Page 25 of Alien in the Attic

Carmen sat up and glared at her younger sisters. “I’m not moping.”

Sofia carried a collection of scary movies, nail polish, and alcoholic beverages while Elena balanced Carmen’s favorite chocolate chip cookies on top of a box of pizza.

“One: yes, you are,” Elena said, setting the pizza and cookies on the writing desk.

“Two: you’ve been locked up in here for days, and we’re worried about you.” Sofia tossed the collection of horror films onto Carmen’s bed.

“And three: it’s been way too long since we’ve had a girls’ night,” Elena finished.

Sofia flopped onto the bed beside Carmen. She wore a T-shirt with a ghost on it that read,I’m just here for the Boo-ze. She gestured to the pile of movies. “You get first pick.”

Carmen rolled her eyes but couldn’t help the smile that grew on her face. Mercifully, her sisters had picked out supernatural-themed horror instead of science fiction. She wasn’t sure if she could deal with more aliens at the moment. “Hmm, I think I’ll go withA Nightmare on Elm Street.”

“Our wise elder has spoken,” Sofia announced, tossing the DVD box at Elena. The youngest let out a squawk of surprise and fumbled with it before finally managing to grab hold.

Carmen rolled her eyes. “Sofia, you do realize that I’m only a year older than you. Right?”

“A whole four hundred and twelve days more experience than me. You’re practically a senior citizen in comparison.”

Elena picked up the pizza and moved the box in front of the TV before setting up the DVD player. Sofia and Carmen got out of bed and sat on the floor with their backs supported by the footboard. Opening the box revealed a pepperoni and sausage pizza, Carmen’s favorite.

“You guys are the best,” she said, tears of joy welling in her eyes.

Elena winked and took a bite of her pizza. “We know.”

As soon as Carmen took a bite, the feeling of hunger struck her full force. She hadn’t eaten much since Arccoo left, so as soon as the first bite touched her taste buds, she began scarfing down the whole slice.

As Freddy terrorized Nancy and her friends, Carmen devoured her dinner and laughed at special effects almost as cheesy as the pizza. For the first time since Arccoo left, she felt like herself again.

Soon, the pizza was eaten, and all three girls were tipsily trying to paint one another’s nails without painting on each other. When the movie was over, Elena and Sofia played rock, paper, scissors for the next movie. Sofia won and pickedThe Exorcist. Soon, they were nibbling on cookies as Regan’s head spun around and she spat pea soup on a doubtful priest.

Elena went with the more recentGodzilla vs. Kongfilm, which was fun until that movie’s version of Ann Darrow had to say goodbye to Kong as he headed back to Skull Island. Suddenly, Carmen was remembering her own farewell, and the wounds that had been scabbing over reopened.

“Seriously, Elena?” Sofia said, slapping the youngest’s arm.

She pouted. “How was I supposed to know that would set her off?”

“Stop fighting,” Carmen said, sniffling. “I’m just sad and drunk. Very drunk. Why did I drink so much?”

Sofia shrugged. “It’s the quickest way to forget a boy.”

“And just about everything else that happened lately,” Elena added.

“My point is… I’m tired…” she slurred.

Elena yawned. “Me, too.”

“Sleepover?” Sofia suggested.

“Sure…” Carmen’s eyes felt as though they had ten-pound weights attached to each lid, and her sisters weren’t much better. Soon, they had all drifted off to the end credits of the film.

Carmen woke with a pounding headache and a crick in her back. Her dry mouth tasted like something had crawled into it and died. Groaning, she rubbed her temples and took in the room.

The empty pizza box and cookie plate sat on the floor while her sisters curled in a circle around them. Between Sofia’s ghost hunts and Elena’s love of late-night research rabbit holes, Carmen was the only early bird among them. Behind Sofia and Elena, the theme toGodzilla vs. Kongplayed in a loop on the DVD menu screen. Despite the hangover and her body protesting her stupid choice to sleep on the floor, she felt fine. Better than fine. She felt more like herself than she had ever since Arccoo left.

Groaning like an old lady, she got to her feet, her spine giving a series of crackles as it realigned itself. She staggered to the bathroom, drank some water from the sink, and brushed her teeth before taking a nice, hot shower.

Her sisters were still fast asleep on the floor, and Carmen watched the gentle rise and fall of their chests with a small smile. After their parents died, she sometimes feared that she would be stuck in the role of surrogate mother for them, but it was never so one-sided. Her sisters cared for her as much as she cared for them.

---