BLACKOUT; JR [1]

13.2

We all prepared to go to the forest, gathering the necessary things and loading them up in the van. Jake's mother had made an appearance, so with a warm smile, he quickly scurried over to her. Andy was with Ellen, and they still seemed to be stuck in the same trance as before. I giggled to myself, and shook my head, because I knew that Jake and I were exactly the same. He never fails to make me nervous, but I wouldn't have it any other way. Sam and Mia were by the door, chatting about our universe, and how Mia wouldn't be the same. She looked shell shocked, and I felt a little sad just by gazing at her face. I tore my eyes away from her, focusing on my feet. I was swinging my legs in the air while I sat in the back of the van, waiting for the goodbyes to be said. I thought about Blake, and my hand moved to my pocket, which still held our mother's bracelet. I pulled it out, letting the light hit the jewels. "Edith!" A familiar voice drew me away from my thoughts, and I glanced up to see my brother running toward me. "Hey." He greeted, a bright smile on his face. Then his eyes scanned the van, and all the stuff inside it. "Are you guys leaving?" He asked, his brows furrowing in utter confusion.

I gave a light shrug, not really knowing how to explain it to him. "Kind of." I said, a quick smile flashing across my face. He gestured to the empty space next to me, silently requesting my permission for him to sit. I nodded, and he dashed over, squishing in next to me.

"Well, it's a good thing I came over now, then." He noted, nudging me in the arm with his elbow. His eyes flittered down to the charms in my hands, and we stared together.

"You were after this, right?" I asked, pushing it toward him. He raised his hand, but it was a hesitant jerk in the direction of the bracelet. I encouraged him by gently offering it out again, and this time he took it. "Thanks." I breathed, watching in awe as his face softened. He turned the piece of jewellery around in his hands, laying it across his fingers.

"That's okay." He said, picking his head up so he could make eye contact with me. There was a knowing smile on his face, and I squinted at him, unsure of the new expression. "It's later, Edith. Time to tell me what you were doing, time to tell me about your crazy." I sighed, my eyes darting away from him. I didn't know how to say it, there was no easy way to do so.

"I needed it for a spell." I said, coming right out with the information. I used a shaky hand to gesture to the other three boys, also giving a nod in their direction. "We needed it." The complete bewilderment appeared on my brother's face, and I didn't know how to fix it.

"What, like a magic spell?" He questioned, his head dipping toward me, showing interest in my words. I nodded at him, my features holding no emotion. "But that's..." He trailed off, turning his eyes to his feet as he tried to find the correct adjective.

"Crazy?" I quipped, filling in the gap for him. He laughed, an airy chuckle.

"Yeah, that's right." He said, a slow nod accompanying his short sentence. The confusion came back as he looked at me, and I tried to prepare myself for his next question. "But how did you even know this thing existed?" He asked me, holding up the bracelet. I gulped audibly, clearing my throat afterwards. He waited, a patient look resting on his face.

"Just try to understand... try to accept the crazy." I warned, my voice an octave lower than usual. "In another universe, a very different one, I'm your sister." I held my breath, awaiting his reaction. It didn't surface for a few seconds, then a seemingly pleased smile teased the corners of his lips. His expression was unexpected, and completely surprising.

"Well, that explains a few things." He giggled, continuously nodding his head. I was stunned, at a loss for words. His face then faltered, transforming into something that resembled thoughtfulness. "She's gone in your universe, too, right?" His question was cautious, unpleasant to my ears as he referred to our mother. I gave him a stiff nod, and that was the only gesture I used to answer him. He sighed, a pained look crossing his face. "I always believed in another universe." He mentioned, staring up at the sky with tight eyes. "I mean... it's just nice to think about. I wouldn't want Mum to be nowhere, you know?" I smiled softly at the older boy, holding back a tear that threatened to fall.

"Yeah, I know." I replied, also moving my head up to the sky. It was sort of symbolic to us, and we stayed like that until Phoebe's shrill voice broke through the barrier of our thoughts. I was reluctant to leave, because I didn't want to tell him goodbye.

"That demon isn't going to fight itself." The woman stated, announcing the news in an irritated tone. Blake and I stood at the same time, and he dropped the bracelet into the pocket of his jeans.

"I'll miss you, little sister." He told me, pulling me in for a hug. I let his scent engulf me, steal me away from reality. I was grateful to go home and see my old Blake, but I would miss this one terribly. "Don't forget about me." He laughed, another tiny chuckle.

"I won't. That would be impossible." I said, finally allowing the tears to fall. He let me cry into his shirt for longer than I thought he would, squeezing me around the shoulders. "I'll miss you, too." The van's door was slammed, causing us to pull away. I wiped my eyes, sending him a tiny smile as I did so. He took a few small steps back, edging away from me with a knowing smile. When I turned, I noticed Jake standing by the door of the van with a sad grin on his lips. We didn't say anything to each other as we got in the vehicle, closing the door on our family members. I subconsciously reached for his hand as Phoebe started up the car, and I only noticed what I was doing when he squeezed my fingertips. We drove away, but Blake remained at the door of the shop, waving at me through the window. I felt another tear escape my eyes at the sight of him standing there, all alone, but I didn't wipe it away. I watched in slight horror as he disappeared from my view, and I returned Jake's comforting grip, not ever wanting to weaken the hold.