Brothers
You go limp and slip right out of the kid's grip. As you get to your feet, however, you feel the kid's arms grab hold of you once more.
"Nice try, asshole," The older kid says to you.
The other kid continues his relentless assault on your brother, kicking him over and over again in the gut until the point that Kenny no longer moves. The older kids grow sick of beating a motionless child and eventually move on. You rush to Kenny's side, screaming into the atmosphere for someone to help.
The help takes a long while to come, and while you wait for the ambulance you watch in horror as he goes paler, blood continuing to pool about his lifeless form.
Tears streak down your face unchecked and your voice goes hoarse from the screams and sobs.
He dies in the hospital that night from internal bleeding.
Your brother, dead to the world. Dead because you could not protect him. Dead because you have failed again.
Dead.
_________________________________________________
Time passes in a silent house. No one speaks to anyone anymore, so devastated is everyone from the absence of your sibling.
Your older brother, Paul, leaves home to join the military and a year later, you drop out of school.
Your father tells you that if you don't get a job, you can't stay in the house. But you don't want to work; you don't think you can handle having a job. All you can ever think about is Kenny, and the fact that his death is a direct result of your actions. Kenny didn't deserve so much torment in his life.
But you have to decide if you're getting a job and suffering or remaining unemployed and becoming homeless.
"Nice try, asshole," The older kid says to you.
The other kid continues his relentless assault on your brother, kicking him over and over again in the gut until the point that Kenny no longer moves. The older kids grow sick of beating a motionless child and eventually move on. You rush to Kenny's side, screaming into the atmosphere for someone to help.
The help takes a long while to come, and while you wait for the ambulance you watch in horror as he goes paler, blood continuing to pool about his lifeless form.
Tears streak down your face unchecked and your voice goes hoarse from the screams and sobs.
He dies in the hospital that night from internal bleeding.
Your brother, dead to the world. Dead because you could not protect him. Dead because you have failed again.
Dead.
_________________________________________________
Time passes in a silent house. No one speaks to anyone anymore, so devastated is everyone from the absence of your sibling.
Your older brother, Paul, leaves home to join the military and a year later, you drop out of school.
Your father tells you that if you don't get a job, you can't stay in the house. But you don't want to work; you don't think you can handle having a job. All you can ever think about is Kenny, and the fact that his death is a direct result of your actions. Kenny didn't deserve so much torment in his life.
But you have to decide if you're getting a job and suffering or remaining unemployed and becoming homeless.