My Brother’s Keeper September 29, 2513

Rae curls into a ball, arms covering her head as her mind begins to wander back to her childhood on Whitefall. “It was my fault, I’m jinxed. I’m bad luck.” She mumbles to herself. Marcus’ eyes widen at this new person and he leans over her trying to remove her arms. “R-Rae you’re not jinxed. What happened? It’s okay, relax.” She removes her arms from her head and turns on him, flailing, smacking and slapping at him as she yells, “You don’t know, you weren’t there. You didn’t see ” He is thankful she is not up to par, or her blows might have actually stung. He catches her hands and holds them until she settles, “Then tell me Rae.”

“I got him killed, it was bad luck, I tested it. It was my own fault I was stupid He told me it was bad luck I didn’t believe him and it got him killed ” She rambles on making no sense as he stares down at her, wondering if she is truly crazy. “Rae, slow down. I don’t understand. What was bad luck?” Rae covers her head again and says, “We were kids and I was playing where I shouldn’t have been.”

“Rae you know that’s bad luck! Something will fall on your head ” A boy of around twelve laughs as he watches a small girl of five duck and weave under the ladders leaned against the wall outside of the store front. “Besides, dad will tan your hide if’n you break something by knocking one over. Those mirrors cost a fortune!” He glances at the mirrors displayed on the wall and a post or two, wondering what his parents were thinking putting them somewhere where anyone could walk off with them. They really were too easy a mark. The little girl stops her play for a moment and sticks her tongue out at him. “You can’t catch me Sef ‘Sides no such fing as bad luck Momma says so And yer spos’d ta play wif me today ” He grins when she mangles his name and wonders if he will be “sef” forever to her. “Alright, alright. I’ll play, but let’s play something fun. I have something to show you.” He gives her a secretive smile, the one that says he’s been up to no good again and they’re both going to get into a world of trouble over it. Her eyes gleam as she asks, “What is it?” He walks over to her and takes a rock out of his pocket, holding it in his hand as if it’s a precious gem. “That’s just a wock silly Whatcha gonna do wif it?” She gives it a skeptic look. He laughs. “No Rae, its an earth rock. It came all the way from earth. I got it out of the safe Don’t tell mom and dad. That’s where our great some’odd grandparents came from. Earth. This is all that’s left of it and now we have it.” She looks at him with narrow eyes. “Nuh uh, yer pickin on me agin. I don’t believe you.” She looks down at the rock, unable to keep some hope from her eyes. Spotting this he contains a chuckle and goes on, “No Rae, it really is. I saw a letter it was in a box with this. I’m gonna sell it so we can be rich and leave this place. You an I are gonna get out of here and travel the ‘verse We’ll see all kinds of shiny things ” Her eyes grow to the size of saucers at the thought of exploring the ‘verse and all the adventure they would have. “And I gets to go? Honests? Can I hold it?” He nods and hands it to her. “You hold it Rae, but keep it safe, don’t let anyone know you have it or what it is. And for the sake of buddah don’t lose it ”

With a look of wonder she stared at the rock in her hand and took a seat under her ladder fortress so that she could better focus on it. He looked at her with a cockeyed grin, “It’s not going to do any tricks Rae. Don’t matter how long you stare.” She looks up at him, eyes wide and asks, “You gonna really take me wif you?” He nods and his smile softens as he reaches out to rub his hand in her hair. “Sure shorty, why wouldn’t I? Now, how’s about you move it before something happens and we get jinxed?” Her brows furrow and she looks at him as if he has absolutely no sense, “I told you momma said ‘s no such fing as bad luck.” He is about to speak to her as a loud noise and a crashing sound interrupt him, shards of a broken mirror spray them. Looking up frantically he yells, “Down Rae ” as he dives to cover her under her ladders. You’d think if we were going to end up at the far end of the universe the outlaws and the sheriff could at least shoot in a straight line. I hate it here Soon as I sell that rock we’re off this gose moon The shots and crashes stop and he sits up, dazed, feeling a sharp pain in his back. “See Rae, bad luck, I think a piece of the mirror got me.” He goes for a chuckle but does not finish it as he falls back on top of his little sister, gone. She lies there and cries until her parents arrive, pulling him up and shaking him. Their momma filled with tears and grief, their father silent as a stone as he lifts the body of his son. Rae is left holding the stone as she watches her momma collapse on the storefront sidewalk.

“You should leave me alone, I’ll get you killed eventually too.” She says in an empty tone. “Rae that wasn’t your fault!” Marcus goes to move her arms again, causing her to curl up even tighter. He lets out a heavy sign as he gives up, wondering if he could shove any more of his foot in his mouth at this point. He places his hand on her arm, hoping to comfort her a small bit. “Don’t touch me! Can’t you figure it out? I don’t want to be here! I want to go home! GET AWAY from me!” Marcus removes his hand and makes his way to the door, turning one last time he gives her a regretful look. He opens his mouth to speak but at the last second decides against it, considering her state of mind. Instead, he opens the door and leaves her in the uncomfortable silence.