This Means War || H.S

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Autumn

That Morning

The sound of war planes wakes me from my short sleep early in the morning. My torn silk blankets do little to keep me warm in the cool morning air of my bedroom. The shrill cries of my baby brother ring through my bedroom causing a groan of annoyance and sadness to escape my mouth.

"Charles honey please stop, you'll be okay I promise," I say as I pick him up from his crib and cradle him in my arms. Charles was said to be a lost cause in this world now. But I refused to let my mom 'get rid of him' when he was born. My mom said she didn't want to put him through his future with depression, since he was born with the gene for depression.

I've always taken care of Charles like he is my own, like my older brother Oliver does for me as our mother drinks away through her days. Ever since my dad died she hasn't been the same. She didn't want Charles around and started to abuse Oliver and I, since she knows we won't fight back against our own mom.

Charles has stopped crying by now, my soft lullaby is now the only sound filling my bedroom. I yawn and lie down Charles in the crib and go to my bathroom to get ready. I shower quickly, sure not to miss anything outside of my bathroom and dry my seriously long hair as fast as possible.

Once my makeup and hair are done I walk back into my room with a towel wrapped tightly around me. I nearly screamed at the sight of Oliver sitting on my bed with Charles in his arms.

"Oliver you nearly gave me a heart attack," I laugh breathily while getting my clothes out of my closet. "Sorry Autumn but I have to tell you something that couldn't wait."

Nerves built up in my stomach. Oliver was rarely this way, serious and quick to the point. The last time he was like this I was told that my dad was dead, never to breath, smile, or love again. And I didn't want to repeat the numbing sadness of that time where I couldn't take care of myself let alone Charles.

"What is it Oliver," I sigh already feeling the sadness settle once again back into my heart. "Listen, just let me tell you how sorry I am before I tell you okay I just don't-" I hold my hand up to stop him. I just want to know already.

"Autumn I've been transfered across the country to New York. I'm so sorry that I have to leave you with all of this going on but you'll still have aunt Anya and uncle Augustus here for you."

Numbness once again envelopes my heart, my last source of protection promising to leave me. "It's fine," I sigh facing away from Oliver to look out my window. I need to let my eyes dry before he sees.

"Autumn I know it's not fine. Remember what happened when dad-" "Stop! You know nothing Oliver."

I turned to face him with tears continuing to stream down my face. "You don't know of my feelings when dad died because you were too busy screwing any girl that came to our door to notice. So don't you try to lecture me about my feelings."

Charles is now crying again and I sigh for what seems like the hundredth time in five minutes. I grab him from Oliver and start to rock him in my arms once again. "When are you leaving?"

"Now," he wraps his arms around Charles and I one last time. "I'm sorry Oli, thank you for everything you've done for me. Please be careful, we'll miss you."

He kisses my head and steps back. "I love you both, be on your best behavior, I'll be back before you know it I promise." "Don't make promises you can't keep."

"Goodbye Autumn," he says, stopping my heart. He walks out, lying Charles back in his bed, knowing exactly what he's done to me. Those words were meant to cut deep into me until I bled out as he left me alone. We said goodnight in this family, dammit, we always did. Goodnight was a promise to see each other again once the sun rose, whether it be a metaphorical sun or not. Goodbye was forever, goodbye wasn't coming back and I refused to hear and/or say those retched words and he said them because of that.