LUCAS the BETRAYED [[The Red Queen Fan Fiction]]

You had nothing to prove, but you proved it again

Enraptured by the last light of the day, my mind swirls with ideas. Sitting under the shade of my tree I pull a steady stream of graphite from deep underground to the tip of my finger. On the sheet in front of me, I carefully recreate the paradise I saw in my dreams. The mountains rise hard and strong, stretching beyond the top of the page. Yet at the base a beautiful lake reflects the mountain and holds a beauty of its own. I draw myself there, older and taller, standing beside the lake as though answering the mountain's taunt to conquer its height and explore the world beyond.

A family of birds chip loudly and pull me from my trance. I squint and watch a fat blue bird gracefully perch on the edge of a nest in one of the highest branches. A chorus of chirps rises, as the baby birds screech with glee. I roll up my drawing and step back to watch them. Birds are not careful poopers...

"What's so interesting?" A shrill voice speaks from behind.

"Just a bird." I reply without turning around, and quietly tuck the paper up my sleeve.

Evangeline grunts with disgust and marches towards the tree trunk. "Birds are stupid and useless," she huffs and clasps her hands around the tree. Playfully, she spins around its slender trunk.

"Well, they can fly. Can you?" I tease. She pauses mid-spin to roll her eyes, then twirls around the trunk again.

Her eyes glimmer, "I have an idea." She says. She usually does. But all her ideas end with me taking the blame for the worst of something she did. "The first one to kill the fat bird is the best magnetron in the family." She gleams and steps back to get a better angle.

"No! That bird has babies!" I shout, but my protest only edges her on. Like a cat, she lowers into a crouch, hands behind her back. I crouch in front of her, ready to pounce back. "Stop." I command, trying to mimic my uncle's tone. Her father may be the head of our family, but he's not here. If I feel even a twitch of metal I'll pin her to the ground. For several breaths, we stay locked in a staring contest. Neither willing to drop their guard.

Finally, she relaxes. "I don't think you understand the game, dummy. We're supposed to shoot at the bird, not each other."

"I told you, I don't want to play this game–" before I finish Evangeline jumps and slings a wall of needles towards the nest. I latch on to them as quickly as I can, but several slip through my grasp and knock the sides of the nest. The momma bird raises her head and chirps in alarm.

"Don't!" I yell as Evangeline separates three metal scales from the back of her dress and fires again. I feel them pull. The scales fly as fast as needles, but are twice as slick and unpredictable. My face turns white as I strain to catch one. Drop it. Catch another. Drop it. Catch the last one and–schink.

We stare wide-eyed as the scales fall from the sky–neither of us bothers to catch them. My gaze is fixed on a small blue that dot chases them, bouncing on several branches along the way. My stomach churns as it plops on the ground and rolls onto its beak.

Evangeline glares at me with her hands on her hips. I close my eyes with disgust. I knew better. When she found out I loved to draw, she had my uncle remove all the pencils in our house. Drawing was too distracting. When she noticed how I loved mashed potatoes, she claimed she was allergic and had them permanently removed from the menu. A necessary sacrifice for the safety of family. I clench my fists. I will never love anything again, not even a toy. Everything I love she loves to destroy.

Momentarily satisfied, she skips away. "I'm sure Dad will love to hear you're drawing again."

I barely hear.

Silently, I stand over the bird's head. The babies cry for more food above, not knowing how lucky they are to be alive. Or maybe they're not lucky. My chest tightens. I shouldn't have stopped the needles. They could have all died as a family, but now because of me the mother is dead and the babies will die from hunger, or burn in the sun, or freeze in the night...

Like a monster that deserves to be hidden, I drag myself to my room in the main house. At the other end of the hall of bedrooms, Thames and his little brother Joey carry a happy conversation. They rush towards me, grinning from ear to ear.

"We just came up with a new game! It's real fun, but we need one more player. You in?" Thames beams.

I shake my head and brush past his shoulder, "No more games."

"But–" Joey begins to protest but Thames lays a hand on his shoulder. Thames is not the strongest magnetron, but he's the best in the family at hearing the words I don't say. The brothers don't speak and don't move as I slink towards my bedroom.

I slide the door into place, pause to look into my cousins' eyes. "Thanks for the offer," I mumble and do my best to grin. A sharp pain vibrates like a gong in my heart. For the first time in years I miss my parents. If only I had known them...Would my mom have been proud to call this weakling her son? Was my dad proud to be a Samos? Why did they leave? Slowly, I lift my head and gaze through the gap at my confused cousins.

"Did you get in trouble?" Joey prods.

Thames crinkles his nose like there's a foul smell in the hall, "Was it Evangeline?"

I pause and think for a moment. No, it was my fault.  I shake my head and seal the door before they can ask.

I'm sorry, but for now I'll be as silent as a Red.