The Beast Within

Chapter 22

We sat in silence for a while. Francis never asked what was wrong. He just sat and held me.

"Francis?" I asked him.

"Hmm." He responded.

"Do you ever wish that we had died with mom and dad?"

He looked at me. His lips touched my forehead and he rested his head against mine.

"Mom and dad would want us to live on. They sacrificed themselves for us. You know mom." He said with a small laugh, "she would be screaming and yelling at you for even thinking that. Sam, we both miss them, but I wouldn't want to be with them, not yet."

We sat in silence once more. My mind began to wonder.

I was pinned to the ground. Francis was pushing me to the ground.

"Francis!" I screamed playfully "let me go!" I tried to kick at him him, but never made contact.

"But, little sister, that wouldn't be any fun." Francis teased.

"Francis." I said, a begging tone in my voice. "Let me go."

He just laughed at me and licked the side of my face.

I looked up at my brother. We've both grown up so much since then. Before we were innocent children, so naive to the dangers of the world.

Now his carefree laughter was gone. Now it was replaced by the overwhelming need to survive. His young face full of worry. Worry for himself, for me, for our species.

Oh how I miss those days now. The days when we would wrestle. The days when we would laugh and play. Those days we raced.

Francis was in front of me, winning the race. I blew a small amount of fire at him. It hit him in the rump. He dropped a few feet, giving me enough time to pass him.

I smiled as I thought of that day. He said I cheated, when he clearly did too.

Our lives have changed so much in the last few years. From our parent's deaths to bring captured and hunted like wild animals.

I could feel my brother get heavier and start to snore. Suppressing a laugh I curled up to him more. His body was warm and made me feel safe to be in his arms.

I had to suppress another laugh. If someone told me ten years ago that I would be doing this now I would've punched them.

That was my last though as I drifted to sleep in the arms of my brother.