Revolution (Book 3 of POE Chronicles)

Chapter 29 Home

*Starting my dedication to the awesome SciKick group members - you guys rock*

Looking around at the familiar neighborhood, I couldn't help but tug the hood of my jacket up so that it covered my face, scared that someone would recognise me walking down the streets. Nothing seemed to have changed at all in these streets, and I could see the bus stop where I boarded the school bus on that beautiful autumn day. It felt like everywhere I looked there were memories; memories of the person that I used to be.

"Come on, we don't have time to waste." Gerald bristled past me and I glared at the back of his head; he was always the sensitive one. Giving me an encouraging smile, Viktor tilted his head towards the house, my house, and I took a deep breath and marched towards it.

Before I even got into the front lawn, Gerald had already knocked loudly on the door and I had to restrain myself from taking a swing at his head. Shoving his hands in his jean pockets, he stepped aside so I could take his place right in front of the door quickly.

Before I even had a chance to get more nervous, the door clicked open and my eyes connected with a familiar pair of blue eyes.

"Abigail?" Dan's voice was now hoarse, he was probably going through voice change and he was almost as tall as me now; his face had lost some of the baby fat and he was dressed in the District 9 school uniform. Within seconds the surprise faded from his face and he leaned forward to engulf me into a bear hug. I was still so shocked that he wasn't the small kid I remembered that all I could do was stand there with arms plastered limply either side of me.

"When did you get back? Did you bring any cool stuff from the SMS? We haven't heard from you in a while now, you know Mum get really anxious when she doesn't hear from you." Dan started shooting off rapid fire questions that had my head pounding. He didn't seem to have watched the video of me confessing my status as a POE to the world; something wasn't right.

"Oh, are these your friends?' Dan stopped abruptly when he spotted Gerald and Viktor, the former was surveying the surrounding and the latter was looking deeply uncomfortable. Embarrassment flooded Dan's face; I guessed it was still an uncool for younger brothers to greet their 2-years-absent sister too enthusiastically.

"Wait, I know you." Dan squinted at Viktor, who looked even more uncomfortable under the scrutinizing eyes of a thirteen year old. "You are Viktor Graham!" He clapped his hands together, then his glance moved from Viktor back to me. "Are you two?..."

Before my brother could embarrass me further, I clamped a hand over his mouth and shoved him back through the door, stepping in myself and gestured for the other two to follow. "Where's Mum and Dad?" I asked, eyes darting around the hallway and peering into the doorway leading to the kitchen and living room.

"Ew, get your clammy hands off me." Dan said, shoving my hand aside as Gerald closed the door behind him. "Dad's out, but Mum should be around somewhere. Really, if you are going to act like this every time you come back, you should just stay at Pax."

Ignoring his jibe, my eyes darted around the familiar hallway and felt an odd sense of discomfort. This wasn't how I thought I would feel like when I come home, in fact, it didn't feel like my home anymore.