One Drop

Chapter Six: Will

I wake up a few days later, lying in the middle of the forest with dead animals littered around me covered in their own blood. The last thing I can remember is a fiery, burning pain, the worst pain I have ever experienced, then blackness. I sit up, only to find that I am naked. I shiver, even though it is boiling hot, with strong sunlight streaming through the trees and a hot, sticky heat that envelopes everything like hot honey. I dimly think of home, but then realise that it is not safe for my family if I go there. Then, I think of my long lost brother, Phil, who is also dangerous, and I realise he'll also think of home, however he'll be too weak and go back there, which I know he can't do because of the same reason I can't go back there. So, I find myself myself traipsing through the forest back to my home, and I make myself swear I will only stay long enough to get Phil out, then I'll leave, and never come back, no matter how much it hurts me or the people I love. Soon I am vaulting over the back fence into our familiar backyard. I'm about to go round to the front door when I realise that I am still naked, so I climb into my open bedroom window, and I pull some clothes and shoes on, then I'm in the backyard again, walking around the front to the door. I knock, then stand back and wait as I listen to light footsteps I know to be my mother's echoing from the back of the house. I frown. How can I hear this? But all thoughts of hearing are banished from my mind as Mum pulls the door open and screams. "WILL! Oh Will, I thought I'd lost you both forever. James, JAMES! It's Will, he's home!" shouts Mum, and she pulls me into the house and slams the door. Dad meets us in the hall, and he too hugs me tightly. "What were you thinking going after your brother like that? Your mother and I were so worried, not to mention Jilly and the boys!" chastises Dad as he and Mum drag me into the living room. Ten minutes later all my brothers (except for Phil) and my sister are clustered around me, hugging me and asking countless questions. I feel so tired, and I almost like being at home, but I still remember my promise and I try to steer them all away from the endless questions to the reason I'm still here. "Where's Phil?" I ask. "He's in his room, sleeping it off. He says he's going to stay!" Joel tells me excitedly and I try and push a smile onto my face, but all I can manage is a grimace. "Kids, kids, let the boy have some peace. You must be tired Will, you should sleep like Phil. Go on, off to bed," says Mum, obviously enjoying being able to boss me around again, and I find myself next in my room, feeling like an absolute failure. There is a tentative knock on my door and Jilly tiptoes in, looking over her shoulder before carefully easing the door shut. "Hey," she whispers, and I weakly smile at her, genuinely glad to see her, even though at the back of my head there is a tiny nagging that I should get out now while I still can. "So, are you...... like Phil? Is that why you really ran away?" asks Jilly, and I know I can't lie to her, we're twins after all. "Yeah, sadly it's true," I confirm, and she collapses into a chair. "Is that why you told Emily to go last week? Because you knew she wasn't safe? Because, dude, she's like, depressed! She hasn't come out of her room since she found out you were gone, and she only let me in yesterday because she thought I knew where you were. But seriously, if you think she wasn't safe then, then why are you here? You're putting everyone in this house at risk, except maybe Phil because he has the same problem. What are you doing Will?" Like always, Jilly got straight to the point. "I know that I shouldn't be here, but I had to come back for Phil. He can't stay here just as much as I can. I wanted Mum to know that I was alright. Is that so bad?" I ask, and now I'm angry, even though I know she's right. "Hey, don't go all Twilight on me Will. I know that you would only be here for noble reasons, but can I just pose a hypothetical on you? What would happen, if, say, someone told Emily you were back. What do you think she would do? She would come over here, and demand to see you. And because you fucked up and didn't tell her the truth she's not going to know that her life is in even more danger every step she takes towards that door. So tell me, Will, what would you do if you went all wolf on her and got her hurt or worse, dead? What would you do?" argues Jilly, arms crossed and staring at me with anger in her eyes. The anger in me dies as suddenly as it appeared and I slump back into the cushions, my head in my hands. "I know that this is dangerous, but if I told her the truth she wouldn't take it well. She'd probably think we were crazy, or that it's all a dream. I can't do that to her, I can't unload my toxic mess on her. I feel bad enough doing it to you, but at least I know you're strong and that you can handle it. I promise you that I'm leaving here as soon as I see Phil. But until then, at least I can try and protect Mum and Dad and everyone else, including you if Phil does a wolf. Please Jilly, just trust me on that," I plead with her, and I know she has agreed. "Okay fine, but you better not kill me!" she smiles, and I'm suddenly glad that she's back on my side.