Malediction

6 - Keep Away

Rummaging through the medical kit, Danny pulled out an assortment of items with his right hand only, his left hand pressed tightly against my arm.
Silence made the air awkward, his closeness making it overwhelmingly uncomfortable.

There was something different about being with Danny in such a private space. Something about it that made me more edgy than I had ever been.
A small part of me wondered if the rumours were simmering inside of my mind, worried something terrible would happen whilst alone with an infamous Newscot.

"This is going to hurt" Danny advised, removing the towel from my arm, using his other to lightly clean the area, wiping away blood with a burn.

I bit into my lip, forcing back a hiss as I looked away, distancing myself from the pain.

"Sorry" He mumbled, sliding the soft gauze over my raw skin.
Silence was winning the fight against me, trapping me, suffocating me as Danny carefully cleaned my arm, his eyes down on the long cut.

"Don't be tough on your brother, if it's any consolation he tried his best to ignore my existence like you do"

Danny sighed, unsurprised

"Unfortunately he's young, he doesn't understand the seriousness of the situation" He cryptically said

"If it means anything to you, to your family, I don't really believe in what everyone says"

"Maybe you should" He snapped back, his fingers pulling butterfly stitches over my wound, closing the small gap

I forced myself not to react as shocked as I actually was. I was attempting to befriend him, and here he was shooting me down with purposeful fear

"Does it not make you happy seeing your brother happy? Making friends, moulding into normal life the way he should?"

"You don't understand a thing about our life, nor the abnormality of it" He sighed, beginning to wrap a bandage around my arm

"It can't be that bad" I began "I know families that struggle with alcoholism, drug use, crime. All those things are a lot more common than you assume"

He suddenly gave a brazen scoff, finding something that I had said slightly amusing

"What?" I questioned, burning holes into his face with my eyes, studying his features on zoom

"Like I said, you don't understand a thing about our family" He repeated, layering my bandage up, carefully avoiding touching my skin

"Explain it to me then" I tried my luck

He shook his head "It seems you and your brother have problems keeping distance from us, so let me make it clear" His eyes drifted up to my face, his eyes meeting mine in a rare move "It isn't safe to be around my brother and I, it puts you both in danger, so if you value his life, and your own, you'll keep away"

For a mere few seconds, he held tight gaze on mine, forcefully conveying the warning. I should have taken it seriously, and a small part of me did, but I couldn't fathom what he was saying, mainly because I couldn't understand it.
What reason of simply being around them would be considered dangerous? Did they have anger issues? Violent tendencies? What could be the reason they had shielded themselves from human interaction for so long?
I wanted to know, I needed to know. I wanted to know so the rumours could be stopped, I needed to know, because it now involved my brother.
I had encouraged Luke to befriend this boy, now Danny had expected me to drag him away from Andy.