Tatum started a new book today. She just started writing, and in 45 minutes?
THIS IS WHAT SHE WROTE:
Chapter one
There is one place that is a separate world, away from siblings and fights, and most importantly away from parents and rules, and Baxter was the first one to go there.
The sun shone through the shutters. Baxter could feel feet digging into his rib cage, he was used to it. A small face appeared over the heavy woolen blanket. Of course. Baxter’s new foster sister, Akili, always was awake before him, and his siblings. She reached out and pulled the blanket away from him. “Hey, what did you do that for.” He said, trying to reach back for it, but Akili pulled it back further. She was fully dressed. Of course. Baxter reached out to nudge his twin brother. “Wha?” Paxter said startled. “You know who is awake.” “Yep.” Maybe it was the tone in his voice or, maybe it was because Akili was new to the family, but something made Akili yank on Paxter’s arm.
It wasn’t until their mother called them down for pancakes that Baxter actually talked to Paxter about Akili. “ Baxter you know that Akili is new therefore, we need to be nicer to her.” Baxter stood there. Paxter was right he had always been mean to Akili ever since she got off that plane he treated her as if she was just a fly on the wall that he was trying to kill.
Mom passed around the pancakes clearly eyeing Baxter, Paxter, and Akili. When she stopped on Baxter she leaned forward and said, “Bud, I know it’s hard being one of 10.” That was it. Was today the guilt trip day? Because Baxter sure felt like it was.
Baxter reached out to grab his notebook but Akili beat him to it. “ hey!” He shouted clearly annoyed at her. “No.” Baxter was getting furious. “ give it back!” But Akili just strutted off, Baxter chasing after her. When Baxter caught up with her he held out his hand and shouted,” give it back right now!” “Akili!” The name hung out in mid air. Soon the name was met with the voice. Jeremiah! Jeremiah was the oldest at 12 years
old. All the other siblings were afraid of him because if he saw one sibling being mean to the other sibling he would beat that sibling up then he would get in trouble with their mom but he didn’t care. Baxter had already gotten beat up four times once in the eye once in the stomach once in the head and once in the you know. And I wasn’t gonna get beaten up again for something that Akili was doing to me. So he quickly backed up but it was no use. Jeremiah kept stepping closer and closer until he was right up to me so close that I could feel his breath on my head. And let me remind you he’s only nine years old. Anyways Jeremiah said something that made him release all his breath that he had been holding, which was,” hey shrimpo little sissy picking on you?” He slowly nodded. “ well, then shrimpo I guess I don’t need to beat you up but I need to beat her up.” He pointed behind him. “Who?” He slowly dared to ask. He turned around. And instead of finding Akili standing there crying he saw mom and Akili. Mom‘s face was red with fury.