Fiction Friday

I am so excited about this post. I love reading books, especially fiction. A secret passion of mine is writing. I'm slowly beginning to share that passion with others, but since fear of rejection is a big one for me it's hard for me to share with people who may not like what I write. But hey, I'm learning if you like me - you like me and if you don't - you don't. I don't like everything I read, so I shouldn't expect everyone to like my writing as well. I do like honest critiquing, so if you have something you think needs a little improvement, let me know.

Disclaimer: The characters and events in my writings are 100% fictional and in no way depict real people, scenarios, or events. If you see yourself in my writing I had no intention of putting you there. :)

 

Tria

(Name to be changed at a later date) 

Tria ran straight for home. Climbing the porch steps, she turned around to see her brother only two steps behind her. Picking her up and throwing her over his shoulder he carried her into the house.

Giggling and wiggling to get free, she gasped, “I told you I was going to win.”

“No more head starts for you.” Her older brother laughed as he threw her on the couch and tickled her.

Tria’s blond hair was a riot about her face. Emma, their oldest sister, walked into the living room having already been home from school.

“Mom’s got a snack in the kitchen for you.” She said gently.

Racing into the kitchen, Tria screeched, “Ice cream_”

Aaron looked at Emma. She nodded. To prove her point she flipped the dead switch. Nothing. Sighing, Aaron skipped the snack and headed in search of the lanterns and flashlights.

Mom’s red-rimmed eyes were not a new sight to Tria. She kept quiet as she devoured her snack. Usually ice cream was saved for after dinner. But there was no way she’d remind her mother of this. Tria saw Emma walk across the threshold into the kitchen.

“Want some?” Tria asked her big sister.

“No. You eat it.” Emma smiled.

“Where’s Aaron? His is melting.”

“We’re going to have an adventure tonight, okay?” Emma cheerily spoke, her fourteen year old voice taking on a light tone.

The eight year old's eyes lit up at the thought of it. “Can Maddie join us?” She asked referring to their two-year old sister.

“Of course, we’ll all play. We’re going to pretend that we live in the olden days.”

“Like ‘Little House on the Prairie’? I wanna be Laura.” Tria interrupted her sister, loving the idea of their adventure already.

“Now remember, they didn’t have any electricity, so we’re going to use candles and lanterns, we’ll have daddy cook out on the grill because he’s supposed to be back tonight. And we’ll all sleep downstairs, like we’re camping in the living room, okay?”

Tria nodded. This was going to be the best adventure ever. Looking at her mother, she wondered if this would make her feel better. She loved when her mother laughed. Her whole face would light up, but lately her mother’s laugh was rare. And her hugs only for herself. Emma kissed Tria’s booboo’s, and tucked her in at night, telling her mom would kiss her goodnight before she went to bed. Tria wondered though if she’d been bad. Many of those nights she’d laid awake waiting for her mother to come in. When she heard her mother on the stairs she closed her eyes, not wanting her to know she was still up; however, her mother would just stumble past her door. Tria couldn’t wait for dad to come home, he always played with them. He would make them laugh, and take them on walks in the woods.

“Now first thing you need to do is get your homework done.” Emma told her.

“Emma, it’s Friday. Only you have homework on Fridays.” Tria smiled.

Emma’s heart melted at the sight. Tria looked just like their mother, thinking this Emma turned to look at her. Their mother turned away.

“I’m gonna go find Maddie, and tell Aaron his ice cream is melting.” Tria told her sister.

Emma cleared her throat.

Looking down, Tria asked, “Can I be excused?”

“May I,” Emma corrected, “Yes, you may.”

Skipping from the kitchen, Tria ran to find the object of her affections. Her baby sister was exactly what she’d prayed for. Tria loved that Maddie was beginning to speak. Coming into their room, Tria found Maddie standing prisoner behind the bars of her crib.

“Out, E. Out_” Maddie raised her hands to be lifted out.

“Sit Maddie.”

Maddie sat and watched as Tria lowered the bar on the crib. “Ready. Say Tree-ya.” Tria emphasized her name.

“E-ya.” Maddie echoed.

Rolling her eyes, Tria laughed. Helping her sister climb from her cage, they went in search of their brother.

“Aaron.” Tria exclaimed, seeing her brother with an armload of supplies coming from the attic. “Watch this. Maddie say Tria.”

“E-ya.” The toddler said proudly.

“She says my name. Say Aaron.” Tria prompted.

“Nin nin.” She scrunched up her nose.

“We got to work on that one.” Tria laughed. Aaron joining her.

“Squirt, you wanna help me carry some of this downstairs?” The twelve-year old asked.

“Yeah, your ice creams melting.” Tria told him, picking up an armload of blankets, “Maddie go down the stairs like Tria showed you.”

Sitting on her diapered bottom, Maddie bounced down the stairs. Tria smiled proudly at her big brother.

