Sable*******

Sable sat at the table, looking down at his math homework with frustration. He threw the book at the wall and layed his head on the table. His little sister walked in then. She was 7; he was 12.

"What's wrong, Sable?" She asked, sitting down at one of the other kitchen chairs. He smiled down at her softly.

"Nothing, Raven," he said. She shrugged, pushing her pale blonde hair behind her ears. "Will you play with me later?" She asked. He nodded.

"Sure," he said. Raven smiled at him, and he smiled back.
~~~~~
That night Sable was out back with Raven. He tosses the ball at her, and she caught it.

"I caught it!!" She exclaimed happily. Sable smiled at her.

"Good job, Rave," he said, using her nickname. She grinned broadly at him.

"Now watch out, I'm gonna throw it!" She said.

"Go easy on me," Sable said, laughing slightly. She nodded and tossed it. He caught it, pretending to stumble back.

"Wow, you're strong!" he said, laughing. Raven giggled.

"Not as strong as you, big brother!!" She said.
~~~~~
Sable sat at dinner that night. His parents were having another pointless argument. He looked down at his chicken, picking at it with his fork but not eating.

"You should be working harder!!" His father yelled. His mother put her hands on her hips.

"Oh, /me/?!" She exclaimed. "Excuse me, but I work more hours than you do!!"

Sable pushed his chair back suddenly. It scraped on the tile. His parents looked at him but only for a moment. He took Raven's hand.

"Let's go for a walk, Rave," he said. She nodded and they walked outside and kept going until they could no longer hear the yelling.
~~~~~
"Why do mommy and daddy fight so much?" Raven asked once they were at the park, the place Sable took her when they needed to get away.

Sable shrugged, pushing her on the swing.

"I don't know, Rave," he said with a sigh, pulling her back and pushing her higher.

"Are they gonna get a divorce? My friends say that's what parents do when they don't like each other no more," Raven said. Sable pulled her to a stop and kneeled down in front of her, looking her in the eyes. She was crying.

"If they get a divorce, that means we won't live together anymore, right?" She sniffled. "That's what my friend says happens. They split us up," she said.

"Raven, look at me," Sable said, placing a hand on her shoulder. She looked at him.

"No matter what, I /promise/, no I swear, that we will /always/ be together," he said. "I'll never let anyone take that away."

Raven sniffled. "Pinky promise?" She asked.

"Pinky promise," Sable said, holding out his pinky with a small smile on his face. Raven wrapped her smaller one around his and they shook on it. Then Sable wrapped her in a hug.
~~~~~~
When he was 14 and his sister was 9 she had lost some of her happiness and cheerful attitude.

He believed it was because of his parent's constant fighting, that had made her this way. And he hated them for it. He would constantly try to cheer her up and it worked most of the time, but he heard her crying at night. He wanted nothing more than to help her. He didn't want her to become like him. He was often depressed, though he didn't know why. He wanted her to live a happy life, but she seemed unable to anymore.

One night at dinner Sable finally exploded at his parents.

They were arguing again and Raven had begun to cry. He pushed his chair back and it fell over, clattering onto the tile loudly. His parents looked at him, stopping for only a minute.

"Would you two shut up?!" He yelled. They blinked in surprise. He had never yelled at them before. "Do you see what you're doing to this family??!" He continued. "No, I don't know what to call us anymore! We're not a /family/! Families look out for each other, and you two are too wrapped up in your petty arguments to even realize that, aren't you?!!?!" He demaneded, his voice rising with each word.

"Sable, sit down," His father said sternly. Sable shook his head.

"No! I won't sit down!" He exclaimed. "I'm sick and tired of this!! Of listening to your crap every night! Can't we have just one peaceful meal?!?!" He demanded. "I hate this! I hate all of this!" he gestured at the house and everything in it. "You two don't know anything about us, what you're putting me and Raven through!!" He yelled. Raven's crying had slowed down a bit.

"She used to be so happy. Look what you've done to her!!" He yelled, pointing at her. She winced. "She used to be so happy," he repeated, his voice shaking with anger. "Now she cries at night! Do you hear her?! I do!!" He excaimed.

"Sable, please," his mother began but he cut her off.

