Page 6 of Deluge

Being a Greene so far doesn’t live up to the “legend” that Luna tried to impart to us before she got homesick.

Being a Chazen isn’t much better either, but at least I wasmethen.

Maybe I should just be Dalton and forget about everyone and everything else,I think as I let out a sigh and then turn away from the mirror.

I don’t have to look at myself if I don’t want to, and that’s one of the smallest blessings I can grant from time to time.

With a flick of my wrist, I undo the knot, then quickly dry my damp skin. Once that part of the battle is over, I toss the towel toward the open hamper, then quickly get dressed.

I walk out of the bathroom, flicking the light off on the way, then head for my bedroom to find some clean socks and comfortable footwear.

Tonight would be a good time to shake things up a bit and try to get out of the habit of wanting something I have no control over.

ChapterFive

The pieceof scrap paper is tucked neatly in my back pocket as I pull the front door closed behind me.

I think a walk instead of a stalk will suit my mood better this evening, not to mention that it will give me time to collect myself before I go back tohisplace.

New habits formed out of old regrets have to lead to good things eventually, and I’d like to think that I’ll find that good thing soon enough.

Something has to rise out of the ashes of the nightmare I’ve been plunged into sooner or later.

It’s a cool night out, and the way the breeze tickles my face makes me smile. Kalen and I loved sneaking outside to play as children while Hailey slept.

Granted, there was no chance she’d wake up to catch us, but I kept that secret from my brother for as long as I could.

There was no reason to destroy both of our childhoods simultaneously.

A whip of wind goes by, and I shake my head. It seems that even nature wants nothing to do with the Greenes, and I can’t say I blame it.

Hell, if I had been given a choice, I wouldn’t have been born at all, much less into this fucking life.

“Can’t fix that now,” I mutter under my breath as I glance up at the night sky.

There’s no way that Hailey is up there, but I like to pretend she is sometimes. Not in a heaven of any sort, but one of the few times I see a twinkling star, I think of how proud she used to be when Kalen and I would do something small.

I decide not to think about her so that I have a chance to enjoy my little stroll. There was nothing that we did that could have saved her. She was far too fucking sick with grief at losinghimto even care about us anymore after a while.

As I rake a hand back through my hair, a voice calls out to me, mercifully taking my attention away from a memory that just won’t seem to die.

“Hey, stranger!”

I stop walking as the car slowly follows my steps, then give her a chance to find a spot before she gets out and walks over to me with a grin on her face.

“Slummin’ it?” I inquire in a quiet tone.

Jessa stops just short of me and juts her left hip out, placing a hand on it. Her head tilts to the right, her grin never fading.

“I was just going for a drive to clear my head. I let the road lead me, you know?”

“Yeah, same. Anyway, you have a good night, okay? Don’t hang around this neighborhood for too long. It’s dangerous for people that don’t live here.”

I give her a nod as I turn to continue my walk.

There’s a small park a few blocks away that we used to play at as kids when Hailey went into her coma. We spent more time there than at home for the most part, but it kept us sane enough to keep going.

I swallow down a sigh when I hear footsteps behind me. It’s more than obvious that Jessa can’t take a hint, so I guess I’ll just have to prove to her that I’m nothing special.