NINE

                                    

                                          

                            

                                
                            
                              
                                  
                              
                              
                                
                                  
                                  
                                
                              
                             
                            
                            
                          
                          
DAISY 
Nights get colder in this area. The air feels like needles to my skin. Good thing I was wearing leg warmers and a thick hoodie, my nose felt like it was about to fall off. 
I haven't heard a sound since Kevin left and I haven't seen any movements. Thank lord there's a light pole outside for me to see, otherwise I would be going feral in the dark. It's dark everywhere. My stomach grumbles but I ignore it even if I feel nauseated or coming down with a headache.
I haven't slept in days and I know it's gonna catch up to me soon. 
My power bank ran out of charge and my phone was on low battery. I had to save every minute for Kevin. What if he texts me something and he has to delete it quickly? What if he comes out and tells me to call someone that can help us? I know I'm not making sense anymore. I'm hungry, cold, scared, and tired. I sit on the scooter and wait, letting my thoughts take over and torture me. My brother could be crying inside and I wouldn't know. I didn't have a grand plan to save my brother, don't even know what to do at this moment. 
Between me and him, he's the brain and I'm the muscle. But as of now, I am nothing. Just a hopeless girl that lost her brother. 
The gates open and I stand up. Kevin? I got closer and it's that bitch again. Wearing sweatpants and a jacket, a cup of hot coffee in his hand. His hair is tied back as he looks up at the night sky, a puff of cold smoke escapes his lips, "Cold, isn't it?" And he takes a sip of his coffee. 
Is he mocking me? 
I scoff, "Where is he?" He ignores me openly. He's listening to me, he's looking at me, but he doesn't wanna answer. I stalk closer, almost march closer to him, "Listen to me, you little shit," his brow goes up in little amusement, "you touch a hair on my brother's head and you're done." He scratches the back of his neck and says, "But I've touched more than that. I've touched his neck. Wait, no, I strangled him in a warning. Almost choked him too, but not enough to let him die. He's alive, if that's what you wanna know but if you're gonna ask me if he's okay, I don't think there's a pretty answer to that." 
Horror ran through me again. I think I'm having a heart attack. 
Tears prickled my eyes at the thought of my brother hurt. I look past him for any sign of Kevin and I'm numb. I take a step but he blocks my path, "You haven't been invited in, little vampire." 
"Let. Me. See him." 
"No." 
I take another but he warns, "One more step and your brother loses a toe." That warning was cold. Bitter. I ask, "What the fuck do you want?" He pours the coffee near my feet, degrading me, "From him? A lot. You? Nothing. Go away." I step closer to him, crane my head up because the man was six foot three, "I will kill you. I will make you suffer, Carmelo." His jaw clench when I take his name. He tilts his head side to side, and I hear a crunching sound, "You're doing more damage to him by staying here instead of being a good big sister. Listen to your brother and go away. Can you not get that through your thick brain, sweetheart?"