Free UNSEEN by John Michael Hileman

love, it was self-preservation.
    Once he started getting his life on track, it seemed wise for him to not be around at all. He couldn't stand to see her and Gabe surrounded by the destruction of her bad choices, and she’d refused to listen to him. He thought it was pride and stubbornness, but he could see now that it was simply weakness. Holly was just like their mother. She didn't have the strength to face life, so she ran to drugs to numb the pain. She ran to men to rescue her, but they weren't men, they were boys controlled by their own appetites. They offered easy access to the drugs she craved but lacked the moral fiber and willpower to be the hero she needed. She needed someone faithful, someone honest, someone stable.
    Jake looked at Dan perched on the edge of the couch like a stone gargoyle, watching patiently for an opportunity to help, like a hero, waiting to swoop in and save the day. Jake had never considered it before, but Dan was a stand-up guy, in spite of his quirks. He was good to his family, held down a steady job, and kept a clean lifestyle—even with the decay of western society all around him. How different would both their lives have been if she had responded positively to that letter? Maybe he would have done anything for Holly. Maybe she would have been his inspiration, challenging him to do more with his life; find a house, get a better paying job, come out of the cocoon of his living room and breathe fresh air once in awhile. Maybe he would have been the stability she needed to raise her son right, living a clean, happy life.
    Jake looked down at Holly, and his chest puffed out slightly as he choked back his own emotion. The wrong man was holding his sister. She didn't need a big brother, she needed a hero, and, even with his mild quirks, Dan Clark was the man for the job. All Jake had to do was get Holly to stop loathing him.

Chapter 10

    Holly was spent, so Jake left her on the couch with a cold compress. He turned the television on low in case there were any updates, then went into the kitchen to talk with Dan.
    " She going to be okay?" asked Dan, looking past him through the door.
    " Yeah. She just needs some time."
    " She having withdrawals?"
    " Yeah. That’s definitely part of it, but I think mostly she’s just been through the ringer emotionally. There’s a lot going on in her head right now. She doesn't know how to process it."
    " Is there anything we can do?"
    " We just need to keep pumping the water into her and let her rest. When she’s ready, she'll come out of it." Jake got a cloth from under the sink and wet it down with cold water. "These will help too. Go swap this with the one on her head."
    Dan’s eyes widened. "Me?"
    " Yeah. Why not?"
    " She hates me, Jake."
    " She doesn't hate you. She just doesn't get your humor."
    " I'm pretty sure I saw hatred when she saw me on the steps. She won't admit it, but she saw that letter. She saw it—and she hates me."
    " That was a million years ago, she doesn’t hate you.”
    " She caught me staring at her one time in gym class. She told me then she hated me.”
    Jake stared at his friend a moment, then stuffed the cloth into Dan's hand. "Just do it. Maybe she'll hate you less."
    Jake watched as Dan took the cloth into the living room and replaced the one on Holly's forehead. Holly's eyes opened to slits, and her face tightened. Jake’s best guess was she didn't like having anyone see her like this, least of all Dan. But somewhere in there, there had to be a twinge of gratitude.
    Dan returned with a told you so look on his face.
    Jake grabbed the cloth from his hand. "Hey, Rome wasn't built in a day."
    Dan circled him and leaned on the counter. "What are you up to, Jake?"
    " What do you mean?"
    " Rome wasn't built in a day?" He pointed at the cloth. "And the whole put a cloth on her forehead thing? Are you trying to—you know—get me and Holly together?"
    " Don't you like her?"
    " Yeah, in the eighth grade!"
    " Shhhh. Keep it