The Stars Forgot Us by R.J. Garcia

Author:R.J. Garcia [Garcia, R.J.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Midnight Tide Publishing
Published: 2022-03-29T16:00:00+00:00

22

NO GOING BACK

Jacob

After lunch, I was more suspicious than ever but managed to survive the rest of the school day. Restless and exhausted, I just wanted to be home. So, I grabbed a seat by myself on the bus and had just started to doze off when I heard, “Hey, Cuz.”

I opened one eye first and gave Lucas a look. “Seriously? Can’t you see I’m resting?”

Lucas ignored me and sat down as the bus groaned onward.

“I barely got any sleep last night,” I admitted through a yawn.

Lucas just kept talking. “I came up with the best analogy during Government class. You know how we have Burger King and McDonalds? They feed the masses. We’re used to eating there and they get the job done, but are they really good for us?”

I asked him a hard, “What?”

“They’re kind of like the Democratic and Republican party,” he added.

“You really are a commie?”

Lucas laughed a little. “No. Just an independent thinker.”

I flicked my eyebrows at him. “Whatever. I just wish I could be homeschooled. Be a mental shut in with,” I lowered my voice to a whisper, “Ary.”

“You are obsessed.”

“Maybe…Yeah,” I admitted, and I always hated that love-struck sap of a guy. “Have you ever been that way over a girl?”

The question made Lucas finally shut up. He mumbled, “Not exactly.”

We just sat there in silence.

The bus brakes shrieked to a stop, and I popped up. Luckily, my house was one of the first stops.

“Call me later,” I told Lucas and practically ran off the bus.

My new house was too big to take in all at once, but I saw someone at the second-floor window—Michael’s room. I figured it was my brother. I stepped inside and slapped my keys on the hook. The house was still. My gaze longingly flickered to Ary’s secret spot before I climbed up the stairs to check in.

First, I poked my head into my mom’s room. The scents of smoke and wax drew me in. I tiptoed in to have a closer look. Mom was out cold. Her crazy curls spilled all over her pillow. Her mouth was partly open, with a string of drool hanging off the corner of her lip. When I turned around, I noticed a row of candles in formation on Mom’s dresser. Black candles burned down into puddles of wax.

“Mom? Mom?” I repeated.

She moaned, “Let me sleep.”

“Mom, did you burn these candles?”

“No. Check with Michael.” She barely opened her eyes, and a sigh fluttered through her lips. “And make sure he doesn’t have a lighter.” She rolled over to resume her nap.

Of course, I recalled our lunchtime conversation about Mother and the candles.

I was tempted to wake my mom and tell her something weird was going on, but I couldn’t find the words. Anyway, she’d never believe me. So, I rushed to my brother’s room.

“Hey, Michael, did you light candles?” I asked. “Mom says you can’t have a lighter.” I paced around his room, but even the space itself was cold, unfriendly, dim. I hated it being this way.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.