kindred

Chapter 35 : Goodbye

"NO. He's gonna wake up" He snapped back, gripping to his dead brother. 

A pair of hand's gripped him under the arm's, pulling him backwards off the floor. 

"James, he's gone" Riley told him, pulling him backwards. 

"Get off" He shouted, pulling at Riley's grip. "You need to help him"

Riley picked him up, slinging him over his shoulder whilst he tightly held his waist. 

"Put me down" James shouted, tears only now filling his eyes. "He's not gone, he's NOT" 

James kicked and squirmed as Riley pulled him out of the office and into a nearby room. 

"LET ME GO" He screamed again, his voice raw. "Please" 

James lunged at Riley, punching him in the jaw. Riley grabbed both of the boys smaller fists in his hands, holding him still. 

"James. Stop" He asked, too overcome with emotions himself to fight hard against him. "Please" 

"He's not dead" He finally broke down, snot stuffing up his nose and haggling at each individual rise of his chest. 

"He's not, he's not" He hung his head, leaning it against Riley's head, tears trailing down his shirt. 

James felt Riley's tears dripping down into his golden curls as he rested his chin on the top of his head.  Rileys back slid down the wall, bringing James down with him. The pair leant in each others arms, not speaking, just sitting. Thinking. 

The door opened, heavy footsteps dropping onto the floor. Thomas sunk down to the floor next to them, his eyes rimmed in red, illuminated by the lamp in the corner, the main light still off. 

"I'm sorry" Thomas eventually said. "I shouldn't have let you see" 

James looked up, his head peeking up through the arms of Riley. 

"It's not your fault" James shuffled slightly, pressing his body in between the twins, none of the three mentioned the hands that were tightly clasped. They sat there in the dark. 

A large smashing noise sounded and they all flinched. 

"Oh god. Addie" Elijah's voice from the other room erupted through the walls. Sobs tearing into the darkness. 

James could hear his brother's sobbing in the other room, he covered his ears, trying to block it all out. Thomas wrapped his arms around his shoulders, rocking back and forth. 

They sat there for hours in the dark until their limbs went numb and their heads fuzzy. 

The door creaked open, light shinning on the three brothers. 

"Hey James. You need to go to bed bud" Harry said, not looking over, trying to cover his red streaked cheeks. 

Thomas glanced down at his brother who was curled up at his side. Normally he would have made a comment. But not today, he couldn't feel the substance inside of him to do so. 

"He's asleep. Riley too" Harry sighed, shuffling forward to pick him up off the floor. 

Once he was settled in his arms he gently reached down and stroked the top of Riley's bowed head. 

"Ri. You need to wake up" The boy stirred, roughly clambering to his feet and heading out the door, not saying a word. 

"He's dead Harry" Thomas whispered to no-one in particular. 

"Go to bed Tom" Harry rested his large hand on his head for a moment. 

"You're so pathetic" Thomas said, his voice thick with tears, but he still managed to crack a wonky smile.

A small smile was shared before they both left the room. 

Elijah watched as Riley carried James from the room, both needing to get James away but also himself. Harlan had turned away, not able to look. 

Thomas bit his lip, turning and walking away. 

Falling out of usual calm self Harry flipped, grabbing the glass bottle on the table and lobbing at the wall. It hit a picture of their father, knocking it to the floor. 

Harry's harsh breathes wheezed in his chest, the sharp exhalations moving the hair that fell over his forehead. 

Elijah stared at the picture on the floor, the glass shattered around it. His eyes travelled over Joe's body. His face, his shoulders, his arms and his hands. His hands. 

His left fist was curled tightly, something clutched in between his fingers. Elijah nudged his hand with his foot, not wanting to get his brother's dried blood on his hands.

A silver piece of metal dropped to the floor, rolling a for a few seconds before falling onto its side, a piece of paper fluttering down after it. Elijah bent over it. 

"Oh god. Addie" Elijah shouted, reeling away from the metal as if it was poisonous. 

"It's hers" He backed away, his hips pushed up against the table. "They've got her" He whispered, not quite believing it. His worst fear was coming true, he was losing them, his family was crumbling. 

Elijah clenched his eyes shut, blocking out the rest of the world. He briefly registered the sound of a door slamming. Harlan had left. 

It was just him and Harry. 

"I never thought it would happen again" Elijah glanced up as his brother spoke. 

"It's all his fault" Harry suddenly whirled, kicking their fathers photo across the floor. "He caused this. All of it" He shouted. 

"I need a drink" He said, stalking out the room as well. He had left Elijah alone with his brother. 

He could feel his brother staring into the back of his head, his motionless eyes sharp. 

Elijah collapsed to his knees beside the box. 

He hesitated, he wanted to look into his eyes forever, they were familiar, safe. But he relented. Gently he shut his eyes, obscuring the world from Joe's eyes, taking his final moment of light. 

He finally spoke up.

"I love you big brother" 

He pulled the lid shut again, sealing his fate, turned around and left the body. It wasn't his brother anymore. 

He glanced again at the piece of paper that still lay on the floor as he left. 

He kept rereading it as he walked away. 

'Next time don't put a tracker to your most prized possessions. M'