The Middle Child - Brandon Paul (distant reading .TXT) 📗

CHAPTER 1

it began as any other day, waking up to the smell of pancakes and the crisp cold of a winter morning. the snow was falling steady outside creating an eerie silence that was only broken by the cry of birds awaking from their slumber. i got out of bed and walked to the kitchen, following my stomach as though it has a mind of its own. there my mother was busy making breakfast with my younger brother. there was a lot of commotion as they both rushed about trying to prepare the morning meal. my father was still asleep, for it was his day off and he rarely gets them. even though i wished he was around more i realized that he sacrifices his home life to make ours better. he didn't get paid much but somehow we always managed to make it. mom was always at home, cooking and cleaning, making sure my brother and i were up in time to catch the school bus. she was getting up there in years, the stress of raising three boys beginning to show on her face, but she still had a gentle smile that greeted me as i walked into the kitchen. my little brother tommy was preping a skillet for bacon, as i walked up to him and patted him on his head. we have always been close, though we had our fights as most siblings do.
i was the middle child, our older brother was overseas fighting in the war. "good morning" i said as i sat down at the dining room table, wiping the sleep from my eyes. "good morning brother," tommy said "you want to play in the snow with me after breakfast?" i told him we'll see as i saw his face light up with hope. "gregory, go wake your father up breakfast is almost done." my mother said. i walked through the hallway opening the door to my parents room. my father was already awake, sitting on the edge of the bed smoking a cigarette."breakfast is ready," i said as the acrid smell of his cigarette reached my nose. "be there in a minute." he said to me. as he half smiled at me as he got up and started walking towards the bathroom. his hair was messed up, showing his black hair slowly starting to fade to gray. i walked out of the room closing the door behind me. i was walking towards my room to get dressed when the doorbell rang.
i rushed towards the hoping that i would find the yearly holiday cookies grandma would send. but when i opened the door i saw an angel. she was around my age, although probably short for her years for the top of her head barely reached my chin. her eyes were a deep blue, which seemed to jump out at me due to the contrasting white of the snow covering the ground. her lips, nose and cheek were red from the cold, and snowflakes rested on her fur fringed hood. "hi," she said "my name's megan, my family just moved in the house next door." i heard footsteps as my mom walked up behind me and said "you must be freezing please come in and i will make you some hot chocolate." she walked in removing her hood to reveal long golden blonde hair. my heart skipped a beat as she took her jacket off showing her slender frame.
she caught my gaze, her eyes almost hypnotyic. "im gregory, but you can call me greg." i managed to squeeze out though my mouth felt like sand paper. my dad walked out of his room and asked "whose your friend?" i said " this is megan she just moved in next door." my dad asked her if she'd like to join us for breakfast. "i'd love to" she said as my mom handed her hot cocoa. during breakfast she told us a little bit about herself and her family, saying her dad was an auto mechanic that had just got transfered which is why they moved here. her mom wrote poetry, most of which has been published in school textbooks.
after breakfast i went outside to play in the snow with my brother. megan joined us hitting me in the head with a snowball. after awhile, tommy was complaining about how cold he was, so he went inside. megan and myself stayed outside, sharing stories of our life that we have experienced so far. she told me that she had just recently broken up with her boyfriend jeff, and that she had a younger brother who had died from a rattlesnake bite. tears were pouring from her eyes as she talked about him, rolling down her cheeks and freezing on her chin. "megan..." i heard a voice say,"time to go and get you registered for school honey." it was her mom, and at that we said our goodbyes and that we would see each other around.
i walked into the house brushing the snow that had gathered on me off my jacket. i went to the kitchen where my dad and mom were talking to my older brother theodore via webcam. he looked tired like he never sleeps. his face was dirty and he had cuts on his chin and cheeks. "hi theo," i said to him excitment showing in my voice" how goes the struggle?" his face kinda went sad when i asked him that and a tear rolled down his cheek. but he quickly regained composure and smirked and said "pretty good little bro, we should have this war won before to long." i smiled and said goodbye to him walking out of the room to give my parents time alone with him.
later that evening we had just finished dinner when the phone rang. "hello." i heard my mom say as she answered the phone, glass of tea in her hand. i sat down on the couch in the living room. turning on the television. i was flipping through the channels when i heard the unmistakable sound of glass hitting the kitchen floor. i ran to the kitchen, and there was my mom holding the phone to her ear as tears streamed down her face. "go get your father greg.' she said to me a sense of urgency in her voice. often times my dad would go outside after the evening meal to stargaze and do a crossword or two. i ran outside without a jacket, the cold night air seeming to wrap around me and squeeze the heat out of me. "dad, mom wants you she's crying in the kitchen with the phone to her ear," i told him. his calm face immediatly turned to worry as we rushed inside together. my father asked "what's the matter dear?" my mom looked at him with her eyes still creating an endless river of tears. "theo's unit was attacked today on a routine patrol, there were no survivors."

Publication Date: 03-22-2010

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Dedication:
this is dedicated to my family, who are always with me.