I opened my eyes to the rain tapping the window. The water dripping down the windshield and windows, I sat up and looked towards Jith.
479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLCUH31RPpy
“We're almost home, the rain only slowed us down a little.”
479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF0vdDuCZ48
This dull melancholic pain coursed through me, I could feel a clear warmth from Jith besides me but just outside the car the world howled and the unwavering chill blew.
479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRU4XXrynFA
The gray and brown city blended together with the rain, the road was rough, waves of water slashed as we drove. Jith turned down a street and pulled up in front of the garage, jumping out the car against the storm, opening it up and driving us inside. I watched quietly, as they closed the garage door.
479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKR41nsYcav
“Let’s go Fran, it's freezing.”
479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIreLsNBLI6
There was a door at the end of the small garage, behind it was a tunnel that led to stairs and the door to our home. I followed as they scrambled for the keys, opening the door to the light gasp of two kids sitting in the living room.
479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHU9j0ufvsj
The kids stared with wild wonder surrounded by dated and used furniture. Their wide eyes, and harsh features looking at Jith and I.
479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjnPmh8Kfvg
“Dace and Juy, its Frans Birthday!”
479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3JLpy4fKm1
“Happy birthday!” said the smaller one, happy to have someone else around.
479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlt5EzNeo4X
“Happy birthday” said the older one, seemingly bothered by me.
479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmyBM5giDkg
I noticed a droplet slowly forming above Dace, it dripped down hitting him square in the forehead, “Ahh”, he jumped back.
479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2BpJo3JCX8
“Oh for the love of god there's a leak.” Jith rushed to find a bucket, finding a bucket nearby and placing it under.
479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjsncPkx938
Jith sighs “Anyways you babies hungry? I’m going to make Zole since its Frans favorite.”
479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGmcwHtSgpv
Dace was watching on as Juy went back to her business.
479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOJbv5rQicn
“Fran?”
479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8PZ4DZhicS
I turned my head to Jith, to see them twisting a gas tank, connecting it to a stove.
479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjLUOllOb1J
“We don’t have long noodles right now, are shorter ones ok?” Jith said out of breath.
479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlp0hnUwD2v
“Sure” Juy not even looking up from their phone.
479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMX5G3e7WoN
“Yea!” Dace says playing with a game.
479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHLxUQ5awDS
“Um yea” I noticed a red mark under Jith’s rolled up sleeves.
479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ76qmAEY7Tr
Jith had the flame lit and poured the ingredients in a pot. Finally turning to me they saw me looking at their arm.
479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQVREsJSofR
“Oh, that’s my “sign”, we all have them actually. Red means I'm a supportive person” ,Jith slightly raises their voice while looking at Dace, “and what does blue mean?”
479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRCW9cACxdI
“Strong!” Dace says, shadowing his blue mark off.
479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡic8uGxRLqI
“Yep” Jith looks back at me “But you know, I guess you need a “sign” too. I think you're strong so go with a strong blue “sign”.
479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSrChJkJ13E
I was speechless, my eyes and mind became lost somewhere, I looked to my hand, legs and body. I felt uncomfortable with that idea of me, I was still a bit dirty and covered in scuffs and scratches.
479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNvNvEtiYsB
“That's right….” I thought. I stood completely still, with something new within me.
479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE3RMxrGmd6
“Dace, Catch!” yelled Jith, throwing a lighter to the young boy. “Go get the boiler on so Fran can take a shower.”
479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgZsMe7wgVI
“Ok” Dace dashed out the front door.
479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxtaQA2A4fN
“Go shower, the soup should be ready by the time you're out. Its the door closest to the front door”
479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDN1QN9i9LI
I said nothing, I walked towards the bathroom, opening it and shutting it behind me.
479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlrFRrRwK7u
Do I need to be strong? It's what my creator has told me. I looked at my frame and where my arm was supposed to be. I felt sad that I didn't have an arm anymore, its gonna be really hard to do stuff, but I have to…
479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡegN1l76UU3
I have to be strong for Jith.
479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZHXMwtUka2
I turned the hot water on and felt great in the warmth.
479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfoaMByWnGU
I forgot about my thoughts in pure bliss.
479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRXBpUXewzX
I showered, brushing my rough frame, it hurt my hand.
479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0jeHsgLkly
I dried myself off and walked out to see Jith serving bowls around the table.
479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhKyLNRDOpL
“Soups ready kids.”
479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9lBFDFMRxD
Dace jumped up from the old couch and Juy got up quietly to take a seat at the table.
