Gracious

Chapter 11

Most people probably loved that, but it made me feel sick. I left my bag at the door, as well as my shoes, going straight to the stairs and checking which doors were closed.

Mine and Prescott's.

The others were all open a little, so I didn't bother checking in them; I tried to open my brothers first and it revealed was an empty bedroom, door neither locked or barricaded. I pulled down on my handle next, it didn't budge.

"Leave us alone!", came Prescott's voice and I physically winced, hearing him whisper to the others, "get into the corner".

"Hey, no- it's me", I told them, hand already gripping the handle tightly, "let me in".

"Zane?", one of the twins said, sounding pretty far away from the door.

"It's me, I promise", I pressed my forehead against the door and sighed, trying to swallow the lump in my throat, "Prescott? Open the door". I was met by silence for a couple of seconds before the sound of something being pushed filled my ears, then the click of a lock. I slid inside and shut it behind me, locking it and shoving the small bedside table back to where it was; not having the heart to tell them that wouldn't have been much help if the door wasn't locked.

"Zane", I faced them, my eyes settling on the twins and Chase first; I scanned them up and down quickly for any obvious injuries- none.

And then I looked at Caleb.

"What the fuck did he do to you?", I rushed over, tipping his chin up and inspecting his face as he sat on my bed deadly still, "Caleb, tell me".

"You swore!", Xavier gasped and I clenched my jaw, I didn't like to swear in front of them but my rage had overtaken everything else.

"I got a D in my English test", he mumbled, wincing when Prescott pushed the cloth to the cut on his forehead a little too hard, "I was showing Scott it and he came in and saw".

"And...", I tipped his chin up further and froze when I saw the forming bruises around his neck, "did he-,". I don't even know why I asked.

Maybe to pray that he'd deny it, but I knew.

He'd tried to fucking strangle him because he failed a stupid test.

"I'm gonna kill him", I stood, shoving the bedside table out of the way and unlocking the door, until a hand latched onto my upper arm and I stopped.

"Please don't go down there Zane", Prescott pleaded, eyes wide and full of panic, "he's really mad and I don't want you to get hurt".

"He strangled him Scott", I never called my brother by his preferred nickname and it shocked the pair of us, "he strangled him".

"I'm sorry I didn't get there sooner", all anger I had was replaced with guilt when he started to cry, "I didn't know and- and I didn't hear anything, I'm sorry it wasn't me instead and-,".

I cut him off by pulling him into a hug, his face buried in my stomach as he shook with silent cries; I just held him while trying to give my brothers reassuring looks over the top of his head.

He was twelve.

He was twelve and Caleb was ten and Chase was eight and the twins were barely six, yet this was our reality.

"Don't cry Scott", Xavier came over and hugged one of Prescott's legs, Alexander soon followed and hugged the other.

"Yeah, don't cry", he added, "are you sad Zane?". I wasn't sad, or angry, or anything...I was just tired. Not physically tired, but mentally. I just wanted it all to stop.