Lin sighed as he entered the room, he placed a hand on his forehead. "Why do I have to be surrounded by weirdos?" He asked, rubbing his face.
Glancing at the TV, Lin heard the annoying sound of the shitty alarm clock in Ashley and Andrew's room. Ticking away.
"Ahh fuck it. I hate that sound anyway." Lin walked into the shared room of his siblings. Two dirty shirts on a large circular swirling rug, a trashcan with a little trash on the sides, and two beds, one being unkept and the other being neat.
Lin ignored it all, walking straight for the alarm clock, opening it up, and smashing the front had the two batteries fall out gracefully.
-{=}-{=}-{=}-
You Got Bateries!
Dirty thief.
-{=}-{=}-{=}-
Lin smiled happily at the ceasing of the noise. And left the room quickly.
"If im lucky enough, neither of them will catch me leaving their pig pen, and I'll get to watch TV." He thought, but that was put a stop to as he ran into Ashley, who was making her way into her room. Meanwhile, Andrew was sitting on the couch, his head turned, Looking at you.
"..."
"..."
"..."
"...Hey." Lin said, nodding his head.
"What were you doing in my room, asshole!?" Ashley yelled, pointing an accusatory finger at Lin.
"I wasn't in your room," Lin said, shaking his head.
"I saw you come out of it! I saw it!" She insisted, getting closer to jab her finger into Lin's chest.
"Yeah, why were you in there anyway?" Andrew finally chimed in, an eyebrow raised.
"Wouldn't you like to know, nark?" Lin asked, pushing past Ashley, his fist clamped around the batteries.
"Wha- Nark?" Andrew questioned.
"It's what you are." Lin gives further Insight to his comment. Making his way around the sofa.
"Hmm..." Andrew doesn't look impressed.
"What's that in your hands? What did you take from my room!?" Ashley further commanded, noticing Lin's clutched hands.
"Batteries alright? God, why are you being such a bitch? There is nothing in your room worth taking anyway." Lin said with a shake of his head. Andrew sighed as Lin and Ashley began a short argument.
"Listen, just give me the damn batteries," Andrew said, glaring over at Lin. "We were gonna use them anyways, just drop it, Ashley."
"But he-"
"Drop it, Ashley."
"...Fine. But stay out of my damn room!" Ashley said, pointing at Lin's face.
"Move your finger before I bite it." Lin said, moving Ashley's hand out of his face with the back of his wrist.
Lin gives the batteries to Andrew, and as he tries to sit down on the couch, Ashley quickly lays herself out on it.
"Occupied." She said, closing her eyes and smiling in mock innocence.
For a second, Lin thinks of just pushing her off, or sitting on her. But then he'll have to deal with her annoying bickering. Better to just let it go.
Lin doesn't do anything sitting down on the floor in front of the couch, one of his legs lay on the floor while the other was propped up. His arms lying on top of it.
Ashley smirks at that, before looking up at the TV, her legs lying across Andrews's own.
"Thank you for tuning in!" The newsman begins, "Today we share with you some joyous developments regarding the tainted water situation!" Lin leaned in, is there a chance? From the sound of shuffling behind him, it seems like they leaned forward too.
"we're happy to announce that all apartments to which the tainted water had been delivered, have been secured!" Shit. Lin leaned back with a sigh. That's great.
"It's been three months since the first incident was discovered, and the death toll is now at a comfy 53 total." Lin let his head fall back with a sigh, it landing on Ashley's thigh, to which she quickly shooed him off. "no biggie."
"And the quarantine period for those whom are at risk, has been extended by another two weeks."
"Again!?" Andrew yelled, glaring at the screen.
Lin let his head fall forward and closed his eyes. "God, we're so fucked."
"And to our friends in quarantine, thank you for keeping your disgusting, parasite-infested bodies far, far away from me!" what an asshole.
"Sorry, it's "Thank you for your continued consideration of the public's safety" ."
