A Mirrors Beginning Read online

  A Mirrors Beginning:

  John Brooks

  By KG Stutts

  Published by Distinguished Press

  Smashwords Edition

  ISBN 978-1-63310-004-6

  This book is licensed for your reading pleasure. It may not be duplicated in any form, digital or otherwise, without express written permission from the publisher, author, or authorized representative. As a work of fiction, any similarities to actual events or individuals is purely coincidental.

  Chapter One

  Gray clouds rolled in quickly and the air grew cold. Six-year-old John Brooks wrapped his arms around himself, trying to get warm. A crack of thunder made him jump. He zipped up his jacket and pulled his hood over his head. He knew he should be heading home before the storm set in, but he couldn’t leave the alley just yet. John hid beside a dumpster, peeking around the corner at the back door of the Italian restaurant. Police sirens echoed down the alley as a patrol car rushed past. The stench from the dumpster mingled with the garlic smell from the restaurant, stinging his nose and making his eyes water. Another loud bang of thunder reverberated in the alley before it started to rain. John crouched down, bringing his knees to his chest. In a matter of minutes, the rain had soaked through his jacket which was two sizes too big for him. Still, he waited.

  After twenty minutes, his patience was rewarded. A chubby, blonde woman opened the screen back door to the restaurant, motioning him over.

  “Oh, you poor dear,” she said, gently brushing back wet strands of hair that had fallen in his eyes.

  “Sorry it took so long. I had to sneak this past my manager. The chef added a few extra meatballs in there for you.” She handed him a large, brown bag.

  “Thank you.” John eagerly accepted it, opening up his jacket to tuck the bag under his arm. The waitress helped him zip it back up. “Do you want to come inside and get warm?”

  “No, ma’am.” John shook his head. “I have to get home to my brothers and sister.”

  She smiled gently at him and nodded. “Good luck, honey.”

  With an extra skip in his step, John ran out of the alley and onto the busy streets of Cincinnati. He dodged people walking on the sidewalk before darting into traffic, narrowly avoiding getting hit twice. He ran as fast as his little feet would carry him, through the playground with broken equipment next to his house. A dog started chasing him, having smelled the still hot food. He splashed water as he went through puddles, hoping to slow the animal down. Luckily, his older brother, Logan, was coming out the side door.

  “Hold it open!” John yelled with the dog nipping at his backside.

  Logan stepped back inside and held the door. John jumped from the bottom step and rolled inside and Logan immediately shut the door. A loud bang hit the door followed by a whimper. John sat on the faded yellow kitchen tile, leaning against a wall, and trying to catch his breath. Logan pulled a wooden chair from the kitchen table, using it to look out the small window in the door.

  “It’s okay. The dog is walking off.”

  “You should’ve let me shoot it yesterday with the BB gun when I had a chance,” John huffed.

  “Would you relax? You’re fine. We don’t hurt animals.”

  “Yeah, but that thing would’ve taken a chunk out of me without any thought,” John murmured.

  Logan jumped down from the chair. “Are you hurt?”

  “No.”

  “Then shut up.”

  John unzipped his jacket, setting the bag on his lap. Logan’s eyes lit up as the smell of marinara sauce reached him.

  “Where did you get that at?” Logan asked.

  “Mario’s. A waitress caught me rummaging through the garbage. She chased me away with a broom but I guess she felt sorry. She asked me about my parents. I told her about us and we hadn’t eaten in a few days. Then she offered me food.”

  Logan crossed his arms over his chest and narrowed his eyes. “Are you stupid? You realize she could’ve called the cops?”

  “Hey, she gave me food, all right? For the four of us.”

  “And you didn’t check to see if someone was following you from there?”

  “Just the dog.”

  Logan offered his hand and got John on his feet. A puddle of water was on the floor where John had been sitting. John gave his brother the brown bag who sat it on the kitchen table.

  “Then you did good, little brother.”

