Chapter Two

Even though Breanna and Bryce's step father has been in their life since Breanna was three years old, her earliest memory of him was when they lived in what they called "The Farm House". It was a big house with plenty of land around it. The driveway was long and most of the land was full of trees. They had a large porch with a pool that they never used and a garden that was dying and full of wild flowers. There were two trees they she and her brother climbed a lot. One was a Magnolia with a platform build a few feet up. The second was a Birch with low branches that could hold them up. At this time, they had a three year old little brother named Keegan. Breanna should remember her step father sooner than this, but she only remembers glimpses. She was very protective of Keegan and wanted to make sure he was always happy.

Bryce and Breanna were walking home from school and their step father was with them. She remembers when we reached the boarder of their land and he climbed the little hill to the fence. He said for them to follow, but Breanna was afraid to get in trouble so she didn't. She raced her brother and step father to the house, even though she had a farther distance to go. She didn't win, but she found it fun. Around the same time, their whole family was in one of the many rooms where the furnace was. Her mother had thrown a whole candle into the metal furnace causing fire to shoot out and roar in their faces. She was fascinated, wondering why this happened. Breanna was about eight years old at this time. Once the fire died down, her step father threw a small bottle of whiskey into the furnace, filling the house with an alcoholic smell. Breanna sniffed then said "Mm, that's some good whiskey" which immediately was responded with a laugh and her mother saying "Bre, don't ever say that again." After about an hour, Paul asked Breanna to go to him. She did and saw him looking down. It was outside two glass doors and when she saw what he was looking at, she backed away. Two wolf spiders. It made her shiver. Paul bent down and picked one up. It didn't move much, but Breanna was afraid of it suddenly jumping on her. He brought it closer to her and out of reflex, she smacked his hand and sent the wolf spider flying. Ever since that moment, if she could see the spider's many eyes or their many hairs, it made her very uncomfortable.

There are a lot of memories in this one house. They had goats and chickens, huge blackberry bushes, a tire swing, plenty of room to run around, plenty of trees to climb, and more. Breanna and Bryce used to climb the Magnolia tree constantly. It seemed to be the only time they really got along and laughed together. Bryce used to climb way up in the tree, but Breanna was too afraid to. This was when she started to admire her brother. She admired how fearless he could be and how he experienced new things without worrying about the consequences. Their little brother, Keegan, wanted to climb with them so badly that he would cry when he couldn't. Breanna took the time to climb down and go to him. She would take him to the tree and help him onto one branch at a time, helping him up to the platform. Even though he wanted to be up with Bryce, he was happy with being on the platform with her and laughing. She also introduced Keegan to the Birch tree, which was one of her favorites.

This was her favorite home. It was where her mother ate Takis with her even if she didn't like them, it was where Keegan got a cardboard dinosaur for Christmas and they decorated it like a tree, it was where everyone seemed happy.