479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmgOrZL5vGg
“Fran, we gotta sing happy birthday before food gets cold.”
479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW5ORtsnW0s
I took a seat with them, finally getting a look at Dace and Juy.
479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZlF5UWdiX3
Dace has these kind eyes and bouncy energy while also being a rough, strong signed kid. Juy’s eyes were more focused, while being a bit more quiet and seemed in their own world, I couldn't see their sign.
479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRC6xfC0wc7
“Ok guys, 1,2,3 happy-” They all sang the happy birthday song, Dace throwing in Cha-cha-cha. I was embarrassed but a little happy. “Remember to make a wish as you eat your soup.”
479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡezoh0FWDIP
I felt a connection with them, like I had always known them. I need to be strong not only for Jith, but for Dace and Juy too.
479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4beGbZMObM
Dace finished his soup first, washed their hands and came up to me.
479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDDh2pIteAB
“When you finish eating want to play games with me?”
479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlcy8AneMCU
“Yea, sure.”
479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ721B1DYr6H
Juy finished and washed their hands and went into their room.
479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuTzF1m3t1y
Me and Jith finished at the same time and they offered to wash my bowl.
479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvzuFJNottH
“Go see what Dace is doing.”
479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA6euWcpoL7
I nodded and walked towards Dace playing a handheld console while laying on the couch.
479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡez3u7Hy1UJ
“Hi Fran, you still love Elfo’s adventures, right?”
479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq08rWG8jzK
“Yea, I do”, why did I say that? I thought.
479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPN5rUUDqNo
“Oh nice, I can make a new save file for you since I’ve always liked watching you play.”
479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVoA6BSptLj
“Well It might be hard for me, since I just got one hand.”
479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZnxKAGjmNv
“Oh yea… umm-” Dace semed a bit let down, he was still a kid after all.
479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlQSXDceTND
“Its cool Dace, I can just use my left hand and you can control the right side of the controller.”
479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsV7TdOXeLr
“Really! thats sounds awsomee.”
479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Klq9O3fak
I smiled and he handed me the game. The house felt warm, the shower, the soup, my family. I could still feel the dull pain in my body but something else had taken the wheel, like how I was with Dr. Tylor.
479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDowsL4ZTIN
We played our game for the rest of the day, Juy did not exit the room and Jith quietly read a paper on the table. I just played the game with Dace, he was happy to do so, I felt proud again to make someone else smile. time passed until night fell and the door opened.
479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡClDc6Mohkc
A large person entered the house, soft but hard eyes they seemed tired holding a bag of bottles.
479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9iAeC1xisg
“Hey kids, oh Fran is here already? Want a bottle Fran?” he chuckled.
479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB25MnsZnfo
“HI Cer!” Dace exclaimed.
479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsO7I4zFLxg
Jith put their magazine down, “ Picked them up earlier today.” Jith got up walking towards the person hugging and kissing them, “Fran, this is Cer your step father.”
479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGTkWTyHgbZ
I looked up dull eyed, I noticed his strong “sign” on his arm. “Hello.” I said.
479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjISojlHLGS
Jith walked him towards the table, “I made some soup Cer, want me to warm it up?”
479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡScTCBxxznu
“Yea and make it quick i'm tired as hell”. He sat down.
479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnzk7FQkbVJ
That person, Cer, confuses me. I don’t feel as if they’re a person capable of producing warmth but they don’t seem that cold.
479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡop429uIKn1
I could see something that gave me a conflicting idea of him.
479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6DFgHOrkdo
We continued playing our game, Cer finished his food and went to sleep. Dace yawned, Jith heard and said we should head to bed. They opened the door where Juy had entered earlier seeing three beds.
479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwZ8RGejktn
Juy was on her phone on the bed to the left corner, Dace sleepily laid on the middle bed.
479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNqQGlCZG21
"Juy, you should sleep soon don't be on your phone so much. Fran try and sleep too, you know where the bathrooms and fridge is. Goodnight."
479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBUf2NG2jxR
Jith closed the door, and the room was dark. I could faintly see a light coming from Juy's phone. My eyes naturally closed but the pain lingered within me, never letting me find true comfort. I felt a sensation of bugs crawling on my back and all around me.
479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyP6JdeOmBr
I itched and moved a lot to be comfortable. Eventually I drifted to sleep, and began to dream of another's life.479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1AdvXf7Hn1
and then Add to home screen.