"No! I'm done listening to this!" he yelled. He swept one hand over the table, pushing his plate off with food still on it. It shattered on the wall, the sharp pieces falling to the floor. He turned to the door and went outside, slamming the door behind him and ignoring the yells of protest he heard follow him. He walked to the only place he knew where to go; the park.
~~~~
Sable was sitting on the swing, slowly going back and forth, back and forth. He had simmered down but didn't want to go back. He was thinking about what to do next when he heard footsteps. Looking up, he saw Raven.

"Raven?" He asked quietly. "What are you doing here?" He asked. She shrugged.

"I want you to come home," she said. He smiled at her and reached a hand out. She winced and took a step back.

"Rave, what's wrong?" Sable asked. She didn't look at him.

"Are you....afraid of me?" He asked sadly. She nodded silently, looking at the ground. He sighed and got up off the swing, walking over to her.

"Rave," he said, placing a hand on her shoulder and making her look at him. "I would never /ever/ hurt you," he said. "You know that, don't you?"

She shrugged. He sighed. "I love you so much, Rave," he said. "I love you more than anything in this world. We're all we have, aren't we?" He asked. She shrugged again. He sighed.

"You know it's true, don't you?" He asked. She nodded slowly. Sable smiled.

"Good," he said. "Now let's go home," he added, holding out his hand. She took it and they walked back home
~~~~~

Sable, now 17, was slowly dropping in school. His parents yelled at him for it, but he didn't ry to do any better. He didn't think he had a reason to. Raven was 12 now. She was still sadder than she used to be, and Sable still hated his parents for it. They were still very close, Sable and Raven. Raven depended on him more now. She told him everything. He comforted her when she was sad or scared, and she kept him company when he was lonely or worried. They kept each other going. Their parent's fighting had gotten worse, and their father had turned to drinking. This caused not only more arguments but he had even gotten physical a few times.

Sable was in his room that night, doing his homework. Well, pretending to. Raven had come in and was sitting next to him, seeming to understand he was hurting again. They sat together on his windowsill, watching the stars. Sable had one arma round her small shoulder and she was leaning her head on his.

"Sable," Raven said.

"Yes, Rave?" Sable said. He still used that nickname.

"What if we left here?" She asked. Sable blinked in surprise.

"What do you mean?" He asked, looking down at her.

"I mean, what if we left? You're old enough to get a job now, right?" She asked. "I don't want to stay here anymore." Sable smiled sadly at her.

"Tell you what," he said, pulling her closer. "When I'm 18, if things haven't gotten better, I'll take you away from here with me," he said. She looked up at him.

"Pinky promise?" She asked. He nodded.

"Pinky promise," He said, and they shook on it.
~~~~~~~~
A few weeks later Sable came home from school to find his father drunk again. He was standing by the couch yelling at his mother, who looked scared. He stood in the doorway, watching them.

"You need to do more around here!" He slurred, a half empty beer bottle in his hand.

"I do plenty!" His moter yelled back. He reached his hand back and hit her. Sable took a step foward now.

"That's enough," He said coldly. Raven walked in now.

"Raven, go outside," He said. Raven looked confused.

"Why?" She asked. Sable was looking back at his father now and didn't hear her.

"Who are you to talk?" His father slurred. His mother had tears in her eyes, standing to the side and holding the cheek he had hit her on.

"Don't hit her," Sable said. His father laughed. "I'll do whatever I please," he said. Sable's hands were curled into fists at his sides. He turned and went upstairs, followed closely by Raven.
~~~~~
"Dad's scaring me, Sable," Raven said the next night after dinner. Sable nodded.

"I know. THat's why we're leaving tonight," he said. They were in his room and he grabbed a duffel bag and began stuffing clothes in it along with other things they would need, such as toothbrushes and other necessaties. HE went into her room and began putting some of her clothes and things in it as well. Raven followed him.

"REally?" She asked.

"Yes, really," Sable said, still packing. Raven smiled.

"Thank you, big brother," She said softly.
~~~~~
"Quiet, now," Sable whispered. It was around midnight and he was standing by his door in his room, one duffel back on his shoulder and another on Raven's.

He had already rented an apartment the day before. It was all set for them now. All they had to do was get there. He opened the door and snuck out, walking down the stairs and trying not to make any noise. RAven followed just as quietly. He creaked on a step and stopped, holding his breathe. When he heard nothing he continued on. When they got to the front door he ran outside, Raven behind him. He closed the door behind them quietly and they went to the bus stop.
~~~~~

The bus ride to the apartment was filled with only silence. They didn't speak for fear of what they might say.

