Ghosts of Dusk

Prologue:

Sunlight filtered in through the kitchen windows. “I’m telling you Melissa I can’t find it,” Kristin called irritably.
“Just chill drama,” I sighed moving to the island. I glared at my mom’s latest soul mission as he sat casually next to Deirdre my second unofficial sister. “I got a spare card,” I assured the half frantic blond.
Kristin was fourteen now. She’d been apart of the misfit brigade for two years. I dug through my stack of papers finding the spare visa gift cards. I pulled one out showing it to her. The cards were my mom’s way of controlling spending.
I never used the things but Kristin loved to shop and her friends were waiting for her. My mom was a surrogate mother to half a dozen kids, ones who needed a home beyond her job at Haven, the halfway house of troubled and abused children.
“Please Melissa,” she begged. “I swear I didn’t spend this month’s,” she insisted crocodile tears filling her sky blue eyes.
“Chillax,” I groaned tossing it to her. “I’m not your warden Kris just go.”
“Oh thank you, thank you,” she giggled running out the back door. I glanced back and saw Deirdre sliding her hand towards my pile.
“Don’t even think it squirt,” I growled grabbing my paperwork from the box my mother setup.
“Come on Melissa you never ever use them,” she pouted. I narrowed my eyes sharply and she flinched.
“Don’t think I won’t thump you brat,” I hissed. “Don’t touch my stuff.”
“Yeah ok,” she sniffed. Deirdre was ten she’d been here less than six months but she had a problem with kleptomania. She was like little borrower bird hiding things in her room all the time. Her black eyes went round with hurt and I walked out. I ignored the darkly curious look of Jeremy Cole. I heard him speak softly to Deirdre until she giggled.
I moved up to the back stairs to my room irritated at the day’s events. I slid the keys from my neck and unlocked the door. I released a long slow breath glancing around my fortress of solitude. It was the one rule I insisted when my mom decided to foster kids. I was allowed absolute privacy in my room.