Oh Brother (Completed)

Are You Too Proud

A broken nomad with no home

Out of the ashes the Phoenix had rose

Making friends out of foes."

The second stanza was clearly a metaphor of Phoenix and how he'd become everyone's light during the time of darkness.

"With every breath he drew,

A spark was ignited

A brightness, a warmth, a ray of light

He was loved by many, hated by few

But there was one person that very few knew

That could ignite his flame, make it anew

A weakness some would say, but he always said

She was the last name inside his head

When he awoke up, and when he went to bed

And as he stood, feeling weary

There she stood, his beautiful fairy."

Stray tear drops had begun to raid the page, smearing the ink slightly, but I managed to read the last stanza before it became a mess of black ink.

"One faithful night a ceasefire sounded

But with it came a revelation that astounded

The Phoenix and his fire receded

As the fairy had retreated

With one last look in his direction

The Phoenix collapsed in devastation."

The night we had left. I could remember all my brothers faces clear as day, it was one of the few memories form my childhood that had forever been imprinted in my mind. Phil had stood behind Dad, tugging at his arm pleadingly as he tried to reason with him, beg him not to allow Mom to separate us. Buck had been sitting on the front porch, knees pulled against his chest as he watched the scene play out before him. Sam and Nix had been the closest to me, offering sad looks of their own, Sam already crying as our mother shouted across the driveway at our father to quiet my brothers. Then there was Aden, Damien at his side. My twin, my other half, was on his knees sobbing in devastation of what was happening. Damien had his hand on his shoulder, but he didn't at all look as if he were going to be able to comfort his best friend.

Then there had been my father, holding my frail eight-year-old body against his chest. I had thrusted my stuffed fairy bear into his arms and made him promise to take care of her before my mother had torn me away from him, and my brothers, and into the back seat of her car. But every pair of eyes on me, full of tears, remained permanently engrained.

"This is beautiful, Sam." I choked out. My brother wrapped his arm around my shoulders and hugged me against his side, but didn't say anything. And for a moment, it was peaceful, just the two of us staring out over the beach and at the setting sun.

*

Once I'd finally forced myself into my father's room, I thought about turning around and running right back out.