A/N: Sorry about the wait, I had it all written out clear to Chapter 5, but then I went over it, and hated it. So, well, I got rid of it all and started fresh. In fact I'm thinking about going back and changing the prologue too, but haven't quite figured it out completely yet.

A special thanks to: mondayqueen and Skoozy, thanks for the support guys, I absolutely love reviews, so its wonderful to hear that you guys enjoyed the first part.

Shooting Flies
by: Silent Ink
Chapter 1

“Come on, Cliff, let’s get you ready for bed,” I said, wiping a stray black strand of hair from my face, blinking rapidly as the said hair poked me in the eye.

Cliff didn’t say anything, yawning loudly and looking up at me with clear blue, sleepy eyes. He was the love of my life, and though I wasn’t biologically his mother, I still considered him my son deep in my heart. I would never admit it, admitting it would mean causing a fuss that my family just could not deal with at the moment. At the age of fifteen, I was introduced into the harsh reality of life and motherhood, the day his blood mother left without a word, and the day his father lost it.

Picking up out of the bathtub, I dried him off with a freshly machine dried towel and pulled his robe around him securely. He giggled as I tousled his wild locks with the towel and scowled when I combed the unruly strands into obedience. But even through his annoyance, he always had a ready smile in place for me. He was the light into my rather hectic and unbalanced life, for when I saw that grin, I knew it would be well.

Picking him up I walked out of the lavish bathroom and into his bedroom just a few doors down the hall. It was large, much larger than my own, painted in blue hues. A small bed sat against the farthest wall, it was red and in the shape of a race car that he loved to pretend to drive during day hours. It had sturdy sides so he didn’t fall out of bed when he slept at night, he did do a lot movement when he was sleeping.

“Alright bud, go get me your pajamas,” I instructed, waiting for him to pick out the pair that he wanted to wear tonight.

“These,” he laughed, handing me his favorite worn pajamas that he’d had sense he was two, a pair that were dangerously close to being too small for his growing body.

“You know, we’re going to have to get you some new favorite pajamas soon,” I commented, pulling the shirt over his head and blowing a raspberry on his stomach.

“No,” he laughed as he jerked away from me, running over to his bed and hiding beneath the covers, trying to control his shaking.

Being very quiet, I slid to the ground and hid behind the side of the bed, smiling broadly. Very quickly I could hear the blankets shifting as Cliff came out from his hiding spot.

“Kar?” he quietly called, his voice having lost its earlier joy and now holding a little fear, as if thinking I had truly left the room.

Jumping up quickly I tackled him to the mass of stuffed toys, blankets, pillows, and mattress. Running my fingers over his sides, feet, and stomach, I listened as my favorite music filled through the room. Tears rolled down his cheeks as I stopped and sat beside him, waiting for him to stop cackling his glee.

“‘Kay, time for bed,” I instructed, getting up to tuck him to bed, pulling the rocket ship blanket up to his chin, I kissed his forehead, and got to my feet.

“Kar, stay pwease,” he whispered, and my heart melted, slowly I climbed into the cramped bed and curled around him, staying on top of the covers rather than beneath.

Blowing a frizz of the boy’s hair out of my face, I hummed absentmindedly into the back of his head, trying to ignore the growing anxiety twisting in my gut. I had several pages of homework to be turned into tomorrow, and I was running on almost zero sleep. But I just couldn’t not be here, Cliff needed a full time mom, and though I was hardly full time, I was the only one here for the position.

Sighing as I decided to wing a book report tomorrow, I stood up, placing a large teddy bear wear I had been laying earlier. Cliff instantly attached himself to the soft object, snuggling deep into the bears stomach and sighing happily. I smiled, checking once to see that his nightlight was on, and left the room.

Walking downstairs, I bid goodnight to a few of the maids as they left for the night, promising to be back first thing in the morning. The butler, Mr. Harrington, who I had originally been afraid of for all the old sayings ‘like the butler did it’, bid me adieu as he walked up the stairs. He was the only servant that lived in the house, and that was only because his family had been serving the Thompson lineage since the Mayflower era.

Walking into the library, I picked up my earlier discarded bag and sat down at one of the tables, scowling at the pile before me. It was times like this I almost hated Jason, I didn’t get to live my life, I was stuck with this. I wouldn’t have minded it so much if he at least helped, but alas, that was not happening any time soon.

Throwing the novel for my report in my bag again, I picked up my College Algebra book and began working on the set of problems Mr. Varner had given us today. There were thirty in total, and by number ten, I was fighting off sleep desperately. It was ten thirty, and there was not telling when Rob and Jason would show.

