The Casual Neighborhood short stories

Brother (Part two)

I stepped back slowly, starting to cry at his appearance. He was terrifying.

As I started to run to Papa, the monster tried to stop me.

"No! Wait! Please!"

Luckily, I escaped.

I then ran to the living room and got up on the sofa with Papa. I was safe there.

"Oliver- what? What going on? Are you okay?"

I couldn't say anything. I just kept crying into his shoulder, knowing he'd help.

Suddenly, the monster ran into the living room, looking like my brother again.

"Oliver! Please listen to me!"

Papa looked very confused, then looked at the monster.

"Lou. What did you do now?"

"Dad I swear I didn't do anything!"

Papa looked at me.

"Well. Oliver. Did he hurt you?"

I shook my head no.

"B- but  h- he... he's a monster!"

Papa got up, still carrying me.

"Louis. Be honest."

The monster lifted his hands.

"I am!"

...

He gave Lou a look before he started taking me to my room.

"Papa... you have to believe me!."

"Don't be silly now. Lying is bad."

He put me down in bed, tucking me in.

"But Papa!"

"Shhh... goodnight Oliver.."

Papa kissed me on the forehead before leaving the room. I was frustrated.

...

The next morning, I made sure to keep clear of the monster, even if he did look like my brother. He'd beg me to talk to him, but I'd just run to Papa.

"Oliver, I'm sorry that I scared you... but  please... please just talk to me."

"N- no! Go away!"

He kept pretending, trying to get me to believe he was my brother, but I knew better. I'd keep away, no matter how sad or hurt he looked.

...

Days went by. I kept avoiding him, to be safe. No matter how much I warned Papa, he wouldn't believe me.

He wouldn't listen.

Eventually, the monster started leaving me alone, no longer trying to talk to me.

...

What if.. he is Lou...

Maybe Lou was one of the monsters I see on TV.

...

One night, after we had dinner, I heard crying coming from Lou's room. Cautiously, I went inside, curious on who it was. The bathroom door was wide open.

The monster was crying in the corner.

I slowly walked inside, feeling bad, but also afraid.

Maybe... he's a nice monster?

The monster looked up from his arms, revealing his six eyed face.

"Ollie..."

...

"Louie?"

He gave a small smile, then buried his face back into his arms.

"Yeah... buddy.. it's me..."

I teared up, realizing that I had called my own brother a monster.

"I- I'm sorry Louie..."

I sat down next to Lou and hugged him tightly, wanting him to know I was sorry. Lou smiled, putting me on his lap to hug me back.

"Please... believe me when I say that I won't hurt you Ollie... I'm sorry..."

"I know."

I continued to hug my brother, who was smiling softly.

...

After a minute or two, Lou put his hands on my shoulder.

"Oliver... don't tell Dad... please... he'll kill me."

I looked at him, confused.

"Why?"

...

"Because I'm a monster, Ollie. Dad kills monsters. The second he figures it out, he'll blow my head off like I was never his son in the first place."

"What does it mean to blow someone's head off?"

...

"Well- uh..."

...

Eventually, Papa came to tell us that it was our bedtime, ending the conversation.