Coming of Age

         The clear blue sky turned to a clear dark sky as night as the last of the neighborhood left the pumpkin patch. I could see the different sizes in the pumpkins below and how they varied in colors from orange, white, blue, red, and purple. Colors that appeared to be abnormal for the pumpkins I was usually accustomed to. In California the only color pumpkins that had been visible was orange. At least that was up until a week ago before the rumors started.

         My parents had taken us to live in California when I was ten years old, when my brother turned sixteen. Before California we had stayed in Michigan, and rumors had started at the high school that my brother was a warlock. I’d grown up hearing stories about how for generations our family had the special touch. A week ago I had no reason to really believe that the rumors were true until they started being spread at the high school I was attending. At first they were simple and people were just running their mouth like any typical teenager would do. That last week that we were in California weird things started happening around me. Things that I didn’t understand, and then there was the phone call to my parents when I became unresponsive after a loud argument with one of my tormentors. While they were picking me up they heard the rumors that had been started about me. The next thing I knew our bags were packed and here we were in this new town. I leaned out my new bedroom window that looked out onto the pumpkin patch as there was a knock on my door.

         Without looking back to see who was at the door, I just shouted “Come in”. Listening to the shuffle of the feet on the new carpet, I knew that it was my brother who had entered the room. “What’s up Jay?” I asked, keeping my head out the window.

         “I just wanted to check on you. I remember what it was like when we had to move to California all those years ago, when the rumors were started about me.” He said, with remorse tied to his voice.

         Truth was I remember those nights because that was when my brother and I began to truly drift apart. It felt like he began hiding stuff from me, so I began doing my own thing. I never truly had any real friends, so I just hung out at the park drawing and writing things. Everything was fine up until a week ago and now here I sat with my brother coming to check on me like he did before we drifted apart. “Yeah, I’m good though I still don’t fully understand why we up and moved like that. Besides what’s it to you how I feel, you haven’t checked on me in years.” I said, finally turning to look at him.

         “That’s not fair Ky’. There are some things that you don’t fully understand yet baby sister and you won’t understand them until your sixteenth birthday in a couple days.” He said, as he got up from the bed.

         “Like always your hiding something and I don’t like it. I remember when we could tell each other anything, and ever since you turned sixteen you quit telling me everything” I said, stopping him in his tracks.

         “Your right Ky’, but guess what when you turn sixteen you will fully understand everything and it can go back to the way it used to be. Almost used to be anyways.” He said, shuffling his feet as he walked out the door.