Chapter 2

A Chapter by Hecate Zariah

Noland Lay on his bed with a huge sigh. Today had been a long day. He stared up at hi ceiling everything silent when he heard his door get pushed open. The dog maybe? He heard something slide onto his nightstand and he jerked up quickly to face his little bother.
"I..."His brother looked down his orange-brown hair falling to cover his eyes a little, "I brought you a snack, bubby."
Noland looked over to the nightstand to find a poorly made sandwich cut down the middle with jelly falling out of the middle onto the plate next to a small pack of M&M's.
"Thanks Will." Noland smiled slightly ruffling his hair.
Will grinned a wide toothy smile at his older brother before darting from the room again. Noland looked at the food but found he had no appetite, he pulled out his phone and looked at it. Nothing.He decided to try the computer, again, nothing. It was early though, maybe she was busy.
"Ugh." He leaned back running his hands frustratingly over his face, "Why do I even care?! So what if she doesn't talk or hides all her emotions!?"
Noland slammed away from the computer and stomped out of the house.
"Bubby!" Will ran out after him, "Mom said to stay home!"
"I don't care what mom said! Get back in the house Will."
"No!" Will whined tugging on his brothers arm now, "You'll get in trouble again."
"Let go Will, I don't care." Noland yanked his arm away accidentally making Will fall to the cold ground.
Will looked up at his brother, tears forming in his light mossy green eyes. He got up and tore off to the house quickly.
"Will!" Noland yelled after him but the front door slammed shut and the crying boy was no where in sight, "Damn it."
Noland pulled his hood over his head and walked down the sidewalk-less streets to the park

"Damn it! I said no Valdis!"
Valdis whimpered and shrunk away from where her foster father sat on the computer, still. He'd been there since he got home. It wasn't fair, it was her day for the computer.
"C-can I at least have my cell phone?" She asked just loud enough for him to hear.
He suddenly pushed away from the desk with such force that the chair toppled over. With wide terrified amethyst eyes, Valdis moved quickly to get away as he strode over to her. In a fluid motion he gripped onto her hair and yanked her back, Valdis let out such a loud scream in pain, you would have thought it was a dog being kicked.
"You don't deserve it you greedy little brat." Her foster father hissed in her ear, "Now get to your room before I drag you there myself."
As soon as her hair was free Valdis raced out of the room only to be stopped by her foster mom and dad's twin daughters.
"You angered father again." The first twelve year old stated.
"Shame on you." The other finished.
They were wearing identical blue dresses, their blond hair tied back the same way with matching blue bows. They were hand-in-hand blocking Valdis's way to her room.
"He's not my father." Valdis stated coldly and turned for the stairs.
"Where are you going?" They both asked.
"Out." Valdis spat through clenched teeth.
"Father wont like that."
"To hell with your father." Valdis stomped down the stairs and left the crummy house.

Noland sat on a swing lightly rocking back and forth staring down at the cold light brown grassy earth. It was quiet since winter's deathly grip had taken away just about every living creature. He didn't mind though, it was sorta peaceful, in that eerie something's going to come out randomly and kill you kinda of way. The crunch of the frosty ground made him look up. A familiar girl with fiery red hair was walking through the park head down.
"Valdis?" Noland thought before shooting up and chasing after her, "Valdis!"
The girl turned around to look at him and it indeed was was Valdis. Noland slowed his steps as he looked into her amethyst eyes, she wanted to cry but was holding it back, something was terribly wrong. She was looking at him, her red hair slightly falling into her face, he needed to say something.
"What's wrong?" Noland asked reaching out to fix her hair only for Valdis to jerk away and fix it herself. "What's wrong Valdis?" He asked again but only got silence. "Talk to me. Please." He was starting to get concerned and didn't even know why.
Valdis stood silently and looked away before talking, it was almost inaudible making Noland move a little closer to hear, "Problems at home." That's all the said. No detail.
Noland watched her, his breath had caught at the sound of her voice, "What...what happened?" He asked once he found his air restored.
Valdis shook her head and looked around the deserted park, she felt strange, why did he make her feel uncomfortable?
"Valdis, I can't help if you don't talk to me." Noland said softly.
"Well maybe I don't talk because I don't want your help!" Valdis suddenly lashed out.
Noland was taken aback his cloudy gray blue eyes wide in shock, though she had yelled her voice was still soft; she really didn't talk that much did she?
"I can take. Care. Of. Myself." Valdis said through clenched teeth voicing the last three words carefully so he understood.
"Valdis, I'm not going to do anything. I swear." Noland took a step forward to the small girl, though she wasn't much shorter then him. "Just talk to me. Please."
The pleading tone made Valdis look up at him, her amethyst eyes searching his face. Could she trust him? Could she take that chance again? What if she did and it went terribly wrong? How did she know he was telling the truth? She decided to take the chance anyway. "Me and my foster dad had a," Valdis thought cautiously before finishing, "disagreement."
"What kinda of disagreement? Here let's sit down."
The two walked to the swings and sat down before Valdis answered his question.
"It was concerning my electronic usage privilege."
Noland blinked, "Like....the computer?"
Valdis nodded, "And phone."
"That's why she didn't contact me." Noland sighed to himself. For some reason relieved at this bit of information.
Valdis sat quietly in her swing looking around at the sights she already knew.
"He doesn't hit you, does he?" Noland suddenly asked. The question made Valdis's head whip around so fast that he was so surprised she didn't get whip lash. Her eyes were wide as she stared at him.
"What?" She breathed out.
Noland shook his head, "Sorry, I was just wondering."
"No, just, no one's ever asked me before." Valdis said softly
"Well," Noland fidgeted feeling weird about asking again, "Does he?"
Valdis opened her mouth but was cut off by a ringing that quickly revealed itself to be Noland's cell phone.
"Yeah?" He answered annoyed, "I had to help a friend with something."
Noland sighed as the person on the other line talked, "Yeah, I'll be home soon for dinner."
Valdis's eyes widened and she shot up as Noland hung up his phone.
"What time is it?!" She looked at him worried.
He looked at his phone, "Almost 5:30. Why?"
"S**t!" Valdis cursed loudly, another surprise to the boy sitting in the swing, "I have to go."
"Wait." Noland stood up, "Why?"
"I've gotta go. Bye." Valdis ran off quickly leaving Noland confused in the cold empty park.
Slowly he began to head home, his curiosity for the silent girl increasing.

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