Ghost Bird | ✔

One

I grin at look as he pops over the railing and grins at me.

"Hi, Sang!" Wil says happily, looking me over. His gaze catches on my knees, but he doesn't say anything, knowing that it isn't that big of a deal.

I rub my bad eye and announce, "Mother is still asleep and I have the thumb drive inside if you want it now."

"Sure, Sang," Wil agrees with a small smile.

Heading inside, Wil follows me and carefully closes the door behind us. I bounce over to my desk and grab the thumb drive.

"Here ya go. Mother is passed out and dead to the world in her bedroom still," I inform him while passing over the well-used thumb drive.

"Sang, do you want to come with me this time?" Wil suggests hopefully.

I shiver and shake my head.

"No. No way. I am never, ever leaving the house. You know what happened last time," I remind him firmly. I direct a pointed look to my nine toes and Wil winces in response.

"That was years ago, Sang. Your mother is only doing worse and you didn't have me. We can work together and you can be free of her forever. We could be gone and out of the state before she even noticed," Wil pleads.

I wrinkle my nose and tease, "Are you worried or something, Big Brother? Besides, I am never leaving. Mother will always catch me and I don't really want to leave the only blood family I have. Mother is just sick. Eventually, her pills will work and she will get better."

"How do you know?!" Wil explodes. "How do you know that she will catch you?! How do you know that her pills aren't what's making her so sick?! The only way you will know is if you try to leave!"

I glare at Wil and reply, "You know that I have tried. Mother always catches me. And I don't know the pills will make her better, but I have hope and that is what matters. Now, are you doing okay? Are you eating?"

Wil, appropriately chagrined, adjusts his glasses and answers, "Yeah. My sister was able to get us some food. Are you eating?"

I nod and lie through my teeth, "Of course, Wil. Read any good books lately?"

A glance tells me that Wil completely saw through my lie.

"Nothing too special. I have to get back to Kayli now, okay?" Wil says with obvious concern in his walnut brown eyes.

"Okay, Wil. See you next week?" I ask hopefully.

Wil offers a small smile and replies, "I'll try my best, Little Sister."

I smile, knowing that Wil is busy with his own family. I've never met any of them, but he tells me so many stories about his family that I feel as if I do know them.

Looking around, Wil slips out of the house, something I wish I could do but never will, and leaves with a farewell wave. I wave back before closing the door and latching it. I pull the white curtain with the lace at the bottom back into place, closing off the outside world.

I turn to the wall across from my bed and push my long, dirty blonde hair out of my face. Pushing up my sleeves, I grab my palette and paintbrush and get to work. I am in the middle of painting a huge eye on my wall.

I love eyes. Eyes are the window to the soul. Eyes are expressive and honest. Eyes are always watching. Having one looking at me somehow comforts me. It makes me feel less left alone.

Because I am.

I am so alone in this small world of three.

***

Luke

I squeal a very loud and high pitched squeal that I am somewhat proud of. Ghost Bird just released a new song! I don't normally get this excited, only about food and Ghost Bird.

Charging into Gabriel's room, I flop onto his bed and yell, "You're going to miss the new song if you don't hurry your butt up!"

"Coming, coming," Gabriel grumbles. "And quit shouting. You're going to make everyone come in here and see what is going on."

I roll my eyes and jab my finger at the button.

Nothing plays on the screen, same as always, but in a few hours, there will be plenty of videos to go with her voice.

The beautiful sound of her voice spills out of the computer and washes over us, leaving us silent and basking in the sound.

By the time the song is finished, we are both near tears.

Ghost's songs are the same every time, and a little different every time. The style changes, but her words are always haunting, speaking of abuse and pain and hope. No one knows who Ghost Bird is, she might even be a real ghost bird, but her songs say that she is held captive.

Is it a publicity stunt? I honestly don't know.

However, one look at Gabriel and I know that we are thinking the same thing.

We need to find this Bird and at least make sure she is safe.

***

North

I grit my teeth as I hear Luke squealing upstairs. My first thought is, Another spider? My second thought is, No, because then Gabriel would be screaming. And swearing.

Heading upstairs, I hear Luke yelling about some song. I shake my head in annoyance at the false alarm and am about to head back down the stairs when I hear the most incredible voice spilling out of Gabriel's room. I close my eyes involuntarily and just listen to the sound of it.

When the words register, though, my eyes snap open. The sweet voice is singing about less than sweet things. I clench my fists at the words. What is this person going through?

Once the song is over, I am snapped out of my trance and I bang into the bedroom.

"What are you listening to? Who was that?" I boom.

Gabriel rolls his eyes and Luke smiles slyly and teases, "Wouldn't you like to know?"

I grab Luke by his shirt, and pull him, carefully, away from the computer. Instead of a video, it is completely black and the owner of the video is "Ghost Bird."

"Ghost Bird," I murmur softly.

Gabriel nods and says, "We need to find her."

I nod in agreement and send an urgent text to our brothers to start a family meeting.

The nine of us are going to do whatever it takes to find this Ghost Bird.