Behind The Church

II

Eleanor

"Cubby, you can come out now! You won!" I call through the house. The parents went outside so we have free reign over most of the house.

"Why do you call her Cubby?" Kate asks as she follows me through the house.

"I don't like using her real name."

"Why?"

"I don't know."

That's obviously not the truth but I'm not gonna tell this girl that her new friend's name reminds me of the abuse she faces everyday.

"Can I call her Cubby?"

"Sure."

"What's your name?"

"Eleanor."

"Does Cubby call you a different name?"

"She calls me Husky."

"Can I call you Husky?"

"Of course."

"Eleanor!" I hear my Mom call from downstairs. She sounds scared so I hurry down and hope that Kate is following.

"What?"

"Christina is on the roof!"

"Shit."

"Language, young lady!"

"Sorry. I'll go get her."

I hurry back upstairs and into the attic, out the window to see my little sister crouched on the roof, crying.

"Husky! I'm scared." she tells me.

"It's okay. I'm coming to get you. Stay there."

I cautiously climb onto the roof and over to my sister. I hold her tightly in my arms.

"Why are you up here for, Cubby?"

"It was Joel. He said he'd stay up here with me but he locked me up here! He said it was the best hiding spot but then he left and locked the window. I couldn't get back in. It's not my fault!"

"Okay, let's get you down."

I help her back through the window before climbing through myself.

I'm pissed at my twin brother. He's such a twat.

"Cubby! I was so worried about you. Are you okay?" Kate says as we drop down from the attic.

She immediately embraces Cubby and I was expecting her to pull away, but she didn't. She actually hugged back.

"I'm okay. Are you?"

"I'm okay because you're okay."

"I'm sorry I scared you."

"You don't need to be sorry."

"Okay."

"Just no more going into the attic, Cubs. Even if Joel tells you to." I say.

Wait until I get my hands on the fucker.

"Can we play a different game?" Kate asks.

"Yeah. Got any ideas?"

"No. But I could ask my Mammy, she's really good at thinking of games."

"Lets go ask her then."

Kate leads the way to her Mother, who is glad to get inside, weirdly. We play Wars, which basically where Kate and I pretend to shoot at Kat and Cubby. Kate plays this with her Mother all the time, she says.