  Getting a compliment from his older brother made John smile. He peeled the wet jacket off his body, hanging it up on a nail by the door. He kicked off his soggy shoes and socks and went to the bedroom he shared with his siblings. He quickly changed into dry clothes, leaving the wet ones in a pile on the floor. Logan would probably yell at him later for it, but he was too hungry to care. The smell of the Italian dinner made his empty stomach growl as he headed back toward the kitchen. As he rounded the corner, he saw Seth and Elizabeth sitting at the table while Logan pulled out the containers from the bag.

  It wasn’t much, but it was home. John lived in a small two bedroom in a rough part of Cincinnati with his identical twin older brothers, Logan and Seth, his little sister, Elizabeth, and their mother, although she wasn’t around much. He barely remembered his father, who died when Elizabeth was a baby.

  Seth’s bright, green eyes danced as John sat down next to him. “I’m so hungry.”

  “Yeah.” John nodded.

  Elizabeth smiled as Logan put a helping of spaghetti in front of her. Watching her eagerly scoop up the pasta on her fork warmed John’s heart. Logan passed around warm rolls.

  “Where did these come from?” John asked.

  “The baker threw them away,” Logan replied.

  It was nothing for them to eat stale bread. None of them minded. They ate greedily until the plates were empty. Even though the three boys were far from full, they made sure Elizabeth had enough before putting the leftovers in the fridge. The four of them could probably get two more meals from what the waitress generously offered John.

  “Come on, Little One. Let’s get you a bath.” Logan scooped Elizabeth up in his arms.

  She squirmed against him. “No, I want John.”

  “You heard her.” Logan turned to John. “Do you mind?”

  “Not at all,” John said with a grin. Elizabeth reached for him, climbing onto his back. “All right, Princess.”

  Elizabeth giggled in his ear, wrapping her skinny arms around his neck. He snorted and made horse noises when she tugged on his short, dirty blond hair. He bounced her on his shoulders as he walked down the hall. She sat down on the lid to the toilet as he started running her bath. The first thing she did when she got in the tub was splash him.

  “Hey!” He tried to look stern but her bright expression made him laugh. She didn’t fuss as he washed her raven black hair. He tossed in two little rubber duckies and an old doll with her. Once she was good and clean, John towel dried her and wrapped her in a pink robe two sizes too big for her.

  “Thank you, Bubba.” Elizabeth kissed his cheek. “I love you.”

  “I love you, too.”

  The storm outside raged. Logan lit a few candles before the power went out. Elizabeth curled up next to Seth as he did his best to read a book to her. When she fell asleep, Logan carried her to their room. All they had were bunk beds. Elizabeth slept on the top bunk by herself. She didn’t stir when Logan tucked her in, kissing her forehead.

  John and Logan gathered around Seth who was watching the storm through the dirty window in the living room. Lightning flashed and the thunder rumbled. John looked over at the twins, grinning.

  “Want to go play?” John asked.

  “We can’t.” Seth shook his head. “Mom would be mad.”

  “Mom isn’t here,” Joh
n pointed out.

  “Let’s just stay inside,” Logan said.

  “Fine.” John pouted.

  Logan grinned, punching him lightly in the shoulder. “You’d just get hit by lightning.”

  “No way, I could outrun it.”

  “Wanna bet?”

  “Yeah!”

  John threw open the front door, getting hit in the face immediately as the wind blew the rain in his direction. He darted out the door, taunting Logan.

  “You can’t catch me!”

  The moment Logan stepped outside, John started running down the driveway. Seth stayed on the front porch as Logan chased John around until the older brother got the better of him. Logan tackled John to the ground, putting him in a headlock. Seth jumped on them and they rolled around in the mud trying to wrestle.

  Logan had John’s arm pinned behind his back. “Do you give up?”

  “Never!”

  Logan pulled John’s arm back. “How about now?”

  John grimaced. “No!”

  Seth jumped on Logan’s back, pinning John further into the ground.

  “Get off!” John tried to yell but got a mouth full of grass for his troubles.

