pumped up kicks [ON HOLD]

PROLOGUE.

tw • implied sexual assault

Eloise sat on the top bunk in her and Sophia's shared bedroom. A book was placed in her hands, reading the words on the pages.

Sophia was at the desk that they placed in front of the window, her crayons moving across the paper as she drew. "Hey, El?" Sophia called up to her.

"Yeah, Soph?" Eloise hummed, not removing her eyes from her book. "Do you... Do you think I'll end up like... you?" Eloise froze at the girl's concerns as she sat up and looked over, discarding her book to her mattress.

"There's nothing bad about me." Eloise furrowed her eyebrows, trying to find the best way to explain. Sophia slowly nodded. "Okay," The girl turned back to her paper. Eloise swallowed harshly.

Thank god Sophia turned, because she didn't want the young girl to see her cry. Eloise hid her face as a tear silently slipped from her eyes, jaw clenched as she held her breathing.

She would not let Sophia see her cry. Ever. She didn't need that burden of her big sister's sadness. Any mention of her and how she was immediately brought tears to Eloise's eyes. "Girls," Carol burst into the room, "Pack your stuff, okay?" She urged.

Eloise saw the panicked look on her mother's face and fear struck the girl hard. "Mom? What's goin' on?" Eloise looked over the woman's face.

"Evacuating. Just grab some things before. . . he comes in, okay? He's packing the car." Carol's urgency got Eloise and Sophia moving.

Eloise hopped down from the bunkbed and poured out her school backpack onto the floor. She'd take a beating for that most likely, but she didn't care.

Eloise opened her part of the dresser and started putting a couple of pairs of folded jeans and shorts into the back. She moved to put socks, underwear, and bras in. Then she put shirts and a jacket. Sophia was having trouble.

"Hey, let's use my uhm. . . Let's use my skate bag, yeah?" Eloise grabbed her ice skating bag from under the bed. She pulled all of the stuff out and pushed it under. It pained her to do so, it truly did.

The girls were able to fit more stuff in there. Sophia's coloring things, some of Eloise's books, they got a couple more clothing items in, and Eloise added another shoe option into the bag.

She grabbed all of her pictures pinned on her corkboard and put them in the bag while Sophia grabbed two stuffed animals from both bunk levels.

The older Peletier girl smiled softly when Eloise smiled up at her. "Okay, let's head down before Daddy throws a fit." She zipped up the bags, throwing them over her shoulder while Sophia did the same with hers.

Eloise grabbed the duffle she used for skating and the two headed downstairs. "Just about'a come grab you, let's go!" Ed Peletier rushed the girls out of the door, having already put their shoes on upstairs.

Their bags were tossed on the floorboards under their feet and Ed didn't even buckle or get his door fully shut before he rushed out of the driveway of their home.

"What's goin' on?" Sophia asked, "Where are we gonna go?" She added to the question. "Just don't worry, Sophia." Carol reached back and held the young girl's hand. Eloise stared out of her window as she watched things fly by.