After my math, I picked up my Spanish II work and began reading the chapter I was supposed to be quizzed over the next day. Words blurred together, the Spanish making little to no sense in my mind. I was doomed, and I needed to pass this with at least a B to get my grades back up to passing. I had always been an honor roll student, but as of lately, my grades had been slipping more and more. I was sure that my hopeful colleges were slowly turning up their noses in my direction.

Jumping as the front doors banged open, I prayed that they didn’t wake Cliff, and walked out of the large library. Standing in the doorway, I watched as the two stumbled in. Thankfully, Rob was not drunk, he had promised to stay sober since he had to work tomorrow, but the weight of Jason was definitely awkward for him.

“Fuck, Kara, what are you still doing here?” he said, he had stopped in the middle of the hall, making a face as his friend emptied his stomach.

“Studying, I don’t have my car remember,” I replied, and he nodded his head, shaking it once or twice before walking up the stairs.

Sighing, I went to work cleaning up the carpet that Jason had so wonderfully gotten sick on. Scrunching up my nose, I reminded myself not to breath and not to look very much. I had a queasy stomach, and so cleaning up this mess was no easy task. The rolling of my stomach stopped me several times, but with persistence, I was able to get it done before Rob got back.

“Hey, you ready to go?” Rob asked as he nearly fell down the long staircase, I grimaced, already imagining the huge bags that would be under his eyes in the morning.

“Yeah, I’m almost done here,” I responded, wiping up the last of the residue, I hadn’t ate supper yet, and at this point, there was no way I would.

Stretching, I threw the dirty linens into the washer that was hidden in the kitchen closet for such emergencies. After the first few incidents, we had put one in so we didn’t have to traipse all the way downstairs for such a small load. Walking to the sink I washed my hands before turning out the lights and grabbing my coat. Rob was in the car waiting for me.

“How was it tonight?” I asked quietly after we had pulled off Anderson Drive, the large iron gates swinging closed behind us, I waved at Fred, the night-watchman.

“Better than last night,” he replied, he didn’t seem in the mood to talk so I reached over and turned the radio on low, allowing him his peace.

Biting my lip, I gently touched my cell phone inside my pocket, wishing I could call him. I was missing him dearly, and really hoping that he was doing well. I had been too busy to call him as of lately, and was anxiously awaiting his arrival on Thursday. I had already planned his homecoming, we would sit around his house on his couch, his brother hopefully being gone, and watch Disney movies with Cliff.

What was I thinking? He was a teenage boy for God’s sake, I’m sure he would much rather go to some party at his friend’s house or something. He was popular enough, there was no way that there wasn’t big plans for that, but still.

Sighing, I shook my head, thankful that we had finally turned on our street. I could just barely make out our house or his, but still knew the street well enough to know that we would pull in our drive at any moment. Rob seemed relieved as well, I was sure there was a lot on his mind, he wasn’t usually this quiet. Somehow, I didn’t quite believe that tonight had been better, but knew that he would not reveal it to me. Despite being eighteen, I was still his baby sister, and he wasn’t about to reveal anything that was rough to me.

I had accepted it, and didn’t pry or eavesdrop anymore, just as he kept those tales away from me, I didn’t mention much about my time with Cliff. It was like we were living two different lives, far away from each other, but were just happened to be thrown together by Fate. The only thing that was holding us together at all, or any of my family as a matter of fact, was that we just happened take care of people that lived in the same house. Never mind that we still stayed under the same roof.

Stepping out of the car, I shut the door, not bothering to wait for Rob. I barely noticed the way the place looked anymore, it was just normal, the place I lived. Wilting roses lined the walkway, as I strolled towards the paint chipped house. It really didn’t look as bad as the house across the street from us, but it seemed far more depressing. Maybe it was because of the lack of activity ever seen, or how the drapes were always pulled ore the lights shut off. Either way, we hardly ever had any visitors.

Opening the door, I walked into the front room, nodding my head at Richard, my father. It was strange, or different, I knew, to call my parents by their first names, but for the past three years, that’s all they had been referred to. Richard was sitting there, a white tank top covering his oversized stomach and a slight beard covering his jaw. I grimaced at his grime covered hands, and ignored the potent belch that flew passed his lips. He was drunk, he normally didn’t look that bad.

“Hello, Kara,” Joan said, my mother was beautiful, I envied her, and wondered continuously how she ended up with Richard.

“Hey, Joan,” I whispered, sitting my bag down, I walked passed her and into the kitchen, pouring me a glass of orange juice. “How was your day?”

