kindred

Chapter 25 : Home

Addie waved goodbye to Harlan from the doorstep as he climbed into the back of the car. Harlan had insisted he needed to get back home, six days of holiday was too much time to be away from his business he said, not that she knew what it was. 

The rest of them stayed for three more days, going swimming (Harry was teaching Addie), having film festivals and just generally relaxing. 

They even had a nerf gun war whilst their grandparents where at the shops. Addie did wonder were they managed to find 12 nerf guns but didn't question her brothers youthful joy at their game. They split into two teams and each person had a gun. If you got shot by someones gun you had to fake your death and lie still.

Addie and Riley were hidden behind some curtains, waiting for their next victim to walk around the corner. They saw Emmett clumsily sneaking around. 

Riley poked his nerf gun out and shot him in the back of the head. 

"Hey" He very unrealistically groaned and lay down on the floor. Addie ducked to the floor, crawling between the sofas until she was hidden behind the back of one. 

She watched as Elijah and Callum rounded the corner slowly, holding their guns up like they were in a James Bond movie. She blasted them with half a dozen bullets, only managing to hit Elijah with one, hey her aim wasn't great but she tried.

"Addiieeee." He whined as he collapsed to the floor "I thought I was your favourite brother"

"Dead people don't talk" She whispered back as she nudged him with her foot. She left Riley behind the curtain and crept up the left staircase. 

She found James lying on the floor at the top of stairs, hanging up side down. His face red with blood. 

"What are you doing" 

"I'm dead"

"You're going to pass out if you stay like that" She whispered, as if it was the most obvious thing.

Addie felt something whack her on the back, she turned to see Riley with his gun aimed and a smirk on his face. 

"Hey, you're on my team, traitor."

"I was undercover." He fist bumped James as he continued up the stairs.  She heard a crash downstairs, she peered round the side of the stairs to see that Quinn had tried to drive over the sofa to avoid Thomas' bullets.

Addie managed to win the next of their rounds, mostly because she hid in a chest on the hallway that no-one else could fit in for the vast majority of the game. 

Addie was slightly relieved when their three extra days came to an end, as much as she had lots of fun playing with her cousins she knew she was going to have to tell her brothers about her chest very quickly. 

She hugged her grandparents good bye. She lingered on the hug with her grandma before moving onto her grandpa. 

"I'll call at least once a week" She informed him. He placed a kiss on her forehead.

"You do that sweetheart" He patted her back as she waved. 

"Bye Emmett." She laughed when he tickled her sides in a hug, he gave her a large stack of books. 

"Here, these were my favourites when I was your age" He said, smiling down at them. Addie looked down at the books, there were 6 in the pile all with varying titles, the top was the Lord of the Flies. 

"Thanks Em" 

After hugging the rest of her brothers goodbye Addie got in the back of the car. She waved at the out of the car window as they pulled out of the drive.