Of Brothers & Sisters
Wrote this a few years ago and found it in my drafts. Posting now - perhaps it’ll encourage me to actually build a story around it.
As he tiptoed past her bedroom he said a silent prayer when he found her praying just as he had hoped she would be - with her eyes closed, reciting her verses in a raised whisper. In the whole world, she was one of two people that meant more to him than anyone else and he didn’t have it in him to face her tonight. Especially not before he had had time to collect himself. He couldn’t have her finding out about what he had done. It would break her heart. He knew she would come check on him soon as she finished praying and realized he was back. He stepped into his bedroom and quickly shucked off his clothes, grabbed his towel and sought refuge in the bathroom. He barely made it into the tub and under the shower before he broke down. It had been two years since he’d shed his last tear over her. Two years since she’d broken his heart and walked away. Tonight, however, he’d seen her again - and what a state she’d been in. She was so far gone that she didn’t even recognize him and instead of pity he’d seen her state and felt avenged. It wasn’t until he’d walked away from her that he realized the depth of the emotion he still harboured for her. As fate would have it though, by the time he went back to look for her, she had disappeared. Almost as if she’d been a figment of his imagination. He had looked around but saw no sign of her at which point he had resigned himself to going home.
When his tears had seemingly run dry he turned off the shower, dried himself off and turned to look at himself in the mirror. His eyes were the colour of the poppy he still had pinned to his coat so he splashed some cold water on his face and fished out the bottle of Visine in the cabinet. He then put on his pajamas, took a deep breath and let himself out of the bathroom. Once inside his bedroom, he made sure the lights were turned down and slipped into bed. He had barely managed this when he heard the soft knock he had been anticipating. “Come in” he called out. She walked in with a smile on her face and sat on his bed. Despite all his efforts, the first thing she asked him was what happened. He didn’t know when and how his little sister had become his rock. Through it all, and the death of their parents his sister had been his pillar of strength. In that moment, he became selfish and sought comfort in her. He didn’t know how but it all came tumbling out of his mouth. How he had seen her tonight and the state that she was in. She had been her bestfriend and had been heartbroken at her leaving.













