Chapter 1

Do you ever feel like the ground you were standing on wasn't bound to earthly bonds? One wrong step and you could soar through the endless blue sky and the vanta black void of space. Wanting to escape the expectations of humans but there's one and only one thing that tethers you to your humanity that's what's holding you onto life.

"Quiet now my child" a submerged yet soft and soothing voice calls me to the depths of the sea.

I swim closer and closer, but I find myself stuck. Not like the frozen stuck, more of an encased feeling; encased in a veil of water.

"HELP!" I say in a muffled and guzzling voice. Slowly feeling myself slip into the afterlife. I nearly catch a glimpse of what lies beyond the horizon.

I wake up in cold sweats to see my little sister with a huge pearly white smile.

"Hey, Sarah! How long have you been waiting for me?" I ask her in a playful tone.

"Breakfast is ready!" She disregards the question, but I love her too much to even give it a second thought.

"Tell Mom I'll be down in a second." I give her a smile.

"Ok!" She salutes me and skips out of my room, her brown pigtails bobbing up and down as she skips out the door.

I take a quick shower and I change into clothes that aren't soaked in sweat. I join the family in our family breakfast.

"Hey, baby!" My mom says while pulling me into the family hug and giving me a peck on the head.

Michael blesses the food, he's the eldest sibling he has a surprisingly deep voice for an 18-year-old. He ruffles my head and gives me a sideways hug. We've always had a good relationship; we had to, for our family.

We finish eating and everyone goes off to do what they wished, Michael and I went outside to explore. Sarah went to have a tea party with Mom, it was her turn to endure Sarah's tea party.

Micheal and I run up a hill and we tumble down laughing uncontrollably. When we reach the ground, we're itchy from the grass but the joy of enjoying our childhood outweighed that fact. We travel to the nearby pond to feed the ducks and to our surprise, a brood of ducklings are following their mother. One of them wanders our way but we quickly return it to its mother.

"You've always loved helping people, a little too much at times," Michael says in a sincere and concerned tone.

Before we knew it nightfall was upon us, and we had to run home so Mom wouldn't make me and Michael tonight's supper. We make it and not a moment too soon and then, we have dinner just like always, nothing could tear us apart. That's what it means to be a Philan, to be Aaron Philan.