| For the record... I wrote this story a few years ago... it was the first one I ever actually written.. so if you think it sucks....keep that in mind. Thanks Fallen Angel I walked down the passageway cold and in fear. This is where everything took place last year. All the blood, all the anger, all the sorrow. Why do these things always end like this? I start to think back, two years ago when everyone was happy, and things were calm. �Frankie,� my 6-year-old sister called for me, but I ignored her. �Frankie, I have something that I made for you at school today.� I looked at my young sister for a second. She was very talented for her age, and she had her whole life ahead of her. �Do you want to see it, Frankie? I worked very hard on it.� I ruffled her hair. �What did you make Angie? Lets have it kiddo.� I usually called her kiddo because she said an artist�s name should be as plain as �Angie.� She took out a blue poster board and opened it up. Inside was the ocean. You could see sharks, dolphins, fish, and even whales. Angie knew I loved the ocean. To me it was a place of magic and mystery. It was the best present anyone ever gave me. �Thanks kiddo. I love it!� I gave my sis a big hug and she smiled with pride. �It took me a week to draw. I knew you loved the water so I wanted you to be able to see the ocean everyday. Do you really like it Frankie?� �I love it. Tell you what. Why don�t you help me hang it up above my bed?� I watched as my sister jumped up and down excitedly. �Come on short stuff. Lets go hang this thing up.� We walked toward my room. I moved all the pictures that hung above my bed and I let Angie hang the picture of the ocean up. �It looks great above your bed. Doesn�t it, Frankie? I looked at my sis. She had such sweet, innocent, pleading eyes. I gave her my special smile and a big hug. Some people think it�s weird that I rarely ever fought with my sister. I don�t though. I mean she�s a wonderful, talented person. She was very pretty too. The guys are going to be all over her one day. Angie�s beautiful smile lit up on her face. �I love you, Frankie.� Angie loved telling me she loved me. Our parents told us that we had a rare brother/sister relationship. If we did fight, it was only once or twice a month or so. �Love you too, short stuff.� I glanced at my watch. �OK, kid. You have to go to piano practice now. So why don�t you go ahead.� I watched as my sister took off out of my room and out the front door. The only other thing she loved to do beside draw was play the piano. I have to admit she was very good at too. She was the most talented person in her age group at school, and she didn�t have any enemies! Everyone loved her. Since I was the only one left at home I decided to figure out what I could get Angie for her birthday next week. I looked in her favorite magazine where she had a kitty purse and teddy bear circled in red. I ran to get the phone to rush order them. Mom and dad got me my own bank account so everything was great. It was almost time for Angie to get home, so I made dinner for us. Mom and dad wont be home for another week or so. They went on a business trip together. So it was just Angie, the dogs, and me. Molly was Angie�s dog, rex was mine, and Toby was my parents�. Angie would go everywhere with Molly. She loved that dog so much. Molly wouldn�t even let Angie near people she didn�t know. When I was finished cooking the hamburgers for dinner, Angie was just getting home. I set the table and had her go wash up. I fixed her burgers the way she always had it, and I made mine my way. I filled our cups with milk because Angie loved milk with her burgers. Angie came running into the kitchen and wrapped her small arms around my waist. I gave her a great big hug, one she called my bear hug. She giggled then jumped into her seat. We said our prayers and started to eat. �Frankie, can I have a bite of yours?� I gave Angie a confused look. �I mean I like mine, but I�ve never tried yours before.� I saw the look she was giving me and shrugged. �Take a big bite, kiddo. It has hot sauce on it instead of ketchup, so be careful.� Angie bit into my burger with a satisfied look on her face. �You like?� Angie nodded with a smile on her face. I couldn�t help but to laugh. �OK, we�ll make yours like that next time. OK?� �Thank you, Frankie.� I smiled, �Anytime, short stuff.� Angie ate her food really fast and ran upstairs to play with her toys. After I cleaned up after supper, I went up to check on her. I knocked on her door, but got no answer. I walked into the room and saw my little sister curled up in a little ball on the floor with the stuffed bunny I got her for Christmas. I picked Angie up and laid her in her bed. I covered her with a blanket and kissed her goodnight. I glanced back at my wonderful sister on my way out the door. The next three days went by really fast. My parents called and said that they would be longer than expected. We got into a huge fight because they said they weren�t going to be home for Angie�s Birthday. I still didn�t have the heart to tell Angie that her parents would rather stay in New York then be home for her birthday. What gets me mad is they do this every year. If it�s not my birthday, it�s Angie�s. I feel sorry for her. She was looking forward to spending time with her parents. Angie has a great heart though. She always forgave them. I know she�s younger than me, but I respect her more than anyone else in the world. She�s too good to be true, or that�s what everyone says. It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon, and Angie went to the park with some friends. While she was gone, the stuff I ordered for her birthday arrived. I wrapped them up and put them on the high shelf in my closet. I walked around the house making sure everything was ok. I gave the dogs their food and water. As soon as I finished all my chores, I sat on the cough to watch some TV. I must have fell asleep because when I woke up Angie was asleep right next to me. I didn�t want to wake her, but I did anyway. �Hey short stuff.� I whispered. �Do you want something to eat before I put you to bed?� Angie shook her head. �Okay then. Lets get you in bed.� I picked my sister up and carried her upstairs to her room. I tucked her in and kissed her goodnight. I walked downstairs and made me a ham and cheese sandwich. After I ate, I took a shower and went to bed. Angie�s birthday finally arrived. I set her to piano practice an hour early. I arranged for her to have a three-hour practice instead of a two-hour one. Her teacher agreed and said she�d come to the party I was going to give Angie. I told Angie that I invited her piano teacher to dinner, and she was excited. While she was at practice, I got ready for the party. I was worn out as soon as I got all the decorations up. All I had left to do was make the food and get her presents put on the table. I decided the first thing that needed to be done was the seasons for the meat. After that, I went upstairs to get the presents. I set them on the table and looked at my watch. The guests should be arriving any minute now, and Angie should be home in 30 minutes. As soon as everyone arrived and was settled in, Angie�s piano teacher phoned to let me know they�d be over in five minutes. After I got off the phone, I yelled for everyone to get in their places. I turned off the light in the living room, dining room, and hallway. I went into the kitchen and finished preparing the food. Sure enough, five minutes after they called Angie and her teacher arrived. Angie ran into the kitchen to give me a hug. I smiled at her. �Happy Birthday, kiddo.� �Thank you, Frankie. Where�s mom and dad? Are they home yet?� |