Inhabited

Chapter 1

(A.N.)~Ok hiiii. So I recently watched The Host and it was a really good movie and I got an inspiration from it. You'll eventually see so enjoyyyyy!:D

It's been seven months since I've seen my brother. Seven months since I lost my best friend. Seven months since I lost what matters most to me. We haven't seen him since the end of July. I don't remember much from that day; it all seemed to be a blur. I had cried so much that my whole body became numb and I almost couldn't cry much more. When we found out he was missing we searched hours, days, weeks, months...now we've come to a conclusion: if we can't find him now, there's not much of a bright future for us to find hope.

Jackson was an A+ student. Being in the sixth grade was occasionally tough on him but he was a smart cookie as some would say. Every day when I picked him up from school and we came home we would sit down, discuss our day, laugh about the idiots at school who do stupid things, then go off to do our own things around the house. Riding home with him from school was always a blast. We would crank up the music and sing at the top of our lungs till we couldn't barely talk anymore.

Most siblings fight, but one of the things I miss most about Jackson is his ability to make me smile and keep me happy, even through the toughest days.

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My alarm clock rings as loud as ever. I look over and my clock says 6:15am. Getting up this early for school just to go sit with a bunch of idiots I don't like and hear people lecture to me should be illegal. I do my morning routine: wash my face, brush my teeth, do what I can to my long, brown, unruly, wavy hair, put on my makeup, get dressed and go downstairs for breakfast. The smell of pancakes and maple is lingering in the air.

"Morning, Lily!"

"Hey, Mom."

Ever since Jackson disappeared my mom has never been the same. It is safe to say none of us have been the same. The only people residing in our house now are my dad, my mom and I. My mom treats me differently, too. Her focus is much more intent on her job now instead of her own child. Maybe by thinking and focusing too much on me might make her think of Jackson. I don't blame her. Not a day goes by where I don't think of Jackson.

"I see you made pancakes this morning...different." I blandly say to my mom. I don't make much eye contact with her and I look at the ground.

"Yeah!" She lets out a deep breath of air. "I woke up feeling energetic so I decided I would make some since they are your favorite."

"Thanks." I reply. I grab a plate and throw two pancakes on it, spreading butter on them and then drizzling on maple syrup. I suddenly hear footsteps pounding down the stairs like a heard of horses.

"Woaaah, hun! You're going so fast down those stairs! Be careful!" My mom tells my dad.

"I know I know but my alarm went off late and I'm late for work!" Dad replies, heavily breathing trying to catch his breath. He looks over at the counter where the big batch of pancakes are sitting.

"I see you made pancakes" he says. "Lily those are your favorite, right? Those were Jackson's fav-" he immediately stops talking and looks down at the ground.

My dad then realized he started to talk about Jackson again. I could see tears swelling in my mother's eyes. He didn't mean to start talking about him but how could you not sometimes? It may have been seven months since we've seen him but for some split seconds you forget he's gone.

The silence had so much pain to it.

"I-I'm so sor-"

"It's ok, Ray. I know you didn't mean to." My mom's voice was so shaky. More tears started to swell in her eyes. She sniffed, her nose starting to get stuffy from the tears that kept accumulating.

"Well, I'm gonna go. I'm really running late now! I'll see you all when I get home."

He gave my mom a kiss on the cheek and ran out the door, ignoring me.

My dad is the one who has changed the most out of all of us. He used to talk to me every day when he came home from work and ask how my day was. He would sometimes talk to me in the morning, too. A "Bye Lily, I love you" or a simple "Have a good day" would be nice to hear in the mornings sometimes but I'm lucky if I get a pat on the back as he sprints out the door. Since he works so late and it takes him thirty minutes to get to his job, I barely see him. He comes home around 9pm. Most nights I'm already lying down cause of school.

"Hey I better get off to school. I don't wanna be late like dad." I tell my mom. I start gathering my things and throw my backpack over my shoulder, making sure I have the keys to my car.

"Uhm, Lily?" I hear my mom lightly say as I go to turn the door handle.

"Yeah?"

"I love you. Please have a good day and put a smile on your face." Her eyes start to water again. "I don't want you to think about Jackson too much, ok?"

I nod my head, agreeing to what she says. I wish I could be strong like her sometimes but every time I get in the car I can't help but think of Jackson-and thats when I always end up having a break down.