"This is our stop," Sable said after 10 minutes. They both got off and headed up to the apartment. He had rented it with a fake name so no one could find them, hopefully. He went up to the 2nd floor, Raven following close behind him. He unlocked the door to their new apartment and stepped inside.

"Welcome home, Rave," he said.

"Welcome home, brother," She said, closing the door behind them.
~~~~~
On his first day of work he saw a girl who was dressed strangely walking. He didn't know who she was but felt like she was watching him.
~~~~~
He saw the girl again this time. He still felt as though he were being watched.
~~~~~
1 week later Raven was going to a different public school under a fake name. Sable was working hard hours, trying to keep them going. He had been watching the news and their pictures were on it one night. He was watching it after Raven was sleeping. They were on the missing persons list. He sighed and turned off the TV.

"Like they even care," he mumbled before falling asleep on the couch. He had given Raven the bedroom.
~~~~~
The next day on his way to work Sable saw the girl wearing strange clothes, that looked like they were from long ago again. He didn't think much of it and continued on.
~~~~~
Sable saw the girl again and followed her, wanting to know what her problem was and why she kept watching him and following him. It was getting annoying. Then suddenly she disappeared. He feared he was going crazy and tried to forget about it.
~~~~~
"I'm home, Rave!" Sable called one day about a week and a half later. He walked inside when she didn't asnwer. It was around 6 o'clock.

"Rave?" He asked. He looked around the apartment but couldn't find her.

'She must be in her room,' he decided. He knocked on the door and when no one answered he opened it. No one was there. He began to panic and ran down to the bottom floor of the apartment.

"Yes, have you seen my little sister, Ra-" he cut himself off. "April," he finished, using her fake name. The man at the front desk shook his head. He went over to someone else who walked in.

"Have you seen a little, girl around 12, blonde hair, blue eyes?" He asked. The woman shook her head. He ran around, asking everyone. No one seemed to know. He ran outside but she wasn't there. He was in full panic mode now as he ran back into the building and up to their floor. He saw her at the top of the stairs and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Rave!" He called, runnign towards her. she turned and waved at him. He watched in horror as her foot slipped on the stair. She tumbled backwards and fell down the concrete stairs, hitting her head on several of them.

He heard the sickening thunk as she came to a stop at the bottom, as her head hit the concrete. It took him a moment to register what had happened, and then he was running down the stiars. There was already a crowd around her.

"Move!" He yelled, shoving a few people out of the way.

Raven lay in an unnatural position, her leg twisted in a way it shouldn't of been able to bend. Her eyes were rolled back into her head as she lay motionless. The blood began to pool around her head as Sable kneeled down next to her.

"No..." He whispered. He heard the ambulence sirens outside and heard them push their way through the crowd. One of them grabbed him.

"Time to go,"they said.

"NO!!" Sable yelled, pulling himself from their grasp and leaning down next to Raven again. Two more came over and restrained him.

"We need to take her to the hospital," they said. He shook his head, tears in his eyes.

"RAVE!!" He yelled as they pulled him away, her on a stretcher. They covered her body with a black tarp.

"She's gone," one of them said.

"NO!" Sable yelled again, tears falling down his cheeks. "No, Rave!!"
~~~~~
The next week Sable was at her funeral with his father and mother.

They didnt' ask about why they had run away, not now. As he stood watching her casket be lowered into the ground, he was silent.

After the funeral, his father approached him.

"This is your fault!" He yelled. His mother was silent, not defending him or accusing him.

"You took her away from us and then you let her die!!" His father yelled. Before he knew what he was doing Sable had reached back a hand and hit his father, like he had his mother so many months before. He turned and ran.
~~~~~
Sable got on the bus after that, and stayed for he didn't even know how long. He stayed until it was dark out and past that. He stayed until they forced him to get off.

He didn't know where to go now and sat on the bus stop bench, deciding to sleep there. Not even 10 minutes later he felt cold steel against his head.

"Give me your money," a gruff voice said. Sable felt cold fear enter his heart.

"I don't have any money with me," he lied.

"Don't mess with me!! You were just on that bus, weren't you?!" The voice demanded. "Now give me your money!" He heard the click as the man cocked the pistol.

Sable took a deep breath and ducked, hearing a gunshot. He grabbed the man's wrist and twisted it, trying to get away. THe man cried out and dropped the gun. Sable ducked for it but not before the man managed to grab it.

"You shouldn't of done that," he said. Sable heard the gunshot and felt the pain in his head, but only for a moment before he fell to the pavement, and everything went black.