Almost one year later, everything had changed.
The news cameras had left our front lawn, and the grass had grown over what they had trampled. We had planted white tulips instead of the customary yellow, and had dug up a hideous shrub under the front window. We painted the back shed and sold the bikes that had been collecting dust for years. One morning, Kieran's things from our room suddenly disappeared and reappeared on thrift store shelves. Pictures of Kieran slipped away from photo albums and frames around the house, only to be replaced with old family portraits or candid shots of Callum and myself. School ended for the summer, and then started back up again in the fall. Callum dropped all intentions of joining the National Guard, and dad muttered words—sometimes. Mother fell into the routine of crying only on Monday's when Planet Earth was on. I gathered up a league of difficult courses at the community college again. I was still in pursuit of figuring out of what I was going to do with my life, despite the fact that I was several months into my sophomore year of college.
Some friends disappeared through the whole Kieran thing. Some friends stayed. I had a couple interested boys, wondering if they could touch Kieran and see what she was like, now that she was one of the creepy-crawlies. I told them to fuck off because Kieran was dead and even if she had been alive, I wouldn't have allowed them to touch her anyway.
Every night, it was a little easier to sleep. I had demanded a lock be placed on my window soon after Kieran had appeared that night, and always drew the curtains so I couldn't see what was lingering outside. Dad instinctively put up an alarm system in the house—though I'm not entirely sure even that would stop them.
For a while after Kieran died, no one even drove at night and numbers of National Guard enrollment doubled. On the bridge nearest our house, more blockades were put up and all soldiers were handed a gun with ten silver bullets. They wore armored protection not only on their chest, but now on their necks as well. When the sun went down, their guards went up. Even when the sun was up, there was always two soldier's on duty at every post just in case.
Days, weeks, and months went by without the slightest quiver of a bush, or a strange feeling going up my spine. It was as if nothing had changed, and that Kieran had simply disappeared from sight and mind.
Slowly, everything turned back to normal. Our name fell out of the papers and other names appeared. People died (natural deaths), and others were born.
It even got to the point where I had difficulty remembering what she sounded and smelt like.
It was as if Kieran had never even been here at all.
I had been presented the opportunity early on into the start of my second year at college to jump in on a lease in the apartment—which I did without much of a thought. I lived with two other girls, Beth and Sofina, who liked to study as much as they liked to party. It was a different style, but I adapted quickly and learned to fall into the swell of things, rather than cower in fear from them.
The best part about everything was that no one noticed me anymore. I was a face in the crowd—which was great, because I was tired of being followed and asked what it was liked having a sister go over to the Dark Side. (Did she know Darth Vader? Snicker, snicker, snicker). I could walk to and from class without the slightest provocation—and it was blissful.
October- It was only after the majority of the class had trickled out of the room when I woke up and realized I was still sitting in my lecture class. With a yawn, I gathered my things, and tumbled out of the classroom.
Outside the sun was already most of the way down, and by the time that I walked into my apartment, the sun had slipped well below the horizon.
"Roxie!" Exclaimed Beth, jumping up from the couch, and dashing over to me, "I want you to meet someone." She grasped my hand and pulled me into the living room before I had time to even take off my jacket. "Roxie, this is Jack."
I extended my hand to the curious fellow, my eyebrows raised in the direction of Beth as if to ask 'is he yours?' She shook her head, giggling. He certainly was delicious looking, with velvety soft skin, dark, pondering eyes and a thick layer of eyebrows. I was mostly delighted by his strong jaw-line, and the pleasant smile that accompanied it all. "Hi."
He didn't let go of my hand as he pushed himself off the couch and stood before me—rather, loomed before me. What I hadn't noticed when he was sitting on the couch was that he was a rather large young man, with wide shoulders and a tall stature that rivaled my 5'7'' frame. My eyes had to be cast upwards to look at his, soft and approachable as he looked down at me. "Hello, Roxie. Nice to meet you."
"Ja-ack," Beth cooed from her corner, "was waiting outside the door for you when I got home from work." Her sigh was an audible song, melting at the sight of the man that seemed to have come from nowhere. Her eyes were locked on his body as she spoke, "I had no choice but to let the poor fellow in and offer him something to drink. He said no, that he would like only to wait for you."
At this, Jack let go of my hand, and slipped them into his jeans pocket anyway. He chuckled lightly, shooting glances in the direction of Beth, who couldn't have been more enamored.
I shrugged off my backpack and tossed it on the couch behind me. "I'm sorry, Jack, but—have we met before?" I couldn't remember him, but at the same time he felt distinctly familiar to me.
Beth almost wailed from the couch, "So you've never even met?!" This, according to her, meant she still had a chance.
Again, the light chuckle from Jack. He shot one more glance at Beth, before settling his attention back to me. "Ah, no, I'm afraid we haven't. But, I have heard a lot about you."
I swallowed, my thoughts immediately reverting to Kieran. I hadn't told Beth or Sofina that the doomed daughter had been, in fact, my sister. "Oh?" I asked, trying to be casual. "Good things, I hope…"
He smiled, "The best things you could want to hear."
Beth melted into a puddle, swooning at the thought.
I backed up towards the kitchen, taking my coat off in the process. "Are you sure you wouldn't like something to drink? Eat?" I peered into the refrigerator and frowned. "Uh, well. Not eat, per se. But you could nibble on crumbs, I guess, if you'd like."
He shook his head, "Thank you, but no. I had just gotten back from eating myself when I came to your apartment and," he glanced back at Beth. She stared at him as if he were God himself. "And Beth," She squeaked, her hands flying to her mouth with the delight at hearing her name, "Has been all too kind and offered me more than enough."
"Okay." I shut the refrigerator and crossed my arms. "How can I help you, then?"
"Today, all I need from you is to simply take this envelope from my keeping." He pulled a small envelope outside of his breast pocket and handed it over to me.
It looked completely inconspicuous, but all the same I raised my eyebrows and protested. "Who was this from?"
"An admirer. He's seen you from afar and…" he laughed.
I turned over the envelope in my hands. There was no writing on it, and whatever was inside was very small. "And there isn't like, anthrax or some weird shit in here is there?"
"No anthrax."
I slipped the envelope into the back of my pants, "Is that all?"
"For today, yes."
"Right," I gestured him to the door, and he went without further command. "Thanks for the letter, I guess." I said as he stepped outside.
"You're very welcome. I look forward to seeing you soon, Roxie."
"Uh-huh," I shut the door without any more from him and turned to see Beth gazing longingly at the front door. And she wondered why she didn't have a boyfriend. I sat down at a desk, and pulled out the contents of the letter. Inside, written on something no bigger than a note card was; I found you.
