Candle in the Dark: Chapter 1

"Hey...Mom?", I asked, "If I walk this way will I walk into the door?" 

I waited for an answer for a couple seconds, "Uh, mom?" What was she doing? Didn't she care if her only daughter crashed into a door or not?

"Hold on, hon....", I heard my mom say from a couple paces next to me. I heard my dad mumble something and my mom giggle like a school girl. I rolled my eyes, parents sometimes...sheesh.

"This will give me a chance to show them that I don't need Eli...", I muttered. Maybe this would show them that I could live without a babysitter, which was basically what Eli Tanner was.

I pivoted and walked to the door, a book in my hands. "Please help me to make it, God", I prayed, "Please help me to show them I can do things by myself." So far I hadn't bumped into anything.

I walked into my house without hitting anything and damaging myself. "You could have helped me, Eli.", I grumbled. I heard a snigger from I assumed Eli. "Eli Tanner, what are you laughing about?", I said glaring at him. Eli tried to mask his laughter with a cough."I'm not Eli", He wheezed. "Well then who are you if you are not Eli?!", I said angrily. The Not-Eli chuckled, "I'm your brother, Alan."

"Alan?", I gasped, "But they said you were missing!" Alan's voice turned mischevious, "I ran off." I shook my head, "For five years you've been gone....and then you just come back!" I started to sit down on what I hoped was the couch. "Watch out for that porcupine.", The voice I knew for sure was Eli's said teasingly. 

I ignored that annoying boy and sat down. I could hear Eli and Alan laughing and I assumed they were nudging each other or something....boys.

I opened my book and put my fingers on the pages. "How does she read?", Alan said in a wondering voice. I felt a burst of pride, my brother thought it was amazing that I could do something seemingly impossible. "Don't make her think she's so special, it will all go to her head.", Eli told my brother. I shook the hurt that came when he said that and kept reading.

"But dude....", Alan said, "She's blind."