The Unknown Family

Little sister

Mention of Self Harm

"Don't move." Was all Theo said before he stormed he way down the stairs, which I was stood at the top of.

Nodding my head hesitantly, the grip I had on the dark wood railing tightened as I watched my brother and best friend descend the stairs.

I did I was told, the entire time.

All through the shouting and screaming

Through the sound of smashing glass.

Through the sound of cracking wood.

The sound of skin brutalising skin.

I remained in my spot...

A few minutes later, Theo came limping up the stairs. He had a cut on his hairline, a busted lip, a swollen cheek and a visible scrape down his leg.

He didn't say anything when he saw me, all he did was take my small hand in his giant bloodied one. Guiding me back down the corridor, we went back inside my bedroom and I sat him on the edge of the bed.

I went into my first aid kit that I keep in my bag that I take everywhere. Taking it out, I opened it up on the bed beside my older brother, watching as he glared at me through his lashes.

"I don't do it anymore." I mumbled as I started to clean his cuts and scrapes.

"Then why do you still have this?" He questions as he gazes down at the first aid kit.

"It's just... if... that ever happened again, I could at least be prepared." I sighed, closing my eyes as the memories of fire and the smell of gas filled my mind.

"Liv, look at me." He ordered, that heartbreaking look spread across his face.

"It's been a year, we've had enough bad to last us a lifetime. I want you to let go of it. All of it." He whispers in the caring tone he only uses for me as he stroked my cheek.

"These past few months have been the hardest." I muttered, sitting down next to him as I cuddled into his side.

"I know Liv. It was the same for me." He said, leaning his head on top of mine.

"I guess, I was always tempted to cut. I just left the kit there in case it ever got too much. It just hurt so much" I truthfully told.

His large hand unwrapped from his hold on me, and he rubbed his thumb up and down on the scars of my wrist.

"This." He says. "This hurts me. Your my little sister, the only one I have left. What if your too late one day? I could lose you."

By now, we were both sat on the end of my green quilted bed, holding onto each other as we wept.

"Liviana, I can't lose anyone else. Especially you." He tells me.

"I'm sorry." I said, biting back my sobs that were fighting to break free.

"Liv, you have nothing to be sorry for. You did nothing wrong. You made it quick and painless." He told me, soothing my cries.

We sat in silence for a bit longer. Just holding onto each other as we tried to except the fact that we cannot change the past.

I wish we could.

I wish we could write our own stories in pencil, so we can rub out all that makes us suffer.

But suffering is a part of life.

Some people have to do it a lot more than others, and for far longer. But the more you suffer, the stronger you become.

No superhero had it easy.

No villain had it peaceful.

Some people just suffer and break more than others.

The difference between the hero and the villain is, who can put themselves back together in time?

"Is you knee still aching?" Theo eventually spoke, holding onto my hand like it was his link to reality.

"Yeah." I mumbled, "Not as bad as before though."

"Good" he replied.

"What did you do to Luca?" I asked, trying to see through my bedroom doorway, but no one was there.

"Knocked him out." Theo shrugged.

"You shouldn't have done that." I told him, slapping his arm slightly.

"He deserved far worse after what he said to you." Theo seethed through his teeth. I saw how his fist uncontrollably clenched as his breathing became faster.

"Calm down Theo. I'm okay now." I told him as I hugged his side more.

"Is your hand okay?" I asked as I analysed his bruised knuckles.

"It'll be fine." He responded, kissing the crown of my head.

"I'm surprised they haven't come upstairs yet." I chuckled as I looked down the corridor outside my bedroom.

"I told them that if they did I would kill them. And by the way they looked at me, they seemed convinced." He chuckled back, but his eyes still held fury.

"They're not that bad. Luca's the only one who's caused an issue." I told him.

"Non of them should be causing an issue." Was all Theo said before he got up and got in the covers of my bed. With that, he was out like a light.

Theo and I went through so much. We both changed drastically.

Theo became enraged and hating. Anything illegal he could do without serving some proper time, he did. It got so bad that bailing him out of jail became a daily thing for Amanda and David.

I became shy and timid. Any loud bangs or flames larger than ones for candles send me running for t hills. And if the car goes over even fifty mph, I panic.

It's been a year since we lost so much, and three months since we lost each other.

But it's been two hours since we got each other back, and we won't struggle alone again.