Clouds and Lakes

    “So, so, hey!” the little voice broke through the music being piped into the room; teenagers turned expecting the seven-year-old but finding instead, the college senior. She slid into the room bonelessly, eyebrow raised at the things passing hands and the looks scattering around. “Uh huh.” She stood on top of the nearest table, kicking empty cans and cold butts from the glass surface; she paced the length, leaving footprints of whorls and blood in the beer and ash. “You’re a wonderful example, you know that? There are little kids upstairs, like under ten little. Fine example you’re setting.”
    “Says the whore on the table.”
    “Uneducated swine lover says what?”
    “What?”
    “That’s what I thought.” The giggles were quickly killed, “Get it together boys and girls, or else…” she shrugged as she landed gracefully on the hardwood. “Later days baby brother.” She ruffled the hair of a boy with striking gray eyes, he shoved her away with a grin.
    “Thomas? Come here!” His mum’s voice silenced the music for the evening as everyone scattered.
   
    “What do you mean she was in a wreck? She was on the basement table lecturing us ten minutes ago!”
    “No, she wasn’t sweetheart, the police responded to a wreck on Mayberry, her car was upside down and Jake was on the pavement.”
    “No.”
    “Yes! Thomas, Rayne died twenty minutes ago on the way to the hospital! Jake never made it!” His mother was gripping a dish towel as if it was her lifeline away from the world where her only daughter was merely a shell and she was left alone with two troubled boys. Soren was crying under the table, it was beginning to grate on Thomas’s ears.
    His, their, sister, beautiful, smart, daredevil, sister couldn’t be dead; she was immortal.
    He turned and left them in the kitchen, left his friends slowly leaving like a line of ants; stopping at the base of a tree Rayne had claimed could grant wishes when they were five and ten. They’d built a treehouse up there, she always spent a night in the tree when she came home even though he’d declared it lame.
   His hands and feet climbed.
   The stars felt closer, the smell of her lotion and her words almost suffocating. Thomas hunched against one corner, staring at the half-finished ceiling of blue and white waves, scrapping boots over the plethora of clouds beneath him. “Hey little brother.”
   “Mum said you’re dead.” A cool weight settled next to him, he closed his eyes to not look over.
   “She’s right I think.” Knuckles cracked, “Jake already went wherever he was supposed to.”
   “What happened?” He couldn’t see it but he knew she was rubbing the back of her head against the wall, her thinking pose.
   “We were in a wreck. We were coming home as a surprise, Jake proposed this morning.” Her laugh was familiar and watery. “Jake was driving, I was sleeping shot gun. Then I was at home wondering why you were having such a dumb party.”
   “It was dumb. Katie wanted it.”
   “I don’t think she’d good for you.”
   “You opinion doesn’t count anymore.” She blew a raspberry in his ear, he finally opened his eyes to swipe at her; his hand passed cleanly through her face. She went cross-eyed in response.
   “I’m serious Tommy. Find a better partner for college, yeah? Be nice to Mum. And don’t forget about Soren.”
   “Are all dead people supposed to cliché?”
   “Probably, what else would we talk about?” She stood, spine popping like she’d been asleep. “Jake’s calling, apparently there’s a welcoming party waiting for me.” Rayne’s eyes smiled, cold fingers traced his chin for a second, “Be the brother Soren needs now, okay? He really looks up to you.” He nodded into her palm, goosebumps making an appearance, “And tell Mum you love her, she needs to hear it every once and a while.”
   “I’ll miss you.”
   “Good. But don’t forget to live for yourself too.” She turned away at a sound he couldn’t decipher; her smile was wistful and he felt the tears burn. She turned back with the universe in her once-gray eyes. “I love you little brother.” He choked on the sob that escaped his smile and her vanishing act.
   Thomas stayed in their tree until the sun and Soren woke to being anew.