Picture story (based on Harris Burdick's picture The Seven Chairs )

There are many families in the world, and they usually don’t get along that well. But there is one family who get along so well it is almost frightening. This particular family is made up of seven children and two parents. The first and eldest child is a 21 year old girl named Virginia who is dominating art school in New York City. And an eighteen year old boy named Harvey, he had just graduated from a quite presidios high school, some might classify him a nerd with the blazers he wears or the big round glasses placed carelessly on the bridge of his nose. But everyone who knows him instantly looks up to him as their role model. Next there is Avery the classic sixteen year old girl. She wore extremely attractive and expensive outfits, and all she did was shop but she wasn’t mean or snooty. She was surprisingly kind and thoughtful. Also there was Jeremiah who was Mr. fifteen year old jock so popular, he was papered with millions of friends and girlfriends but yet he still attempts to spend time with his family through all the sports he does. Then there was Melanie and Wendell the fourteen year old twins who are best friends and they share everything. Then there’s me, Nyla I am the youngest thirteen years old and I am best described as urban. I wear long flowing skirts and tank tops and my fingers are covered in rings. Then there are our parents. They are both successful surgeons who got so in demand and rich that they retired early to be able to spend time with their children in their huge house in the suburbs of New York.

Yes my family was perfect they got along and never got in to trouble. It was almost imposable but then there was the tragic day of when my parents died from a terrible disease and that day the children started growing apart and fighting. Virginia took in me and the twins and unfortunately was forced to quit art school which made her slightly resent us. The others lost touch with us totally, after a terrible fight that shook the whole neighborhood over the will. Apparently Avery punched Harvey in the nose breaking his glasses and went to live with her best friend. And Jeremiah quit high school and moved in with a strange eighteen year old girl. I got over all this by sucking myself into music and books. Witch was fine by me.

Now it has been seven years and I am 20 years old and I am in school too earn my English teaching degree. The rest of my family is long gone. I haven’t heard from them in years until one rainy day. My small phone rang corresponding with the pitter patter of the rain against my window. I picked it up and gasped at the voice that replied to my hello. “Nyla, is that you” it was Virginia. “Oh my god Virginia? Yes it’s me I can’t believe it’s you, how are you?” “I’m fine I’m back at art school senior year.. Well I was just calling to tell you to meet us at the old mansion; I found a note from Daddy. He says that he knew we would grow apart and he wants us to all meet there in that room he never opened.” The phone line died before I could question “us”.

I stood trembling in front of the old house. I heard loud shouting coming from the second floor. I sighed and trudged in. I threw the big doors to a room I had never been open and walked in and then stopped, taking in the scene. All of my siblings sat around a long table with a big two way screen in the middle. Small iPads at each seat. I recognized all of them; the twins were in the midst of a heated argument. Jeremiah was sitting with his feet up on the table smoking a large cigarette with tattoos all over his arms and an icky woman stood behind him smoking as well. Virginia had a repulsed face on as all the cigarette smoke was deliberately being blown in her face.  Harvey was sitting promptly with a frown underneath a thick beard. And his glasses still poised on his broken nose. And lastly Avery sadly, after receiving a big amount of money from the will had become a snotty rich chick.

I crept through the silent room and sat in my chair, but right as I touched the chair the screen popped on and a few words started sweeping across the screen and our tablets. We all looked up and went silent it explained how this is some kind of challenge our parents had left for us. Then a question popped up on to the screen. It read “will you kids ever make up and a check box appeared on our iPads. I instantaneously checked the no box as well as everyone else. “I’m sorry to hear that I’m sorry I will have to send you away until you make up your mind. We all looked around puzzled but then suddenly ropes shot out of the chairs and strapped us on to them. I panicked flailing my arms trying to get out. But it was no use. The seven chairs rose up and evaporated. The first chair carried Virginia to Africa the second and third chair to Iraq which held the twins. The other chairs were scattered all around the world. My chair, the fifth one ended up in France. Two men waited for me. They informed me that I will be living with them until I contact one of my siblings and make amends. I was forced into a daily routine working for these men in their fancy hotel, but I was stubborn and refused to contact my siblings. And I lived out the rest of my life working for these men and teaching their children literature. I never saw my sisters or brothers or my life again.