Red Discord

Chapter 7

“If it weren’t for you, Kassy, I wouldn’t be in this mess!” James snapped back. “And you know what? I’ve always hated you! I can’t stand you! If it wasn’t for the fact that we’re siblings, I’d never talk to someone like you.” 

Kassy took large breaths as she looked around with her eyes, letting her mind and heart cool down after what James had just told her. “I love you, James. I... I need you here with me.” 

“The only thing you need from me is for me to get you out of the mess you put yourself in. You’ve never thought about anything other than your own benefit or your own needs, and if you ever thought about me, it was only because you needed something from me, just like it is right now.” 

There was a small shimmer that caught Kassy’s eyes throughout all of James’ speech. It was a knife that was dropped, or perhaps forgotten, on the ground next to James’ legs. Kassy snatched it off the ground and pointed it towards her brother. 

“Go ahead Kassy, kill me. Go on, kill me.”

She flipped the knife around in her hands and pointed it directly at her chest, pointing it right to her heart. 

“Kassy, don’t—”

“I’m sorry, James.” Kassy’s voice wavered with the incoming tears that fell from her face. “I’m sorry you’ve had to put up with me and my selfishness for so long. I’m sorry I made your life miserable, but you’re the only one I have left. I have nobody else. I can’t do this anymore, James. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” 

The knife’s sharp point was plunged toward the woman’s chest. She, however, stopped it right before it impacted with her skin. 

“What’re you doing with that knife, lady?”

It was a young boy’s voice that halted the women dead in her tracks before she could do anything that she might regret later in the future. The boy was about four foot two inches tall. He had light brown hair and an obviously innocent and pleasant smile for the situation he was in, that he had walked into. Kassy dropped the knife she held, only a small jab away form fatally wounding her, when he tilted his head slightly at her, his smile still shining through. The boy paid no attention to the knife, simply staring back and forth from James to Kassy. Finally, he points his finger at the man and turns solely to the woman. 

“Hey, lady, what’s with that man? Why’s he all tied up like that? Did he do something bad? Is he going to hurt someone? Is that why he’s all tied up to that pole?” 

Kassy fell to her knees, extending her arms out to the boy, and bringing him into her chest. “Say, what’s your name, little boy?”

“Andy.”

“Alright then, Andy. This lady here—my name’s Kassy, by the way—will protect you. It’s going to be okay because I’m going to get you and that man over there, my brother, out. Sound good, Andy?”

“Okay. If you say so, lady.” 

She picked the knife back up and slashed it against one of the chains with all her might. They rattled. Kassy tried again by putting the knife in one of the loops and pulling, but her strength alone wasn’t enough to even make a small mark on the metal. They rattled again and again as she continued to beat down on the metal chains with the knife. 

“Kassy, stop.” James rolled his eyes over to the right where his sister was trying to work on the chains. “Kassy, please stop this already. As you can see, you’re not getting anywhere. These chains are impossible to break with just you. I don’t know how you got here or why you’re still here, but run away already. Take the kid with you and run away before something happens. Like this, I can’t protect you, no matter how much I don’t want to, you’re my sister and I have to protect you. I’m not mad at you, well, I am, but a brother-sister bond can’t be broken that easy, or I really wouldn’t be here right now. Take the kid—”