The rest of the night was an adventure. Dad came home in the evening and barbecued hamburgers and hot dogs for dinner. They played games and told stories until it was too dark to see. The youngest snuggled down first.

Sometime during the night, Tria awoke to the familiar sound of her parents in their bedroom. Their voices were muffled, but Tria could make out the sobs in her mother’s voice. Her father was clearly angry. Tria wondered if her mother was telling him what a bad girl she’d been. She tried to be good while daddy was away, but she always seemed to mess up. Throwing her blanket over her head, Tria cried herself back to sleep.

Morning came and with it a sense of relief. Tria’s troubles from the night before were the last thing on her mind. Looking over she cold tell she was the last one up. Emma walked into the living room in her softball gear. Aaron trailing behind her, baseball glove in hand.

“You guys ready to go?” Tria’s father called from the other room.

“Yeah.” Emma and Aaron called in unison.

“Where are you guys going?” Tria whimpered.

“I’ve got practice, and Em’s got a game later.” Aaron told her squatting down and pushing the stray blond hair from her face. “Mom’s gonna bring you and Maddie to Em’s game later. Okay?”

“Yeah, you’ve got to be mom’s helper. You got to be good and help mom with Maddie.” Emma spoke softly to her sister.

“Okay.” Tria sighed, bummed about missing the opportunity to spend the day with her dad and older siblings. Emma and Aaron headed out to the car, where their dad was waiting

Tria loved going to the softball and baseball games. She would help in the concession stand and the grandmotherly ladies would spoil her with french fries and gummy bears. But first she would watch her Saturday Morning cartoons. Snuggling her back against the couch, still wrapped in the blankets, Tria reached for the remote. The screen stayed black. Thinking the batteries were dead, she got up and turned on the television. Nothing.

“Mom!” Tria called.

Getting no response she remembered to go find her mother instead of yelling for her. Searching first in the kitchen, Tria decided to check upstairs.

“Mom.” Tria whispered into her parents bedroom. A grunt came from the direction of the bed, Tria’s sign to enter. “The tv’s not working.”

“That’s because there’s no power,” her mother growled.

“But it’s not storming outside.” Tria said confused. Living in the country she was used to the power going out during storms.

Her mother sighed angrily. “I know. I guess you want me to get up and do something about it. Why can you never just let me have a few minutes of peace?”

“I’m sorry momma. I’ll leave.”

Another angry sigh. Never bothering to even look at her daughter she added, “Go check on Maddie.”

Quickly obeying her mother, Tria ran to find her sister. She found her in the playroom downstairs. There were toys everywhere. Tria tried to pick the toys up, but was distracted by an old doll. She found a hairbrush and began to brush the snarls out of the doll's hair. Then she went about finding the perfect outfit for her doll. Soon she was so occupied with playing with the doll that she lost track of time. Hearing her mother on the stairs, Tria’s head popped up. Where was Maddie?

Tria was too late. She found her sister just after her mother had. She watched in horror as her mother scooped up her baby sister and began to scream at her for dumping cereal all over the place.

“It’s my fault mommy. Maddie didn’t mean anything?” Tria’s empty stomach grumbled, “I should’ve been watching her. I’m sorry mommy.” She cried.

Letting go of Maddie, her mother turned on her. Grabbing her by the arm and shaking her, she screamed in her face. She dragged the girls into the playroom and slammed the door.

“I can’t take this anymore!” She yelled through the door. “I refuse to do this one more day...” On and on she screamed. Rhetorically asking if they’d rather not have a mother.

Tria tried to open the door but her mother had locked them in there. Maddie was crying now too. Tria yelled through the door that she was sorry, that she’d be good now, but it did no good. Soon her mother’s tirade was over. Tria comforted Maddie, playing with the young girl. She tried the door a little while later when she heard Maddie’s stomach growl but it was no use. Going to the closet, she opened the door. Emma had a stash of crackers that she’d placed in there for her sister’s tea parties. Getting the box of saltine crackers, from the closet, Tria handed her sister some crackers. After the tea party, the girls decided to play house. Sometime during their game the girls fell asleep.

Tria awoke to the sound of the playroom door opening.

“Dad, they’re in here!” Emma yelled.

Their father rushed in and scooped up both girls. He held them tight in his arms. The momentary thought of losing them had been too much for him. When his wife hadn’t showed up for his daughter’s softball game, he hadn’t thought much of it. He had somehow gotten used to her excuses. The note on the door when he got home scared him. I’m leaving! Was all it said, scratched on the back of the electric bill. Another thing his wife had decided not to pay. Then the thought hit him. Where were his girls? He ran upstairs to their bedroom to check for them. When he’d found it empty he nearly collapsed, and then Emma called to him from downstairs. How could she just leave them? Locked in the room? Alone! He needed to calm down.

Tria’s stomach growled and he realized they probably hadn’t eaten. He’d see to this need first.