As I lay awake at night, I can hear my brothers snoring softly. I was wondering whether I snored, seeing as how almost everyone else in my family did. This particular night, the moon was full and I could see it from the window that was strategically placed right by my bed.
Lost in my thoughts, I suddenly felt a sharp pain in my stomach and I could barely breath.
"TAY! You stepped on me again!" I gasped. I heard a muttered apology and the sounds of footsteps. The door opened, revealing a block of bright light and Taylor's silhouette.
"Close the door, Taylor." My other, much older brother hissed. Taylor obliged, and I heard Isaac grumble.
"Don't even start with that, Ike. He stepped on me again." I rolled my eyes. "You would think that after 12 years of having me underfoot he would finally learn, but no… Every night it's the same thing. He gets up to go to the bathroom or get a drink or whatever that kid does and he steps on me, all 125 pounds of him."
"Whatever Zac. Shut up and go to sleep." Well he was in a good mood, wasn't he?
"Goodnight Ike. I love you like the monkey I never had." Ok, so that was mean. He deserved it though.
Once again I looked up through the window, wondering exactly how the moon could be so bright and so beautiful… But is just a chunk of rock. Or maybe not even rock, just some moon dust that's God only knows how old.
"Hey Ike, how old will I be when you're 25?" I asked suddenly.
"189." He mumbled.
"Wow, I'll be almost as old as… Wow. That's pretty old." I rolled my eyes in sarcasm, thankful that it was night and Isaac couldn't see me.
"Any ways… Who's gonna be married?"
"Taylor." Isaac mumbled, rolling over to look down upon me. "Listen Zac, if you so desperately want someone to talk to, why don't you go talk to Mocha?" He said, referring to my stuffed monkey.
"Yo, don't bring Mocha into this conversation and don't try to change the subject. Besides, I haven't had a chance to talk with you in a long time." I said reasonably. At least, it was reasonable to myself.
"Whatever Zac… We've had plenty of talks."
"And I see that whatever is the word of the day… Err, night?" I said, grinning up towards him.
"It most certainly is." He replied. I nodded, understanding.
"No, really, where do you think we'll be when we're in our mid-20's? And don't give me any crap response that we give at interviews." I instructed.
Isaac sighed, rolling over once again. "I really don't know… Hopefully music, but really. What if that fails? I know I want to have a family someday, and I'm pretty sure that Taylor would want the same thing…" Speak of the Devil. Taylor returned, this time stepping over me to reach his bed.
"You guys miss me?" Same thing every night.
"But of course, dear brother! Who wouldn't?" I drawled and slapped him on the back of the shin.
"Oww! Zac, come on, that hurt!" he whined.
"So is that what you said to Vicki?" I grinned devilishly.
"Shut up." Taylor ordered. I started laughing, then Isaac threw a pillow down towards me, hitting me square in the face.
"Ike! Why'd ya do that?"
"Cause I'm sure you deserved that." I could see him smile through the small strain of light that was reaching the room through the window.
"Ok, Tay. Here's a question for you. Where are you going to be when you're in your mid-20's? And no crap interview answer, either." I re-asked the question.
Taylor shrugged, "No idea. Probably still music. I want a girlfriend… Vicki didn't count, dudes." Isaac and I both started cracking up at this one, and a few moments later Taylor joined us.
"Wouldn't it be weird if one of the family were, like, dead?" I asked suddenly. Things turned quiet, and stillness washed over the room.
"What if it was one of us?" Isaac asked in a shushed tone.
Things were quiet for a few minutes, and I was first to break the silence.
"Well, it's not going to be me because I intend on living for a very, very long time."
"But what if the Fates don't want you to?" Taylor asked.
"Then screw them, they don't know what they're thinking! No one could ever kill the Zac Man unless the Zac Man let them!" I said stubbornly.
Isaac nodded. "We aren't going to die unless we want to die or we get our head chopped off."
Taylor grinned. "That's it, I'm never going near an axe again!"