doing anything with my life.' I'm tired of not fitting in here because my skin isn't dark enough, my eyes aren't black enough, and my last name isn't tribe!" Casen took a deep breath and ran a hand over his face as he turned to face the girl before him. With a sorrowful sigh, his anger faded away into a soft whisper. "I... I just need to leave to find out who I am, Mads. I want to help people and that's what I'm going to do. I made a good enough score on my ASVAB that I can be a UH- 60 helicopter repairer. That's not too dangerous, Mads, but I'll still be helping."

As his watery blue eyes looked up at her, Maddison's reply was cut off by the sound of a car door slamming. The two Ellison children turned to see a sad smile placed upon the face of Paul as he approached the duo.

Maddison's mouth opened to tell Paul about the stupid decision that Casen had made without telling them, but as the words were about to come out Paul pulled Casen into a tight hug.

"I'll miss you, you stupid military man."

The words shocked Maddison, as her blue eyes flicked back and forth between the two best friends. The two boys, who were more brothers than friends, were exchanging words that sounded a lot like a knowing goodbye to her confused mind.

"Yeah, well you better stay out of trouble. You may be my best friend, and a mini-me, but you're still sixteen and I don't need to hear about a little girl being pregnant at base. Do you hear me?"

Casen laughed as Paul nodded his head with a sad smile on his face and embraced her brother once more. As the two finally broke apart, Maddison did not know who she was more mad at: her brother, or the boy who kept the secret from her. Maddison watched as Casen pulled himself into the cab before sending a sad smile her way as he backed out of the driveway.