Okay so this is our first OB fanfiction. Any and all reviews/critiques are welcome!
Canada. 1998. 8:24 PM.
"No, like this," Sarah says with a small laugh, showing her younger brother, Felix how to play a game of checkers. Felix makes his move and Sarah's eyes flicker to look at her foster mother standing by the front window, seemingly looking at something through squinting eyes suspiciously. "It's your turn, Sarah," Felix's voice rings, and she looks back at the game board, dismissing Mrs. S' strange but usual behavior; she always seemed to be on the look out for something.
Sarah and Felix carry on playing and Mrs. S begins to pace the room, finally walking over to the children. "Who wants to go on a bit of a holiday?" she asks, forcing a smile. Little Felix jumps up, forgetting completely about the checkers game. "I do!" he says excitedly, jumping up and down in front of Mrs. S, a beaming smile on his face. So what if he only wanted to go because he'd get to miss school? "What, like now?" Sarah asks, butting in, being the stubborn and curious teenager she was. Mrs. S gives her a look as if to say 'leave it alone, Sarah' and replies "Yeah, only for a little while." Sarah disregards Mrs. S. continues with her questioning. "What were you looking at outside?" Felix nudges Sarah to shut up, wondering why she was trying to ruin a good thing. "Nothing," Mrs. S says firmly and quickly, "now go pack your things and be ready in 20 minutes."
Sarah doesn't buy it, and begins getting angry - she's finally settled down, she even likes her new school and classmates. She's afraid that if they leave, they might not come back. "No. Why?" she argues, "I don't want to go. I'm not going," Mrs. S. huffs slightly "Don't try me little girl, go-" but Sarah interrupts again and shouts "No, I don't want to go. You can't make me!" Mrs S., really calmly, replies "Are you sure about that?" Felix backs away and stares at Mrs. S. He knows where this is leading. Felix pulls the arm of Sarah's hoodie, but Sarah, undeterred by Fee's presence, doesn't take her eyes off of Mrs. S. Felix, meaning to protect Sarah, says, "Come on, Sarah. It'll be fun." Sarah looks away from Mrs. S and down at Felix. Her eyes soften and her scowl turns into a smile. "Alright," she says "you're right it might be fun, yeah?" Felix nods and grabs Sarah's arm and pulls her toward the stairs leading to their bedrooms. She follows him reluctantly. On the way to the stairs and even as they walk up them, Sarah looks at Mrs. S. suspiciously, as Siobhan goes back to the window to look out into the darkness.
Sarah and Felix go up to their rooms and pack. As they're finishing up, Sarah asks Felix, "Did you pack your things, meathead?" Felix nods and Sarah smiles after him. Even in her young age, Sarah's always looked out for her younger brother because, subconsciously, she doesn't want Felix to grow up the same way she did, feeling like nobody really cares. Sarah slings her now heavy backpack over her shoulder and ushers Felix down the stairs to see Mrs. S frantically getting her own things together, packing some food for the road.
Sarah still feels an anxious pit in her stomach like something isn't right. While Mrs. S has her back turned, she creeps over to the window she had been looking out of and peers through. She searches around for something, anything that would explain what Mrs. S was so on edge about. Seeing nothing but the night, she wonders what could be out there that's so terrifying that they had to up and leave at this hour.
Mrs. S taps Sarah's back, "Bollocks!" Sarah exclaims startled. Sarah slowly turns around to find Mrs. S with her hand on her hips, staring at Sarah accusingly. Sarah searches for the words to say, but only comes up with, "Um", and before she knows it, Mrs. S pulls Sarah away from the window and towards the living room.
"I'm tired of you undermining me, Sarah. You are the child, and I am the parent, and last I checked, that meant, you do as I say, not the other way 'round." Mrs S says not too loud, but loud enough for Sarah to hear what she's saying. Felix hides behind a couch and watches from a safe distance. Sarah pulls her arm from Mrs. S' grasp and screams "You are not my mum! I don't have to do anything YOU say." Mrs. S raises her hand to go and strike Sarah, Sarah closes her eyes and braces for impact.
Felix runs from behind the couch and stands in front of Mrs. S and screams, "Don't hurt my sister!" Mrs. S sees Felix - tiny, trembling Felix - and drops her hand with a sigh. "Everything I do is to protect you both. Everything I do is out of love. Even if you don't see me as your mum, you are my children. You are right, I am not your mum, and you do not have to do everything I want you to. But I need you to trust me on this, yeah?"
Sarah opens her eyes and looks at Mrs S, with a hint of resentment mixed with mostly, a look of understanding in her eyes. Mrs. S holds the side of Sarah's face in her hand and smiles at her, like a mother would, "Just this once, love. Please." Sarah moves Mrs. S' hands off of her face after a moment. "Alright. It won't take long, yeah?" Mrs S. pats as now relaxed Felix's head, and nods.
"Yeah."