"That's all for today. Cheers!"
"..." It was quiet, the only thing you could have heard was the sound of breathing.
"... If im the first to die, you guys can't eat me," Lin said, his tone full of seriousness. But the smirk led to that tone being discarded.
"No one is eating anyone," Andrew said, shaking his head. "We'll figure something out."
"im not opposed to the idea," Ashley said, raising her right hand.
Lin and Andrew slowly look over at her, their eyes wide in disgust.
"..."
"Something is genuinely wrong with you." Lin said, standing up.
"it was a joke, asshole," Ashley said, sitting up.
"Sure it was. Cause you're known for your grade-A comedy." Lin said, rolling his eyes.
"ugh, im going to bed." Andrew, who had enough of their shit, said, standing up and stalking off toward his and Ashley's shared bedroom.
Ashley,(L̶i̶k̶e̶ t̶h̶e̶ d̶o̶g̶ s̶h̶e̶ i̶s̶) follows after Andrew, leaving Lin alone, the TV still on.
-{=}-{=}-{=}-
You watch TV until you're too tired to keep your eyes open.
You fall asleep.
-{=}-{=}-{=}-
An unpleasant memory resurfaces.
Lin sat in his chair at the dining table, reading a book while his family moved around him.
After a minute of reading, his mom comes up and offers him a cup of water. Lin smiles at her. And drinks it.
"If you've drunk anything that has water in it in the last 24 hours and you live around. -....- then we advise you to call the C.D.C number which should flash below, and quarantine yourselves." A newscaster said, looking at the screen, face serious as a heart attack.
"It's believed that a highly dangerous parasite that can live in your body and enter you through water has been found in a nearby water treatment plant. For more information, tune in later, Stay safe out there." The newscaster gave a single-finger salute as Lin glanced over at the rest of his family's faces,
They all seemed shocked, but for some reason, Lin felt like his parents weren't as... Real. Genuine.
-(+)-(+)-(+)-
Less than an hour later, his dad had left, and his mom was getting ready too.
"Wait! Mom, where are you going?" Ashley asked, walking up to the woman.
"Me and your father will be staying at a hotel for a bit." Mom said, glancing off to the side and rubbing her arm.
"Huh?" Lin questioned, standing up from the couch.
"I thought they said we should stay at home until-" Ashley began, only for their mother to cut her off.
"I didn't drink anything." She insisted, glaring at Ashley.
"Wait, Mom- are you really gonna just leave us here?" Lin asked, walking over, giving a smile, like he expected her to deny it. His mom and Ashley looked over.
"..." She glanced to the side in what seemed like regret.
"Mom?" Lin questioned. His smile wavering.
"I haven't drunk anything. Booze, water, nothing!" She said, looking forward and at Lin, her gaze steeled.
"I've only drunk orange juice from a carton!"
Lin looked distraught. He thought they were family, and while his mom and dad weren't the best, they would never just... Abandoned them? Right?
"sigh... I have to go, I can't miss my bus." She said, turning toward the door and opening it.
"Wait, Mom!" Lin said, reaching out for her as he walked toward the door.
"Lin... I have to go. I'm sorry." That was all she said. Her pause was short before she shut the door. Leaving Lin to stand there.
The click of the lock was like a contract being signed. As though the world itself knew Lin would never see his mother again.
"..." Ashley and Lin stood in silence, Lin glanced over at Ashley, who stared down at the floor.
"I-..." Lin cut himself off. Ashley glanced up at him, the same thought must have crossed her mind. She doesn't know what's going on either. So why bother asking?
Lin just shook his head and walked toward the couch. No point in pointlessly stressing.
-(+)-(+)-(+)-
Sometime after their mother left, a nurse walked in, her face covered by a mask.
"Can you line up for me, please? I'm gonna draw some blood." The nurse asked, getting the three lined up.
"This won't hurt a bit!" The nurse said enthusiastically.
