The Price of Forgetting

Chapter 1

"Matthew!" I called, out of breath from running. I went a little further and stopped with my hands on my hips, feeling irritated. Matthew and I were supposed to be hiding from my little brother. Matthew wasn't supposed to be hiding from me.

"Ella, look up."

Raising my eyes, I saw Matthew sitting on a branch, high above my head.

"Come on," he said. "Danny won't even think to look up here."

He was right. If I didn't think of it, Danny definitely wouldn't, but bugs lived on trees. Wrinkling my nose, I examined the bark, trying to see if anything was moving on it.

"Stop being such a girl," Matthew complained. "It's an easy climb."

Huffing, I frowned up at him. How difficult it might be was not the issue, and he knew it. Besides, he didn't have to do it in a dress.

"Unless you'd rather have Danny tagging along all day," he added impatiently.

That did it. I didn't always mind my little brother, but he was too clingy to me and Matthew. And he was usually too little to keep up with whatever we wanted to do. Mama didn't like it if I told him he couldn't come with us, since he'd always cry, but if he lost us because he couldn't keep up, well, that wasn't my problem. We were still close enough to Matthew's house that I could watch and make sure he found his way back.

Taking a deep breath, I hiked up my skirt and scurried up the tree to join Matthew.

"I hate sitting in trees," I complained as I sat beside him, glancing around for any disgusting little black things. "There'd better not be any spiders up here."

"Shh," Matthew hissed, making me turn my attention to where my little brother was hurrying along down below us.

He passed our tree and stopped to look around, trying to guess where we might be. He was so determined, I felt kind of bad for ditching him. He knew we liked to do things on our own though, and he had Isaac to play with. He was six, only a year older than Danny.

"Ella!" he tried, looking everywhere but up. I smiled at Matthew even though I still wasn't thrilled to be in a tree. It had been a good idea.

Danny stood there for another minute before he angrily kicked at the ground and started walking back to the house. His lower lip quivered and I felt worse than I had before.

Matthew grabbed my hand, getting my attention. When I looked at him, he shook his head, knowing I was about to give in and call out to my brother. He was just so pathetic.

Frowning, I nodded. Pathetic as he was, Danny cried all the time. He'd get over it soon enough.

Silently, we watched him make his way dejectedly back toward the house. It was almost safe to talk again when an enormous spider dropped down in front of me, making me gasp in horror. Matthew's arm came around me and his hand clamped over my mouth, simultaneously keeping me from falling out of the tree and shrieking hysterically. With his free hand, he grabbed the spider and tossed it away. I had no idea how he could do that like it was nothing, but at the moment, I was very grateful he could.

Danny was far enough away now so I moved to get out of the tree. I climbed down as quickly as I could, feeling like I must have ten more of those disgusting things on me somewhere. Matthew opted for the much faster route and jumped to the ground, landing like a cat. A minute later, I was standing beside him, examining every part of me that I could see and brushing hastily at my dress, just in case.

Matthew laughed at my efforts but examined the places I couldn't see.

"All clear," he said after a minute.