Chapter 2

It was Saturday morning and Lisa just woke up around 9 a.m. Her mom was already making breakfast judging by the smell from down stairs. She couldn't help but think of last night. How her rage got the best of her. She shook the thought off, got dressed, and went downstairs to get her breakfast.

"Good morning family."

"Hey." Everyone said back. Bart had a piece of tissue in his nose.

"Bart had this weird nose bleed out of nowhere this morning." Marge said to Lisa.

"Hehe… That's strange…" Lisa said nervously.

Homer had already left for work an hour before. He would always prefer doughnuts for breakfast in the mornings.

"Well, I think I'm gonna go back to bed after I eat."

"You sure sleep a lot, why don't you go outside and get some fresh air?" Marge said.

"I'll think about it." Lisa replied taking her plate of food and headed for the stairs. When Marge saw that Lisa was gone, she asked Bart,

"Is it me or is Lisa acting a little strange?"

"Strange? I have no idea what you're talking about."

"mmm… Maybe you should go and try to cheer up your sister. I've got to go drop off Maggie at the preschool. Maybe you guys should have some bonding time with each other."

"Uhm… sure. I'll talk to her."

"That's perfect. I also need to go do some groceries so I won't be back for a while. Remember, if a robber breaks into the house, either call 911 or grab daddy's shotgun from our closet. But only for emergencies!"

"Yes mom."

"Love you." Marge kissed Bart on the forehead and left the house with her purse and Maggie.

Bart was left with his pets and his sister which he needed to help. After eating all of his breakfast, Bart began to walk up stairs towards Lisa's room. As he approached the door, he heard muffled crying on the other side. Bart pressed his ear against her door to listen.

"Maybe there's no hope… I guess I'm not cut out for this world."

Bart never heard her sister be so pessimistic before. It made him even more nervous to knock on the door.

"I'd better calm her down before she tries something drastic." Bart thought to himself. Suddenly, he heard his sister in pain.

"Ow, ow, ow…"

Bart wanted to know what was going on in there so he knocked on the door.

"Hey Lis', can I talk to you?"

"Leave me alone Bart!"

"What are you doing in there?"

"None of your business! Go away!"

Bart, trying to prevent anything bad from happening, broke down Lisa's door with a firm front kick. When the door was removed, Lisa quickly jumped up from her bed in surprise and looked at her brother. Bart couldn't believe what he saw, a kitchen knife in her hand and cut marks on her wrists.

"Wha… What are you doing?" Bart asked

"I… I just want the pain to stop Bart…" Lisa said, tears beginning to fall from her eyes.

She began walking towards Bart. She looked like she couldn't walk right because of the blood loss. Lisa fainted, but before she fell, Bart ran and caught her. Bart was shocked at the sight of holding his sister with blood dripping down her arms. It looked like something out of a horror movie to Bart.

"Oh sis', what happened to you?…"

Bart laid Lisa down on her bed and found some gauze and patched her lacerations. She still had her eyes closed. Bart was sitting on Lisa's bed next to her. He began to worry, even though she was still breathing. Bart grabbed Lisa's corpse-like body and shook her.

"Come on Lisa! Wake up!"

No response.

Bart decided to let her be.

"I knew the bullying was affecting you but I didn't know it was to this degree… Maybe I was careless… I should've been looking out for my little sister."

Bart began to cry.

"Lisa, if you're listening, I'm sorry for every mean thing I've said to you in my life. I didn't realize how hard you had it but if you wake up from this…"

Bart felt a surge of sadness run through his body when he mentioned the possibility of her being dead.

"… You can tell me anything you want. You can tell me about your day at school and if those girls even mess with you again… I'll get them back for you… I'll be a true brother to you… Please… Just wake up…"

Suddenly, Lisa called Bart's name.

"Bart?..."

Bart's eyes shot open at the response

"Lisa!"

He hugged Lisa like she just gave him a million dollars.

"I'm so glad you're alright! Things will be better between you and me from now on!"

"Thank you Bart… Thank you so much."

Lisa hugged Bart back. After the hug, they held each other.

"Hey Lis'… Why would you do such a thing to yourself?"

"I… I didn't want to worry you guys… And, with the way you act, I didn't think you would even care about my problems."

"Hey, you're my baby sister. It's my job. But I haven't treated you like a good brother… Look where it got you."

"Yeah… it hurts…"

"Here"

Bart placed one ice-pack on each of his sister's arms.

"That's better… Thank you."

Lisa smiled, a single tear drop ran down her face.

"Hey Bart…"

"Yeah?"

"Don't tell anyone about this ok?"

Bart smiled and said,

"I wouldn't do that… Our parents' would almost have a heart attack."

"Hehe… well, I can't wait for school Monday."

"What's happening on Monday?"

"You're gonna protect me right? I can't wait for a day of not being picked on!"

"Hehe… They won't know what hit 'em!"

They both smiled at the thought. Lisa felt complete, despite of her near-death experience. Her wounds healed up good so she took the bandages off and threw them away.

"That healed fast."

"Yeah, I'm glad… Thank you Bart… I guess I just needed someone to talk to."

"No problem. But we better get to bed, we have church tomorrow."

"Ok. Love you bro'!"

Bart never heard his sister call him bro before.

"Hehe… Love you too sis'."

Lisa crawled into her bed and wrapped the blankets around her. Bart walked up to her, kissed her goodnight, and left her room.

END