Ashley was the first to get her blood drawn, and from the cringe she did, it must have hurt.
The nurse capped the needle and pulled out a second. Then went to the second in line, Andrew.
"And now you." She said, holding out one of her hands for Andrew to lay his arm out on.
"...How long do we have to stay home?" Andrew questions the nurse, a slight flinch at the sight of the needle.
"The results from your blood work will be done tomorrow." She said while rubbing some alcohol over Andrews's skin.
"so if everything is well, you're free to come and go as you please afterward,"
"And if not?" He asked an almost fearful tone in his voice.
"Then you'll get to see what happens if not." She said, lining up the needle with one of Andrews's veins.
He cringes at the pain, but otherwise, there's no further reaction.
"And now you!" The nurse said, leaving Andrew as he rubbed his arm.
Lin offered his arm without much trouble.
"... So, parasites, huh?" Lin questioned the nurse, who glanced up at him and offered a sweet smile.
"Yep. Who knows what might happen after this." She rubbed the alcohol onto Lin's arm.
"Hey, maybe after all this is done I can see you?" Lin questioned, his Ashley and Andrew looking over at him dumbfounded.
"Hahaha," The nurse laughed. Giving a shake of her head.
"I might be too old for you, sweetheart," she said, pulling out the capped needle.
"Hey, don't knock it till you try. I can treat you right." Lin said, moving his hand and attempting to intertwine them with hers.
"Oh?" She questioned, opening her hand and allowing Lin to intertwine their fingers.
"Hmm," She gave a hum, experimentally squeezing her hand.
"Tell you what, once this thing is over, I'll contact you. We'll see where we can go from there." That was enough, as Lin brought his hand back.
"Sounds good." He said, the nurse plunging the needle in him, causing his arm to nearly tense up.
"You're a sweet kid, im sorry this had to happen to you." She said, capping the needle, before pulling down her mask and kissing him on the cheek.
She left, waving goodbye, as Lin rubbed his cheek and his siblings watched with wide eyes.
"... Possible sugar Mama detected?" Lin questioned, a predatory smile crossing his face.
"No way. I forbid it." Andrew said, rolling his eyes, and crossing his arms. One much more sore than the other.
"My love life isn't of your concern," Lin said with a glare, annoyance lacing his tone.
"I agree. Who knows what that skank would do to you." Ashley said, crossing her arms and shaking her head.
That night they bickered until it was late enough that they wanted to sleep.
-(+)-(+)-(+)-
Lin was laid out on the couch, he was beyond bored. He had read every book over the first month of quarantine. The following four were filled with watching TV. And now he just continues existing while watching TV. Hoping for anything exciting.
Hoping for their 'Wardens' to bring them food again. But it seemed like that had a less and less probability of happening.
Andrew was off in his room doing god knows what. And Ashley was standing by the phone, calling their mother, again.
Lin had learned that he shouldn't rely on his mother for anything during the second month. It seemed Ashley would be learning now. Cause he could hear her arguing with their mom. Again.
"Why the hell would I lie about this??" She asked anger in her tone as she stomped her foot.
"..." Ashley went quiet as she listened to her mother.
The longer it went on, the more it seemed like the conversation was going nowhere. Judging by the way Ashley's face got more and more desperate.
Finally, Ashley pulled away from the phone, listening to the ringing at the end of the call. She looked to the side, dejected.
Lin watched her, his eyes nearly rolling, before looking back up at the TV.
She walked up to the couch, stopping by it, as if she had something to say.
"Can I..." She stopped herself, looking off to the side, rubbing her arm. Before she shook her head and stalked off toward her room.
Lin's eyes stalked her. Until he couldn't turn his head left anymore, and went back to watching his show.
-(&)-(&)-(&)-
This goes without saying, but criticism is not only accepted, it's highly encouraged. I want to grow into a better writer. Thank you all for your time.