3Grey eyes stared boredly out at the ticking clock. With a huff of air she blew her purple hair out of her eyes. With her 15 years of gained wisdom she realized staring at the clock would not get her, Kira Johnson, out of school any sooner. Kira let out a string of muttered curses pertaining to her brother Matsu for making her come to school halfway through the day. Kira actually had two brothers that she lived with. Aiden, her younger brother, was only 4 years old. He had bright green eyes and red hair pulled back in a small ponytail. Aiden was impish and childlike, making people go aw and Kira gag. In his home, an apartment, he was mischievous as the devil and right now, while she was lazing about in class, he was quite sick. There was also her older brother, Matsu, a 19 year old high school drop-out. He had dropped after their mother's death. At the age of 11 Kira learned the world wasn't always fair to everyone. Her mother had died during Aiden's birth, and the younger kids not knowing who their real father was, were the force that made Matsu drop out of school. A scent of burnt matches hit Kira's nose as she opened her backpack, a smell she had caused. Just a way to escape, she reminded herself while zipping up her bag.
In an apartment blocks away from the school, two boys curled up on the sofa together A small red head had scrunched himself into a ball and let out a few hacking coughs. Meanwhile a tall black haired boy slept calmly beside his sick brother trying to relieve his headache from Kira's temper tantrum about sending her to school. Slowly a thick black smoke seeped in under the door and fire alarms began to screech throughout the building. Only then did the black haired one, Matsu, grab Aiden and wrap him in a blanket before rushing out the door. The hallway was engulfed in flames and for a moment Matsu hesitated but a look down at Aiden confirmed that he needed to get outside. Ducking his head, he ran towards the door with Aiden clutched close to his chest. A cracking noise was heard and a support beam fell, causing Aiden to fly out of his brother's safe arms. In horror Aiden watched as flames began to pick away at his brother. Seconds later a fireman picked up the crying and wheezing 4 year old and took him to the ambulances waiting outside. All the while tears ran down his dirty face.
Kira's POV
"Kira Johnson, report to the office please." Someone poked me in the side, groggily I lifted my head and saw Alex, brown hair with blonde streaks, 5' 4", and brown eyes, Alex.
"Kir', you just got called to the office." It seems I have, judging by the pass the teacher just slammed on my desk.
The thought, 'demented old hag', crossed my mind before I slung my bag over my shoulder. Waving bye I stalked off in the direction of the office. Before I entered any main hallways I pulled an extra match out of my pocket. Lighting it, I slowly watched as it burned between my thumb and pointer finger. The small match amazed me for a moment. It could bring destruction, but to me, it was a life saver. As it died out, I chucked it over my shoulder and headed into the office. The phones buzzed and the secretaries gossiped when I entered. Sitting in one of the chairs was a police officer who stood up once I approached the desk.
"Kira Johnson?" I nodded, slightly confused. I started thinking back to any mistakes I could of made or any means of connection. Said police officer broke my thoughts once more.
"There was an accident... I'm here to escort you to the hospital." Something inside of me clicked, and tears began to flow down my face. Down white halls, up an elevator, stop at desk and then suddenly I was in the intensive care unit. I looked on in horror as I saw small Aiden hooked up to machines by the dozen. Things soon became a blur, Matsu was dead, Aiden had burns, and I was left to take care of myself and my baby brother.
There was no funeral for my older brother, he was just cremated and given to me in a wooden box. Aiden was able to come home a week later. I still have no idea how exactly I'm going to pay for his bills. They assigned a social worker to look for a home for Aiden and me, though I dislike the idea. She says they can try to find a way for me to stay in school and keep Aiden with me. Aiden is actually still confused. He is confined to his bed which doesn't help. He gives me one of his innocent smiles every time he wakes up. I don't think he realizes Matsu's gone. As Aiden drifts back to a peaceful sleep, I light another match. This time I let the flame slowly consume a wax candle, I feel calmer as every second goes by. Maybe it was time to forget this harsh incident too. A look at Aiden dampens that idea. With a lick and pinch of my finger, I put out the flame.
It's been a month. Somehow I managed to stay in school, with passing grades, and keep custody of Aiden. Though I was warned that if I make any mistakes or do things wrong I would lose him in a heartbeat and we would both be in foster homes. Alex came over frequently, to help me clean, cook, take care of Aiden or just plain save me from falling to pieces. Thinking of Aiden reminded me how much trouble he was having walking. He seemed to stumble around a lot, just like he had done when he was just tiny. It also seemed my brother didn't comprehend that Matsu wasn't coming back. It brought tears to my eyes every time he asked in an innocent voice, "When's Mat coming home, sissy?" It tore at my heart when I had to tell Aiden, while looking at the wooden box that contained Matsu, not for a while.
Alex spoke to the social worker the other day. She found out that they had found my father. Then more shocking then that, he actually wanted me and Aiden to come live with him. I'm not sure what hit me harder, the fact that they had found him or that fact that he wanted us to live with him. I didn't tell Aiden, deciding it would be a better surprise for him.
A week later, Aiden could walk almost normally again, and we were going to meet our father that day. I dressed in black jeans and a black t-shirt with a flame on it. I shoved a few packs of matches into my pocket before getting Aiden his clothes. He wore dark blue jeans and a deep crimson long sleeve shirt. Neither of us took notice to the burning smell as we walked out of the apartment building and across the street to the park. I gripped Aiden's hand tighter as we got to the center of the park. Under my opposite arm was the box that contained my tragically lost older brother. A tall man stood, looking almost like my late brother, only more mature. He looked over at us and instantly Aiden released my hand. He ran to our father yelling out as he did so.
"Mat!" The man chuckled and picked him up. Aiden made a face, realizing it wasn't his brother. I walked up to him and he wrapped an arm around me.
"Aiden, this is our daddy. We're gonna go live with him now." My brother looked at me.
"No more Mat?"
"No more Mat, Aiden, he's gone for now." Aiden quieted and seemed to concentrate on the new man. With a grin he hugged our father and nodded that we could go with him. I smirked as we left. A quick glance over my shoulder told me the last memories of my past were being burned away. Sirens let out high pitched wails as they rushed towards the old apartment. It would be too late. I've already burned away the memories. Just as I've done a hundred times before, I lit a match. It dropped into a pile of fresh leaves, and just like the other times everything burned away in the fire.