I realize the chapters are short, but I am busy and without internet so please be understanding. I will try to upload regularly. Keeping chapters short will help me not get overwhelmed with work. Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy. BTW we will have to go through some backstory before we get the main dish. Zander, Felix, Jude, Rezhal are my OC(s). XOXO


Rezhal

Emerald fields flourish across Texas' rural lands. Galloping horses graze, browning pit bulls being bathed, ageing woodlands shade acres, melodic birds migrate, scaly snakes slither, restless bug swarms are revealed, Chilled waters flow a constant current, curious children play, work-less adults whisper. Life carried along just fine. Our lives had just the right amount sugar and spice. Never put into a situation my brothers and I could not handle-Ma and Pa made damn sure of that before passing away. Still, no matter what they did it did not exclude us from enduring painful times. But as Mama always said "Don't cha sit there bitchin 'bout nuthin. Get cho lazy ass up and do somethin 'bout it". Ma had it the worst as a brown skinned women married to a white man while her children at times could pass for white if we cut or straightened our hair in addition to avoiding sunlight. People would say she was condemned, even go so far as to spit in her face. Sounds ridiculous, but unlike New York, this is a town small in mind and size. Prevailing, eldest brother Zander being the family man he is became a rancher to help look after our twenty-two horses plus other animals. Next in line, big brother Jude found his money loving ass into a CEO position back up north. Our lost (may his broke behind rest in peace) brother, my twin Felix, opened up the ranch as a housing facility for foster children. Then you have lil ol' me, their baby girl, Rezhal. I help Zander take care of horses, cattle, chickens, dogs, cats, goats and now children varying in ages. I know my mother got pretty damn creative with naming us. Honestly Pa wouldn't care if she named us after diseases. He loved her to much to tell her no, so much that he died within days after her.

Light bitch-slapped my ass awake, but it's the egg-rice-sausage-aroma-nose-to-stomach-collision that kept me up. Well that plus Cocky's clucking self hollering like some Whitney Houston rip off. Images of Felix slaving over a hot stove brought enjoyment. I knew that after he died Zander tried his best learning how to cook. Sometimes it worries me how much taking over he does in hopes of patching up holes. I hurried to the toilet, brother's new recipe for Mexican-food-Mondays sure did not sit as well as I had wanted (that growling wasn't just morning hunger). After a good while I hurried downstairs almost slipping on smooth oak floors in the process. So much to replenish, so little time. Kissing Zander on the cheek I took a sausage before sitting down "I would wait a few minutes to use the bathroom. Seriously, let it air out." Mmm, tasted almost like Pa's.

Scrunching his nose Zander glared "really sis, good morning to you too. "a few crackles before finishing. Water sizzled the pans as he went to make plates. "I love you, but that doesn't mean I need to know everything you do." he sighed placing them in front of us. Placing his hands together for prayer...I haven't prayed since they left us.

I took a few bites and a sip here and there "I didn't need to hear you shagging Jade a few doors down either." I bust out laughing at his horrified expression.

"I...fuck, okay. How about you say no more about morning bowel functions and I will be more discrete." I shook his extended hand. After promises we finished breakfast in silence. The house had been empty since last year. Previous fosters had either been adopted or grew up. Some visited, none stayed. (That was Felix's thing) Before leaving to dress Zander whispered apologies. I told him everything was fine as long as he didn't knock her up unless he himself wished to be gelded.

No matter the Heat, wind, rain, or snow, wearing basically identical daily clothing. A Flannel or a plain T-shirt, fifty shades of blue jeans, brown or black boots, and a "cowboy's" hat, and sometimes gloves-dependent if the previous pair needed replacement. Sharing both hard labor and riding. A dual effort. I herded the cows into a round-pin with help from my handsome chocolate brown quarter horse Brownie and Aries, a red nose pit bull. Meanwhile, Zander herded the horses into a new pasture (regrowth purposes) on his boy Zeus, a inky ex-racehorse rescued from slaughter. Ma took in five horses from that wretched place. Then there Athena sat on the front porch on our way back, ready to give birth any moment to a red-nose blue pit bull mix litter. The last thing to do was to make dinner then enjoy our night. I made steak with a side of collard greens and some leftover rice. Zander walked in looking distraught. I gave him a plate before asking. Pouring grape Kool-Aid he huffed "Some Steve Newlin kid keeps calling, askin for us to join some church. Says we needa ban togetha and get rid of vampires for the well being of humanity. Or somethin like it. I told em no thanks, but he keeps calling. We'll his wife or some other member does. They ain't nothin but trouble we don't need, we are doing just fine".

I paused from indulging myself "The Fellowship of the Sun?"


OMG, this chapter will not upload properly , Sorry for the deletes and re-uploads. I am a bit of a nit pick.