It was dark. Really dark. And quiet, so that I could hear a pin drop. It really scared me. I opened the door slowly, cringing when I heard it moan. Loudly. When I didn't hear footsteps, I tiptoed into the dark hallway.

"Mattie? Mattie, where are you?" I whispered, looking inside every room I passed. They were all the same though. Dark and empty.

I panicked when I reached the end of the hall and I didn't find Mattie. I thought that he couldn't hear me, that I should speak louder. Even though I was scared to make a louder sound, I decided it was worth it as long as I had my brother.

"M-Mattie? Where a-are you?" I yelled louder as I walked back down the hall. But I was almost to my room and Mattie still didn't answer.

"Mattie..."

SLAM

"Alfred! What the HELL are you doing making all this RACKET?"

My eyes grew wide at the sound of the deep raspy voice. I began to shake in fear. But I told myself I needed to find Mattie quickly. That was more important to me.

"M-Mattie, w-where are you? Al's l-looking f-for you. P-Please c-c-come o-out," I stuttered, the footsteps growing louder. Closer.

I closed my eyes, praying Mattie would come. That I would find him. But he never came. I opened my eyes in shock at the sharp sting across my face. Tears dripping onto the floor, I quickly looked up to face father. He was super red and puffy.

I knew what was going to happen next.

I shut my eyes just in time. I pretended I was in school with Mattie and my friends playing in the sandbox. The crackling pain when my father smashed my head onto the wall was just an accident, where someone accidentally kicked a ball towards my face. I decided the trickle of liquid coming down from my head was just that it started to sprinkle outside, getting my nice hair wet. And his screaming was just the teacher worriedly and kindly telling us to quickly get inside before we got sick.

Then it stopped. Even without me looking or listening to him, I knew he was cursing, telling me to clean after myself. I felt the tightening vice on my wrists disappear.

I blacked out.

The next time I woke up, I was alone, surprised that I was still alive. I quickly stood up and began to clean my mess, ignoring my own pains.

I guess it still hasn't sunken in, why mom and Mattie were gone. Why I couldn't find them. I got my backpack from my room and went on to school, injuries concealed and a bright grin plastered onto my face.

We promised to stick together. So I knew that Mattie would come back. All I have to do is wait until then.

Words from darandomninja:

Hey y'all! With CASHEE being the easiest test on the planet, I decided to write this. May or may not change, but I'm sure this one will stick. Either way, hope you like it! If the math portion is as easy as this, I might put another chapter tomorrow. Tried to write so that it seems suspenseful. Did I succeed? Please give me your input so I can improve.

So with this one, it's still under the Fourth Alice but it'll be separated into chapters, so that you all will have something to read. I'm planning to make minor changes to the other previous chapters. Might embellish it some more and I probably divide it into several chapters. That way you have a place to stop and you won't be like "WHEN WILL THIS END!" kind of thing.

Need explanations for my stories or this chapter? Go ahead and review and or message me. I know some (more like a lot) of stuff I write doesn't make sense outside my brain.

By the way, I need help. If you haven't read my other story Longing, it's a AustriaxEngland fic MOST LIKELY. The pairing? It's because I signed up for this crack fic challenge way way way back. So here's my little contribution to it. I want to continue it, but I don't know what to do. So please go to that story, read the small tid-bit of it, and review or message me ideas. I want to continue, but I have no inspiration for it at all. Please and thank you! :3

Thanks for reading! R&R please and thank you!