This is one of my short stories based on a short scene I wrote and performed.
“Big Brother Why Are You Here?”
By Z. Owl
It was dark and gloomy the night that it happened. A storm was raging outside and the wind was blowing with incredible strength. A branch scraped against the window causing an eerie sound.
I was by myself that night. My daughter was at one of her friends’ house and my husband was working on a project at the office. He told me that while he was gone I should take time to think about what had happened.
You see about two weeks ago I got a call telling me that my parents had just died. It was a car accident that did it. I was so sad when I found out. I went to the funeral, but I didn’t pay attention to anyone around me. Then yesterday I went to the reading of their will. That’s when I found out that I had been left all their money.
I was sitting in the living room thinking about this when I heard the sound of shattering glass.
“Hello? Is anybody there?” I called out as I walked toward the now broken window. I looked out the window and felt the rain hit my face. Then all of a sudden I heard another noise and I turned around.
“Who’s there? Show yourself.” I yelled into the empty house.
“Who am I kidding? There’s no one there. It was probably just those kids from down the street. Who would want to break into this house anyway?” I said more softly to try and reassure myself.
“Hello sister.” A calm voice said and I turned to see someone step out from the shadows behind me.
“Ethan, is that you?” I asked in confusion. “No, it can’t be you. I haven’t seen you in at least 15 years.”
And it was true. The last time I saw my brother Ethan I was a small 15-year-old girl and he was a sad 18-year-old boy. At 18 years old my brother left our home in New York to go to school in England and I hadn’t heard anything from him since.
“I know Michelle.” Ethan stirred me from my thoughts. “Aren’t you glad to see me?”
“But I thought you were still in England.”
“Yes. Well I was anyway, but you see, a few days ago I got a message. It was a rather interesting message. Do you know what that message was?” he asked me with an odd look on his face.
“What was it?” I asked a bit afraid.
“It was a message telling me that my parents had died. Well, you can guess how sad I was at this news. I rushed as fast as I could to get a plane ticket and the next day I was back in America. And then, when I went to the reading of the will what a surprise I got when I found out that you were left all the money and I got nothing.” His features seem to become darker as he said this. “I’m older I should have gotten at least something!” He was half yelling and I was so frightened that when Ethan turned around I began to back away from him as slowly and quietly as I could as he continued to rant.
“But, NO, mother and father thought it would be better if their only son got nothing. I didn’t even get a stupid family heirloom. The only thing that I got was ‘Don’t worry son we love you.’ I can’t believe it.” Then all of a sudden he turned around and saw me desperately trying to leave.
“Where do you think you’re going?” He asked his voice full of malice.
“Uh I was uh j-just going-” I started to say but Ethan soon cut me off.
“Don’t give me that you were trying to escape.” He accused me.
“No really I wasn’t it’s just-” I tried again to hide my true intentions.
“Did you think you could get away? Why are you trying to run?” He moved closer to me as he asked these questions that I wasn’t sure how to answer.
“N-no w-why would I try to run?” I barely stuttered out.
“I know why. You’re afraid. Do you think I’m scary? I’ll show you how scary I can be.” He kept walking toward me and soon I felt a wall behind my back. Ethan reached his arms out and grabbed my neck. His hands tightened around my throat and it was becoming harder and harder to breath.
“N-no Ethan stop. Please. I’m sorry.” I gasped out.
“Sorry? What are you sorry for?” He looked at me and let go of my neck. I fell to the ground and hurriedly began to crawl away from my brother.
“I-I uh.” I couldn’t answer his question even as my mind searched for an answer.
“You’re just saying that to try and calm me down. You don’t really mean it.” It was the truth but I had to think of something to tell him.
“Ethan please listen to me.” I plead with my older brother.
“No! I always thought mom and dad were trying to get rid of me but this just proves it. I bet they didn’t even want me.” I didn’t know what he was talking about, but that didn’t matter. I couldn’t believe him. I didn’t want to believe him even if he was my brother.
“Don’t say that. Mom and dad were never like that.” I told him. My voice rose making me forget the fear that I had felt not too long ago.
“Then why did they send me away when we were kids?” He yelled this in my face bringing back that same fear from before.
“I-I don’t know.” I admitted. His question had gotten me thinking. Why did Ethan get sent away? “What are you here for Ethan?” I finally asked my mind still searching for answers that weren’t there.
“I want my money.” He said as though it were as obvious as the weather outside.
“What do you mean?” His statement had me confused. What money is he talking about? I thought to myself. Ethan started to walk toward me again and again I began to walk back until I had walked into a small desk. I knew my husband kept a gun hidden there. ‘Just in case.’ He told me. ‘Just in case.’
“I want the money that should have been mine. I want my inheritance.” This statement had confounded me even more then the one before. Then I had an idea.
“You mean the money mom and dad left me?” I asked to prove that my theory was correct.
“No. I mean the money that you left me.” The words coming from Ethan’s mouth just seem to become more puzzling by the minute.
“But how can I have left you any money? I’m not even dead.” I said stating my confusion to the man who stood before me but who I no longer knew.
“Yet.” Ethan said giving me a strange sense of danger and foreboding. Before I knew what was going on I saw the light of the room glint off of something. I looked up and I saw a large knife in my once beloved brother’s hands. I reached behind myself and pulled the gun from my husband’s desk.
I dodged the blade that came toward me and then I turned around. I saw Ethan running at me the knife still in his hand. I closed my eyes and I pulled the trigger of the gun in my hands.
Barely a second later I heard a loud thump and I opened my eyes. There on the floor before me lie my brother. A pool of blood was slowly growing beneath him like a crimson puddle.
“Oh no! What have I done? Ethan.” I crawled over to the body.
“Ethan! I’m so sorry. Please don’t be dead.” Tears began to form in my eyes as I turned him over. I looked into his open eyes but they were blank and devoid of life.
“I didn’t mean for this to happen. Ethan” I called his name out one more time as I cradled his head to my chest. I didn’t want to admit but I knew it was true. My older brother whom I hadn’t seen in 15 years was now dead and it was all because of me.
As the intensity of what happen sank in my tears began to fall. The tears came faster and more at a time but I made no move to wipe them away. The sound of police sirens soon hit my ears, but I didn’t care. I just sat there and held my dead brother as I cried.
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