Thom was too angry to be chosen or even considered, and he was too old by the time I came from my mother’s womb. Maybe that’s why he hates me, even to this day.
The middle child- my sister, Anise- is too kind. All she ever had was kindness and warmth and something that made her way too, human.  Sometimes it was painful to watch her cry as Thom cornered me, and pounded his angry out, and out, and out.
Sometimes it was worse that it looked, truly. And maybe that’s what started my own fiery hatred for Thom. The fact that he was making Anise cry.
That’s what made me fight back, I think.
I was huddled into a corner, Thom’s larger body over mine. I couldn’t see Anise but I could hear her. Momma and Papa had just went grocery shopping, their schedule like clockwork. That’s how it is in the Glades, everything like clockwork.
So when I heard a car door slam, and the gravel on tires, I knew. I just knew that Thom was standing outside my door, his fleshy mouth open, ready to call me names. His fists were coursing with blood, ready to pound out his anger and hatred. I stood up, my legs were shaky. Something pulsed through my head making my skin feel like fire- but I made it to the door. And quicker than I would have thought, I opened the door, a little too hard. It slammed into his body and sliding on my socks, I run down the stars, my heart thumping through my skin. His roar sounded more animal than human.
I made it to the kitchen when his huge body blocked every possible exit. That’s when I heard Anise’s light footsteps, the tha-ump tha-ump of her feet. I could see the top of her reddish brown hair. I could hear her intake of breath. “Thom. What are you doing?” Anise wasn’t dumb. She knew what was going on. “Thom, Stop-“ But his fist had already descended. I lift myself up, slightly and take in the punch on my collar bone. Pain erupts from my shoulder and makes its way down my lower back.
Anise was crying. “Thom, Stop! Please, just stop!” I have a single thought in that split second that everything slows to a crawl, “How can such different people be siblings?” I’m standing. And before Thom knows what to do, my fist is flying. Punching someone hurts worse than I thought it would. I watch Thom’s black eyes squint shut and his head snap backwards on his broad shoulders. Everything stops, slowing. Anise is staring at me, wide eyed. I can feel each, achingly slow beat of my heart and each intake of breath from the three of us.
“Anise.” Her eyes snap from Thom to me. I duck under a frozen Thom’s arm and grab Anise’s arm. I pull her along, running, up the stairs and into my room. I slam the door shut and lean against the hard wood, breathing heavily. Anise sits on my bed, wide eyed.
“He’s going to kill you, Zephyr.” Anise only uses my full name when she’s dead serious. I look at Anise and study her red hair and her large green eyes. Her simple green tunic style shirt and a pair of leggings.
“I know.”