A/N: None of the characters belong to me, they belong to Zack Snyder and James Gunn. Except for Taryn, Libby, and Grandma Anderson, they are mine!
Taryn threw the car into park and let the engine idle as she
climbed out. She rounded her 2000 Saturn and opened the door
for her little sister Libby. Then she pulled Libby's bags out of the
backseat.
"I don't wanna stay with grandma. Why can't I come
with you?" the little girl moaned, her strawberry blonde pigtails
bouncing as they walked to the front door. Taryn smiled.
"I know you wanna stay with me, Lib. But I'm staying at
Sophie's. You know that." The little girl stuck out her lower lip at
this. "Hey. I'll come visit you all the time. If you're good maybe
you can stay at Sophie's a couple nights." Libby smiled.
"Promise?" Taryn ruffled her sister's hair gently.
"Would I lie to you?" Libby's smile grew wider and Taryn
turned to knock on the door. She gasped when she saw her
grandma already standing there. She stared at them, smiled weakly,
then turned and went back into the house. "That's weird." Taryn
muttered. She opened the door to the small ranch house and
entered, Libby right behind her. She found her grandma sitting on
the couch. "Grandma? Are you alright?"
"I'm fine, sweetie. Just a little tired."
"Where's grandpa?" Taking Libby's hand, Taryn slowly entered
the room.
"He's down filling out a police report." She wheezed.
"What happened?" Taryn asked, genuine concern in her voice.
Her grandmother didn't know the concern was not for her but for
Taryn and Libby.
"Nothing important dear. I was mugged at the grocery store
yesterday. The man bit me."
"Bit you?" Taryn, for the first time, noticed a light sheen of
sweat coating her grandmother's dull gray cheekbones. "Are you
alright?"
"Of course. I'm fine. Just a little tired." Libby tightened her grip
on Taryn's hands and looked up into her sister's eyes pleadingly.
"Maybe I should take Lib with me. Don't want her getting sick
too." Their grandmother struggled to her feet and slowly
approached Taryn and Libby.
"Nonsense. Now you leave Libby here and run along and have
fun." Taryn desperately didn't want to leave her sister behind.
"Really. It wouldn't be any trouble to take her with."
"She can watch tv while I take a nap" Their grandmother
snapped. Taryn knelt down so she was eye to eye with Libby.
"I'm sorry, but I'm not going to fight with her. I'll come visit
you tomorrow. Be careful and call me if anything happens." She
leaned forward and kissed her sister on the forehead. "Love you,
Lib." Libby didn't say anything but Taryn could see the tears
shimmering in her eyes. Taryn stood and walked to the door.
"Goodbye." She whispered and walked out into the bright
Wisconsin sunshine.