“Oh fine, the same,” she said, her strawberry blonde hair was wild about her face, usually she didn’t have it like that, I knew today had been stressful.

“I see,” I replied, unsure of what to say. Joan had always been the strength of the three, though she hardly looked like it. She was fair boned, short, and incredibly thin. She had high cheekbones and a pert nose that was sprinkled ever so slightly with freckles. She had large brown eyes that almost looked out of place on such a small person, but seemed to be able to pull off fairly well.

“Why don’t you go to bed, you have work tomorrow, don’t you?” she said, her smile was beautiful, but I felt my stomach drop.

“No, Joan, I have school,” I said, finishing off the last of my juice I took it to the sink and rinsed it out, setting it in the sink.

“Oh, that’s right,” she apologized, her smile again in place, showing off her perfectly white teeth. “College can be hard I know, you need your rest.”

“I’m in highschool, I have exams tomorrow,” I said again, making sure to keep the edge in my voice silent. “I’m a senior, remember? I have graduation in a couple weeks.”

She waved me off smiling, and I shook my head, not bothering with it. I often wondered if my mom even realized she had a daughter, or she had just replaced me with Jason after the incident. It didn’t matter, things weren’t changing and it was about time I got over it. I couldn’t dwell on what I wished for, it would only make me feel worse in the long run. I had Trent and Cliff, that was enough.

Shutting my door, I locked it, not wanting to be disturbed by the rest of my family. After the accident a few months ago when I had awoken to my father on the floor of my room, I had decided it best to keep my room off limits to the others. No one seemed to mind, or ever wonder why the door at the end of the hall was never open, it just simply was, and that was good enough.

Shrugging off my jacket I laid it on my desk chair, shrugging my shoulders to release the tension that had gathered there. Pulling my hair out of its confinement, I quickly changed into my pajamas. They were old, just a school t-shirt and a pair of holey sweat pants, nothing special, but it wasn’t like anyone was going to see my like this anyways.

Brushing through my hair, I grimaced at my appearance. My wild black hair lay to mid arm, the tangled wavy locks a constant annoyance, especially in the humid weather we were seeming to have lately. I had by far too fair of skin, yet I never burned, and unfortunately, never tanned. I sometimes referred to myself as a ghost, my flesh as pale as one and my eyes a lifeless gray. I had thin lips, unlike Joan’s, who seemed to have been painted on, so perfect.

Again, there was no use in dwelling.

I skipped brushing my teeth, knowing that it was disgusting, but the limpness of my limbs demanded rest. I would deal with the nasty breath and feel in the morning.

&

I cursed my phone, debating breifly whether to throw the stupid mobile device across the room and watch it shatter. After a few rings I decided against it, and picked it up, deciding that it was best to keep the stupid annoying bugger a little longer.

“Hello?” I mumbled tiredly, snuggling back beneath the covers as I waited for whoever was on the other end to answer me.

“Hey, babe,” a cheery voice announced, and I scrunched my brow, slightly annoyed at his over the top voice to my overly sensitive head.

“Hey, Trent, what’s up?” I yawned, flipping over on my back because I knew I couldn’t fall asleep that way, it was the only way I was staying awake for this conversation. “How have you been doing?”

“Good, I got first in the 400 meter, and then second in shot put. Tomorrow’s discus though, I’m not good at that. But whatever, how’s the home life?” he asked, and I grimaced, not saying a word.

“That bad, huh?” he went on, I hadn’t even really got a chance to say anything, being that it was like three seconds from when he’d asked. “Don’t worry, I’ll be home tomorrow, and you can start crashing again.”

“Mmm, sounds good,” I mumbled, wishing I was over there rather than here, but I quickly squashed that, only the rest of this night and tonight, and I’d be over there.

“Go get some sleep, you sound exhausted,” he replied, and I rolled my eyes, knowing that he probably knew I was doing it.

“What about you, you’re the one that’s got to compete,” I countered, smirking slightly, I really did miss him.

“Yeah, well, you’ve got finals, and besides, I’m too amped up to sleep now,” he answered, he really did sound like he’d been sipping energy drinks all night, though I knew he hadn’t, he hated those things.

“Yeah, ok, just next time you call, make sure it isn’t at 3 a.m.,” I said, already drifting off again.

“Well, next time don’t make me wait so long in between calls,” he returned, and I chuckled, picturing the expression on his face.

“Get some sleep, love, I’ll see you soon,” he said, and I mumbled a goodnight, barely shutting my phone before I was gone.

A/N: Please review, I love to read comments.

Silent Ink