ATTIC





All the boy could do was stare out the window. It was half the size of the rest of the windows in the big rickety house because his room was in the attic. He never really understood why he got stuck up there while the other eight of his brothers got regular rooms downstairs. It wasn't like he was in there because he was in trouble but it seemed sort of like a punishment.

He remembered a few years back asking if he could switch with one of them but there was an excuse every time. It seemed unfair to him mostly because his parents were always straightforward. Actually, come to think of it, maybe they were never straight with him. He started to realize this the older he became. Pretty soon was his eleventh birthday.

Luckily his parents thought enough to buy an air cooler for the house because he couldn't stand another summer in the attic. That meant they could finally get rid of the old boxy and rusty fans throughout the house that spit out dust and cobwebs every time the Dain family dragged them out for the summer.

He glared at himself in the mirror without much to do. School was out and he was bored. However he would not be going back to school like his brothers. Kevin also had finished the twelfth grade and decided he was going to drop out to join the UAF. Lately his second oldest brother had changed quite a bit and distanced himself from the family. The younger Dain boys would sneek in on him in the mornings as he did push ups on the front lawn. That was just another story.

His family was usually pretty strict about finishing school. They really didn't ever leave there small town. His family was what some would call old fashioned. They were not pleased with the news, what was going on in the rest of the world, let alone anything beyond that was unheard of. They lived a very simple life. Davin started to wonder why. He started to question things. His mother was having another kid so he didn't even bother asking her, although he tried to remember some things in his life he had blocked out.

Next year he was going to get tutored most of the year. This was in preparation for college. Finally he could go just like he always wanted. His mother and father were very reluctant, however the past school year the teachers finally realized he could no longer be in the local school. They offered to help waive the finical aspects of his going to school. He didn't even know which college he was going to go to. He didn't know what he was going to do with himself. He was only ten so that was probably why. He thought maybe he would like to be a scientist. His favorite subject was rocket science, and quantum physics.

He glared at himself in the mirror as he sat on his bed. He was waiting for that growth spurt he had heard so much about, but it wasn't happening apparently. He practiced his serious face, realizing he was way to weird looking. He had grown a little self conscious finally over the past few years. He decided he was going to be a little meaner because he really didn't know how else to act.

Unfortunately his trying on his mean face only caused his mother to laugh and think he was cute. His father had stopped being so mad, and laughed at him and wanted to teach him how to put up his dukes. Davin was very surprised because he was always away out on the boat. Lately he had taken to bonding with his ten sons. Owen said this was because his mom and dad were finally having a girl, 'eighteen years too late.'�

He sighed and threw a paper plane against the window were it compacted and fluttered to the ground. Maybe he should go over some of his old schoolwork before he got too bored. He dragged himself off from his bed and threw some books on the table.

He sat down at the chair and realized he had not saved much. This was much to his disappointment. 'Great.'�

All of a sudden the hatch door flew open and his eldest brother came stomping into his room with his shaved head and army boots. His mother always fussed about his oldest brother shaving his head all the time because he had such nice blonde hair. He had on his usual stained up white T-shirt. He smiled and plopped himself on his bed.

'What's up nerd?'�

'Shut up I'm not a nerd.'�

'Than why are you sitting here doing your homework for four hours like a dork? We aren't even in school anymore, its summer.'� Owen glared at him with wide eyes. His mouth was in the shape of an o and his eyebrows rose up on his forehead. If he ever needed to practice stupid facial expressions than Owen was certainly full of them.

'I wasn't doing my homework for four hours I was doing for an hour and a half, so shut up.'� Davin stated very calmly and observed his reaction..

'What a tweak.'� Owen had finally got off from his bed and strutted all the way into his room and was going through all of Davin's books. He was also very cheery since learning he was going to have a sister. Instead of another brother to boss around. Davin guessed when he finally graduated school Owen was just going to live at home forever and keep everyone in line. In fact he had said that many times.

'Did you do it all? You better do all your homework for next year dork or else I'll pound you in your face.'� He threw the books back down on the table pretty loudly.

Once again Davin knew his brother Owen was the bossiest out of all of his brothers and took it upon himself to make sure they all did what they were supposed to. Still he wasn't kidding about punching you in the face. It was almost brutal at times. He beat them all bloody and black eyed and when he challenged Till, Chris or Roman he would end up that way himself. But for some reason he had a priority to keep Davin in check. It was blatantly abusive. Owen would explain this as his 'high expectations'�.

'Why do you care anyway?'� Davin remarked.

Owen turned red and raised his fist. 'Is that a threat, Davin?'�

'No.'� he answered.

'Than let me ask you a question did you do it or not?'�

'Yeah I did it all right? I did all next years homework before I even knew what it was.'�
'Be careful with your choice of words or I'll punch you in your face. You know what Dav' you're all right. I don't really think I have to worry about you too much.'�

He looked around his room and glanced at several objects.

'Hey you always did have the best room. Next time you go into my room you better knock first! Soon it will be just my room thanks to Kevin. So therefore you won't know what I'll be doing. Thanks' Kev'! Bon Voyage.'�

Davin knew that Owen was upset about Kevin leaving because he had seen them talk about it and he had seen Owens face while the others watched him through the screen door. Owen and Kevin were opposites but they were like a team and they had their differences they shared the same room most of there life. They had like some sort of secret code and hierarchy in the Dain household.

When he hid out under the stairs on the back porch he caught a lot of stuff and going ons. Owen cried out there a few times. But never so much as he did now. When his mom caught him and tried to console him he told her he was afraid and he didn't really catch most of the conversation. He had some hunch it was something else besides Kevin.

Owen picked up one of Davin's comic books and flipped the pages.

'Oh yeah, by the way. He said you could have his comics when he left.'�

'I don't think he's really leaving.'� Davin said not really knowing why.

'Oh. Yeah...well Dav he's the first one to leave our humble castle. Then everyone else will too. Saint Nicholas is going to go to California. Kevin is going off the whole planet. The first Dain in space. Congratulations Kevin. Till is going to marry his annoying girlfriend and get her knocked up before they even reach the thirteenth grade. I saw them making out in the tree house the other day...Anyway...Who knows what will happen to Rocky he is still a dumb rock...I don't know. I imagine he will go to college too. To play football. He already might as well be there shit head. He's only eight and he already is too good to play pee wee '�

'I don't think Melissa is that annoying.'� Davin interjected as he pulled on his hand me down t-shirt. He was practically swimming in it.

'Yeah figures...anyway. You'll see. I'll even leave...sooner than I had planned...maybe. Hey you're leaving aren't you? I almost forgot.'�

Davin shot him a quizzical look. Owen smiled heartily and slapped him on the back pretty hard. He then waltzed over to the trap door leading up to his brother's room. He lifted up the door and started to walk down the ladder.

'Well where are you going to?'� Davin shouted out to him, forgetting his mean look. Owen stared back at him halfway down the stairs. He stood there for a long time.

'I don't know Jesus.'� He said flatly.

'???'�

'Bye dork.'� He told him before his head disappeared and the trap door slammed shut.

Want to comment on this Short Stories? Sign up to Edit Red and you will be able to comment on Short Stories and get access to: Upload your own stories and poems, get readers and their feedback, promote your work...