True stories about my sad life

Ribbon of glass

I was swinging on the creaky swing attached to the old dead tree as my brothers ran around and the clap of flip-flops hit the souls on their feet the grass softly under my feet as I ran to the doorstep to grab some sandals "hay Nate wanna go to the barn with me and Jacob" my little brother Brandon whisper talks into my ear so our father would not hear us he always told us not to go to the barn since there were tiny shards of glass and exercise equipment but I and my delinquent brothers always where in defiance to my father.
Me and my brother would always keep it a secret but my other younger brother Jacob, he and I never really got along I guess that's normal middle brother, oldest brother relationship but as a naive child I agreed with my brother and went along with Brandon and Jacob "I call the exercise ball first" I yelled as I ran out the gate past the horse stable and down the small rocky hill and into the barn.

I grabbed the large inflatable ball that was as big as my little body and started to bounce up and down for what seemed like 10 seconds to my small 8-year-old mind and 2 hours to Jacobs 5-year-old brain "Nate, it's my turn, now you've been on it forever" Jacob said with a distasteful tongue and a scowl putting his arms up to his chest in a cross and tapping his foot  "Nope!!" I said with a sly tongue and a gloating face, at that moment Jacob kicked the ball from underneath me and I landed on my butt with a thump I shot up and rubbed my rump with furious eyes aiming at Jacob as he ran to grab the ball but surprise turned to anger and I waited at the end of the barn for my bum to stop burning with pain as I glanced over at Jacob who was having the time of his life jumping on the exercise ball.
{That's when I walked over to the ball a plan appeared in my little head a plan that I would regret for a very long time I walked up to the unsuspecting Jacob bouncing up and down on the ball of joy. My foot flew back a drop of reconsideration hit the pool of thought in my head and my foot shot down and kicked the ball from underneath Jacob he flew, the air doing its best to save him as he slowly fell back to the ground his face hit first into the ground I looked on with satisfaction but a bucket of fear has just fallen into the pool tons of buckets as if it were raining indoors the fear was filling up the pool an utter fear a deep fear a fear that can gobble you up in an instant it encroaches onto you and infects you a kind of fear that leaves you frozen. Jacob shot up blood a thick red blood emerging from his left eyebrow as I stood there frozen only able to say "Jacob? Are you ok" I said with a slight stutter and a reach out to Jacob Brandon was looking at us in a surprise yet fearful gaze  Jacob swung my hand away and started to walk back to my dads house covering his eye and screaming for my father Brandon was at his side but I was behind not able to do anything but walk behind and say with a trembling voice "Jacob are you ok? are you ok?" he started to walk him up the rocky hill blood leaking from his chin and staining the rocks he wailed and cried his salty tears mixing with the ribbon of blood on the left side of his face. We hobbled through the old wooden gates and into the bright green grass filled lawn, the birds still singing. My dad heard all of this as he looked away in a spice-filled kitchen the hint of meatballs wafting through the house as he heard the cries from one of his children he ran out and to his horror he saw a mess}.

As his instincts kicked in and ran and snatched Jacob from my regret filled grip he cradled the crying child and ran to the car and drove down the bumpy country road. I was dumbfounded everything that had just happened so quickly as if the time gods have just spun the clock like a top I sat on the patio facing the old rusty gate of the driveway I sat there for what seemed like hours I had gone to as far as pray since that's the most I could do in this situation"what have I done" those words the words that ate at me like hungry lion to a gazelle would make me fear this day and keep it fresh in my memory for years to come I kept thinking these over and over again and again I was in disbelief I just sat there for what my brain thought of as days now, thinking about what I could have done in that period of time I couldn't do anything I felt no strength I just sat there until they came back.

I heard the crunch and bum of the tires on the now sunset old rocky road I bounced up and ran I ran so hard to the gate still too scared to actually go close to see what happened to Jacob. he had gotten stitches, 6 stitches that's 6 more then me and Brandon have ever had he and my dad walked in through the old rusted gate Jacob glared at me clearly enraged my father tired from the long day and just wanting a nap holding my wounded brother walked along the smooth rocky path leading back to the house the wind chimes alerting us that winds are blowing as my father walked into the house and started to grab our things I walked in and asked "dad? What are you doing?" inching closer "your mom wants you guys back because of the incident that just happened" he sighed as he reluctantly told me what was happening I went to grab mine and my brothers bags which where all still packed I sheepishly walked to the car with all 3 bags and put them in the seats and I got into the back and sat there slowly dozing off into a dark cool silent slumber.

When I woke we were driving the same solum quiet car with nothing but music filling the air. When we pulled up my mom's driveway and pulled over my brothers and I getting out 1 by 1 and heading to the door my mother opened the door and ran to all three of us in an embrace of love when we all walked into the home we grew up in our mother sat us down and talked to us about what we did wrong "I'm sorry Jacob" I said remorsefully that  inadequate apologized would have to suffice for now he looked at me still angry at what I did and said with a tone deep in his voice " I do not forgive you" she shot a glare at Jacob and walked back to the kitchen "and sometimes people won't forgive" my mom said with a smile  "Nate your grounded for 2 weeks though I hope you learn your lesson in that time" I understood my punishment and walked up to my room knowing what I did and learned from it as well I learned that I should always think before I act and to always apologize when I think I am wrong or when I am wrong.