YAFF MUSE: The Escape

YAFF Muse is a weekly blog series featuring some YA Fiction Fanatics members. In this series, we'll post original short stories created from an image meant to inspire our Muse. Hope you enjoy! And don't forget to check out the other YAFFers participating in this series (links below).  

Photo Credit: Raygun by Wintersixfour

 
“Madness runs in the family. Erin, you know that,” Aunt Celia says.

Mom wipes her eyes, stained red with hours of tears. Her gray cardigan hangs loose around a too-thin frame. “I know.” She looks and me and tries the ‘I’m going to buck up’ smile, but it’s not reassuring.

The woman behind the desk gives a very unconvincing turn as a bored secretary. She hasn’t turned the page of her magazine in the last thirty minutes we’ve been here.  The guard at my back grunts then shifts his weight.

Aunt Celia continues to coo at Mom, giving nervous glances in my direction. Like because Angus and I are twins, we share the crazy gene.

The door flies open and a guard escorts my brother from the shrink’s office, shackled, and sporting a garish shade of orange jumper.

“Iggy, they know.” His words aren’t said aloud, but through our psychic connection.

“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” My heart races and I catch his wild stare.

“Run!” he shouts and my ears ring from the inside out.

“Ingrid? What’s going on?” Mom asks her gaze slides between Angus and I.

The shrink stands behind Angus. “Ms. Templeton, could I see you a moment?”

“It’s a trap,” Angus says. “Disappear, Iggy. Don’t ever come back.”

“What about you?”

“Ms. Templeton. A word, please.” The shrink waves a hand and the guards drag Angus out of the way.

“Ingrid, go with the doctor,” Aunt Celia says.

“Disappear, Iggy. The Others are almost here.”

Fear coils in my stomach and I look at mom through watery eyes then glance at the shrink. Swallowing hard, I begin to fade.

Mom’s screams are distant as my atoms separate and flit out of the room. Away from my family, away from the shrink, away from The Others with their mind seizing guns, and away from my brother.

When I materialize I send a message to him. “I’m home A. Tell mom I love her.”

“No matter what you hear, don't come back,” he says. “And remember, never stop running, Iggy.”

Cold shock fills my system and for the first time in my life I feel alone. Really, alone. “Angus?”


Nothing.

I grab my escape bag, and bolt into Angus’ room and grab his. “I’ll get your mind back, brother.”

(c) 2011, MB

Don't forget to check out my fellow YAFFer's stories based on the same photo:
Rachel Marie Pratt
Rebekah L. Purdy
Traci Kenworth
Vanessa Barger