  The rain continued to pour, chilling the three of them to the bone. Logan got up from John as lightning lit up the sky. The three of them ran back inside the house, careful not to awake Elizabeth as they got into their pajamas. They sat on the couch under a blanket, trying to get warm.

  “Do you think Mom is going to come back soon?” Seth asked.

  “I wish I knew,” Logan said. “She’s been gone for a few days now.”

  “But she always comes back,” John said. “I’m sure she’s just working.”

  “I hope so.” Seth frowned.

  ~#~

  Morning light poured through the thin curtains. John winced, trying to cover his eyes. Logan had him pressed against the wall again. Seth snored loudly, his right leg and arm draped over Logan sleeping in the middle. John managed to scoot down to the end of the bed without waking them. Elizabeth climbed down the ladder and smiled.

  “Morning, Bubba.”

  “Morning, Princess. Are you hungry?”

  Elizabeth nodded, rubbing her belly. “Tummy rumbling.”

  John grinned. “Let’s go do something about that.”

  They wandered down the hall, stopping as they entered the living room. Passed out on the couch was their mother. She was still wearing the same clothes John had last seen her in. Red high heels, short black skirt, and a green tank top. Before John could stop her, Elizabeth ran over and snuggled up to the slumbering woman.

  “Mommy!”

  Their mother groaned, pushing Elizabeth off the couch. Elizabeth whimpered, her bottom lip quivering. John moved quickly to her side, checking to make sure she was all right. His heart dropped into his stomach when he noticed the empty food containers on the floor next to her. She had eaten everything they had saved.

  “Just perfect,” John mumbled.

  “Does this mean we don’t have food?” Elizabeth looked up at him with big, green eyes.

  He got down on a knee next to her, smiling at her. “I’ll get you something, I promise.”

  “Okay.”

  He looked over sourly at his mother, wishing she hadn’t come home. The resentment gnawed at him the more he looked at her.

  Judging by the pictures she had in her room, his mother was once beautiful. Like Elizabeth, Seth, and Logan, she had raven black hair and brilliant green eyes. The smiling woman in the photographs had a liveliness to her that John had never seen from the woman who gave birth to him. She had clear, beautiful skin, pearly white teeth, and pretty pink lips. He saw a lot of Elizabeth in the woman in the pictures.

  But the woman before him was just a shell of her former self. Pale, blotchy skin. Dried, cracked lips. Brittle nails painted red but the color was chipping off. When she smiled, John could see yellowed teeth. Not that she smiled much anymore.

  He used to catch Elizabeth looking at the pictures on the walls. It was hard, trying to explain to her why their mother would seem to disappear for days on end. He wasn’t quite sure he understood himself. Lately though, Elizabeth hadn’t been staring at the pictures. He wasn’t sure if she just got used to being looked after by her brothers, or if she missed their mother less. Either way, John figured it was a good thing. All the four of them needed was each other.

  He didn’t want to take Elizabeth out with him as he searched for food, but he wasn’t going to leave her in the house with no one else awake. He got her dressed and grabbed his backpack. Elizabeth held his hand and they walked down the street to a market. While Elizabeth chatted with the clerk, John stuffed his bag with apples, oranges, bananas, and peanuts. He made sure no one was looking before putting in a small ham which had been sitting on a meat counter into his bag.

  “Elizabeth! I told you not to run off like that,” John admonished as he walked up to them.

  She looked down at her shoes. “I’m sorry.”

  “Is this your sister?” the clerk asked.

  “Yeah, sorry.” John grabbed her hand. “You stick close to me, okay?”

  Elizabeth nodded. The clerk smiled warmly. “You’re a good big brother.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Would you both like a donut?”

  “Yes, please.”

  The woman grabbed a white box with tiny green dots and held it out for them. The sweet smell of the assorted donuts made his mouth water. He grabbed a raspberry filled one and Elizabeth picked up a chocolate frosted one.

  “Lizzy, what do you say?”

  “Thank you,” she sweetly said.

