The Runaways

Chapter 4

Chapter 4- Jesse

“No! No, Mama!” Annabelle screamed, throwing her body violently beneath the sheets. She had tears rolling down her face. “I don’t want to go in the water! I don’t want to!”

He sprang up and ran over to her, trying to shake her awake. He flipped on the light.

 She had been having a lot of nightmares lately. He wasn’t sure what was triggering them. When he did manage to pull her back into reality, she was bawling.

“Mama, Mama,” she kept saying, still half asleep. She kept swinging her fists and kicking beneath the blankets. He tried to hold her down, so that she wouldn’t hurt herself. “I didn’t want to go…Mama made me…”

“Shh,” he whispered softly, soothingly. He brushed her blond curls out of her face, stroking her cheek with the back of his hand. “Shh, it’s okay.”

“What’s wrong?” Caroline panicked, voice filled with alarm. He nearly jumped out of his skin. He thought he was the only one who’d been awoken by the young girl’s hysterics. Ashley and Vanessa hadn’t even seemed to stir.

“It’s nothing. Go back to sleep,” he told her. Even through half open eyes, he could see she was startled. Still, Caroline stood, stubborn as ever. “Go,” he said more authoritative than before. She pursed her lips, but did as she was told.

He turned back to Annabelle. She was now fully awake, wiping away at fallen tears. “Are you okay?”

“I think so,” she whispered. “Can you go make me a cup of tea, like Sissy always does?”

“Sure, Sun,” he smiled, pushing up off the bed and starting for the sink. He turned the red faucet until the water was hot enough. He filled the small grey mug Caroline had left on top of her suitcase.

There was a container beside it that was labeled “Chamomile Tea”. He pulled out one of the packets and set it in the cup to brew.

He grasped the edges of the sink, staring into the mirror. It was then that he realized just how much he hated his own reflection. Every time he saw himself, he saw her. It was like he could finally see why they so often passed for brother and sister. They both had those same, haunting eyes, so icy and blue.

He heard the young girl whimper, so he rushed to her side. She smiled painfully, as if trying to be strong for him. “What’s wrong?”

“Mommy said we could be together forever,” Annabelle whispered. “I miss Daddy.”

“He misses you, too, Sunny, but right now, he needs you to be strong.” He pointed over at Caroline, sleeping soundly. Her hair was tossed carelessly across her pillow. Even as she rested, the stress lines across her face were vivid as ever. “It’s not time to be with Daddy yet. It’s time to be with Sissy.”

“Okay,” she nodded. “Is it done?”

He’d almost forgotten about the tea, losing himself in his thoughts. He went over to the cup to see it was a dark brown. He took the packet out and threw it in the trash. He poured two spoonfuls of sugar and stirred it, each swirl reminding him of how fast his life was spinning out of control.

He sighed, trying to push all of the memories out of his head. Memories of her laughing, crying…memories of the smile he’d so often taken for granted. Now all he wanted was to have her back.

Jesse had never been one to regret, but then again, he’d never been one to break a promise, either. However, these past few months, he’d seemed to be doing both as if it were routine.

“Here, Sunny,” he said, handing Annabelle the mug. He watched her wrap it her two small hands and sip from it carefully, afraid it might be too hot. She sighed deeply, appearing to be deep in thought.