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second before I felt the weight of a body leaning across me. Startled, my eyes flew open to find my sister, Kara, leaning across me. Her bright blue eyes were sparkling, and her long blonde hair was tied to the side. She looked just like my mom, only younger. Some people have a hard time believing I belong to this family at all, simply because I’m so short and my hair and eyes are jet black. I looked like my dad – well, except for the short part. I think the only reason I’m small is because I was premature, but who knows how genes work anyway?
    “ Today is your big day, Charlie bug,” Kara said, grinning widely.
    “ Charlie, we need you…come, Charlie,” the whispers taunted.
    I shook my head, ignoring them.“I hear I’m in your custody,” I said, wiping the sleep out of my eyes.
    Her eyes grew concerned as she looked over me.“You want to come home, Charlie.” she said quietly.
    “ I can’t go, Kara…help me talk mom out of this.”
    Kara’s eyes filled with concern as they danced across my face. “Charlie…you need to be home now. I’m taking mom’s side on this.”
    “ This is the one time I need you to take mine…I’m scared, and I don’t even know why – going home is a bad idea. I have to fight my demons where I find them.”
    “ What demons are we talking about, Charlie?” Kara asked as she leaned back.
    I pulled myself up and stared blankly in the distance. “I don’t know…just fears…isn’t that what demons are?”
    “ You would know,” she said under her breath as she stood and started to pace beside my bed. “I don’t know why you’re trying to fight this fear on your own…this is the one time you should be reaching for the one who makes you so unique.”
    I furrowed my eyebrows as I listened to her – who was she talking about – my father? How could I reach for him? I started to ask her what she was talking about, but then I remembered my mother telling me she wanted me to play for her. My heart started to race as I heard her words in my memory again. I assumed Kara wanted me to come home so I could teach myself to play. She knew I depended on music to make me feel safe…as far as I could remember, I never told her why I needed the music…about the whispers, but there was no doubt she knew I hid behind the gift my father carried in his life.
    “ Mom asked me to play for her…how crazy is that?” I mumbled as I let my legs fall to the side of the bed.
    Kara sat down next to me, and I could see relief starting to come over her. “How did that make you feel…to hear her say that?”
    I slowly moved my head from side to side as I felt the emotion again. “Strange…like I yearned for those words…but that doesn’t make any sense…I’ve never played.”
    Kara took in a deep breath, and the relief I saw before vanished. “I’m really worried about you, Charlie – everyone is – but I’ve been assured that letting you find your way back to the Charlie you were before those drugs – or whatever happened to you - is the only way you’ll get better.”
    “ I’m fine…just a little foggy,” I said quietly as I looked down.
    “ I think I could find a stronger word than that.”
    “ You’re a writer – I’m sure you could,” I said, rolling my eyes.
    “ Fair,” Kara said as she twirled her wedding ring on her finger. “I just think you need to listen to yourself right now, to the emotions you’re feeling. I think that will be the fastest way to make you better.”
    “ I agree – and the emotions are telling me to stay here. I can’t explain how strong those emotions are to you right now.”
    Kara leaned forward on her knees as she contemplated my words. “The only problem is….you were acting strange before this…and you didn’t tell me what was wrong. The only person you told was Madison…and if it was up to her, you would already be home…my emotions are telling me to take you there.”
    “ What if something bad happens?”
    “ Worse