  “You’re welcome.” The clerk waved goodbye as they left.

  They took their time enjoying the sweet pastry, licking their fingers clean. John peeled an orange and split it with her.

  “Why did you call me Lizzy?” she questioned.

  “I don’t know.” John shrugged. “The lady seemed to like it.”

  He felt lucky the clerk didn’t notice his backpack or they could’ve been in trouble. He wouldn’t normally steal as much as he had, but Elizabeth had provided a great distraction. If it wasn’t for the happy look on her face, he would’ve felt guilty about it.

  “Well, I didn’t.” She frowned.

  He laughed. “I’m sorry, Princess.”

  “I am your princess.” She beamed at him. “And Seth is my baboo and Logan is my bookie.”

  “And what am I?”

  “Bubba!” She burst into giggles.

  “Princess, where did you come up with these names?”

  “I don’t know. I just like the names.”

  “Fair enough, I guess.”

  She may not remember, but he did. When they started teaching her how to talk, she had a hard time pronouncing brother. She would giggle each time she mispronounced the word, eventually resulting in the nicknames she now used for them.

  Elizabeth joyfully skipped beside him as they walked back to the house. John stopped short when they turned a corner onto their street.

  “John, what’s wrong?” Elizabeth asked, tugging on his hand.

  Outside of the house were two police squad cars and a dark blue van. A shiver ran down his spine. This could only mean trouble.

  “Bubba?”

  Angry cries came from the house. The front door opened and a uniformed police officer walked out with Seth cradled under his arm. Logan ran out, pounding his fists on the officer’s back.

  “Let him go!”

  Another cop emerged from the house, grabbing Logan by the waist. John let go of Elizabeth’s hand, rushing to aid his brothers. He used his backpack to hit the cop holding Seth until he let him go. Seth scrambled to his feet, kicking the cop in the shin. The sound of Elizabeth screaming rang in his ears. A woman wearing a white uniform had picked her up and headed toward the van.

  “Let her go!” John roared, rushing over to her. Before he reached them, someone snatched him by the back of his shirt. J
ohn kicked and screamed but he was carried into the van and tossed into the back. He tugged on the door handle but it didn’t budge. A metal partition separated the two rows of seats from the driver and front passenger seat. He watched helplessly as the uniforms rounded up his siblings and put them in the van with him.

  “What’s going on?” John asked.

  “Mom’s in trouble,” Seth replied.

  Minutes later, their mother was escorted out of the house in handcuffs and put in the back of a squad car. The woman in the white uniform got into the driver’s seat of the van.

  “Where are we going?” Logan asked as she started the engine.

  “First down to the police station,” she replied.

  “Police station? We didn’t do anything wrong!”

  “You didn’t, but your mother did.”

  Elizabeth snuggled under John’s arm. “What’s going to happen to us?”

  “That’s for the court to decide,” the woman said.

  “It’s going to be okay, Princess,” John reassured her.

  “Do you promise?”

  “I do.”

  Chapter Two

  It had been ten years since John had seen his family. Ten years since his lousy mother had been jailed for drugs, prostitution, and child neglect. Ten years since a court judge ordered them into social services and separated the four of them. No one would tell him what happened to his siblings. It had been ten years of hell.

  John could close his eyes and still see his little sister cry out for him as she was carried out of the court room. In his dreams, he still witnessed his twin brothers pulled apart by a social services liaison. John spent years in and out of foster homes but was always brought back to the Trinity Home for Boys. Time after time, he was told he just wasn’t a ‘good fit.’ To him, that was just another way of saying he wasn’t wanted.

  He hated it at the group home. He didn’t get along with the other kids, it was always crowded, and he despised the director, Chase Parker. John was counting the days until he could legally leave.

  He was walking through the hallways of his high school when he noticed a couple of guys shoving a smaller kid into a row of lockers. One was skinny and had the sleeves cut off his jean jacket. The other was slightly heavier than his friend. John balled up his fists, storming over to them.