OSTRACIZE | GILBERT BLYTHE

5

"I am never going back there again!" Ellis shouted as she walked up to Carter who was on the back yard fixing the fence so Toffee wouldn't escape.

Carter jumped, making him drop all his tools. He turned to face his sister, who had tear stained cheeks.

"Ellie, what's wrong?" He had a thin layer of sweat dripping down his forehead and his once white shirt was now dirty and covered in mud.

Ellis scoffed at the nickname. Her brothers called her Ellie when her Pops wasn't around to make her feel more feminine.

She hated it.

"I hate school." She kicked the fence that Carter had just finished putting up. To say he was proud was an understatement so her kicking it, bruised his ego and he pouted.

"Hey! That's my fence!" Carter said quickly standing in front of his fence defensively.

Ellis turned and gave him a blank look.

"Why do you hate school Ellie?" Carter questioned crossing his arms. Carter didn't want Ellis to be like him, he wanted her to continue with school and eventually get into Queen's.

"I don't get it." She sighed. "I can talk to you fine. Or anyone I know fine. But new people. Or reading. I just-" Ellis got annoyed and clenched her fist ready to let her anger out on the fence again, but Carter quickly grabbed her wrist and pulled her away from his fence.

"My fence is not a punching bag Ellis Carla." Carter paused, seeing how upset his sister was. "You get nervous that's all."

Ellis' body drooped and she looked towards her feet, she kicked a dirt stone and watched as it tumbled away from her limply as if it felt the same sorrow she felt.

"The new girl. The one Pops went on and on about this morning, she asked what was wrong with me, a-and everyone laughed."

"Nothings wrong with you." Carter pulled his sister into his side as they headed up towards the house. "If you want, I can go down to that school and teach them all a lesson."

Ellis could help but laugh as Carter showed off his 'muscles'. She knew the boy would never hurt a fly but the fact that he thought he could was almost adorable. If she wasn't in a bad mood she would have booped his nose.

"Do not bother. I'm not going back." Ellis said as they walked into the house.

"Not going back where?" Pops questioned as he sat at the table. It took the girl backwards because it was the most mobile that he had been in months. Pops had some good and bad days, some where he was more mobile and some where he couldn't move at all.

"Pops, what are you doing out of bed?" Ellis questioned rushing to his side.

"Answer me child!" William snapped and his lashing out made her step back so she didn't end up like Carter who's cheek was still swollen and now an ugly deep purple colour.

Ellis stood up straight and cleared her throat before saying,

"School."

Ellis could see the anger on her Pop's face. She wanted to run and hide behind Carter but instead she stood tall and confident. Her Pops was the only thing that scared her, truthfully.

"School?" He almost laughed. "Why?"

"P-peop-"

"Stop stuttering Ellis!" He shouted making her spring backwards in fear. Ellis looked to Carter almost pleadingly.

"People make fun of her Pops." Carter stepped in front of the brunette.

"I didn't ask you coward." Pops seethed, Carter knew his Pops would never forgive him for not joining the army like the rest of his family, but that was a choice he would have to live with.

"Why do they make fun of you? Are you stupid like your mother?" Her Pops attempt to stand up, but failed.

"S-she wa-wasn't stupid!" Ellis shouted.

"She was, just like you." William turned to his grandson. "Take me to my room Carter. I can't bare to look at either of you two anymore." He instructed.

Carter rushed to his Pops side to help him to his room, flashing his sister an apologetic smile as he left her behind to look at the floor.

~

"Right Ellis. Take a seat. I am going to help you." Carter said adamantly as he sat at the table. He moved the fruit basket out of the way, but not before he grabbed an apple.

"Help me? You left before I did. I should be helping you." Ellis laughed mockingly as her brother bit into the red apple.

"Show me your cursive writing." Ellis nodded and began to do the alphabet like in class.

A, D, C, B.

"Ellis." Carter paused and grabbed the chalk board. "What are you doing?" Ellis looked up to him confused. "This is a D." Ellis pointed to the letter 'D'. "But it should be a B." He wiped the letters away and showed her the correct order.

A, B, C, D.

"Do you understand it now?" He questioned taking another bit of his apple.

"No." She shook her head and let out a defeated sigh. "And I'm never going to understand. Because Pops is right-" She said angrily storming towards the door.

Just before she left she turned to look at Carter as he set his apple core down on the table and watched her as tears spilled down her cheeks and she screamed,

"-IM STUPID!"