This chapter is practically Kenny being the best big brother in this scenario.
Although , warning there are some pretty messed up things in this.
Enjoy
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Kenny
Think, think, think,think,think!
T
H
I
N
K
This cannot be happening. It just can't. I've been looking out for her since the day she was born and this has never even come close to happening. I was always so careful. I paid attention to her sleep and school schedule and her health and her meals more than I ever paid my own. I've been handling it fine for so long.
Then, I hand her over to Kevin for one part of the day and this happens???
Does he...does he even know something is wrong? I texted him but no reply. Which is to be expected. He likes to get shit faced drunk around this time of day. He probably doesn't have a clue in the world about any of this.
Or...at least that's what I've been telling myself as I ran around the streets, trying to figure out where to look first.
Could-could he have done something? Something bad? He's in the habit of making dumb choices when he's drunk.
But he wouldn't do that, would he? He loves Karen almost as much as me. He absolutely dotes on her. So whatever happened to cause this...couldn't have been intentional. Negligence is one of my brother's worst traits but thankfully cruelty is nowhere on that list.
It was very likely this was a misunderstanding. The two of them were probably out somewhere, (when he's at home, Kevin sometimes likes to take Karen out for ice cream-if he has spare cash, which he doesn't often) but it didn't really matter. To me, anyway. I still didn't know where they were.
What could I do? I couldn't ask mom or dad for help because they were probably passed out at some random bar at the edge of town somewhere. They wouldn't be sober enough to deal with this. And even if they were, what could they do? What if they reacted poorly and they both go batshit crazy?
The damn cops won't do anything either. Not in this fucking town anyway. They don't take anything seriously because it's not as if they ever actually get fired for it.
Then there's....
Oh.
Oh right. I have friends.
A couple, anyway. But it wouldn't be fair to drag them into this. And they would be just as lost as me.
Then, I realised I've been walking for 15 minutes straight in no particular direction and bumped into a lamp post.
"Fuck me!" I shouted, more out of anger than hurt. I pulled my parka down from my head because I was getting too hot and overwhelmed with face all covered up. And sometimes, that just worsens things.
A few people were giving me the stink eye, for some reason. I suppose I looked really stupid bumping into a lamppost like that but they didn't seem to care I could've accidentally given myself a concussion.
Hello?? No one wondering whether or not I have internal bleeding?
I didn't but that's besides the point.
I finally got my bearings and decided to start searching the bars Kevin usually goes in.
If all else fails, alcoholism is the way.
By now, I'm pretty familiar with these places my brother frequents. Mostly because I've dragged his sorry ass home so many times, they've been ingrained in my brain. I could probably tell which bar is which based entirely on their front doors.
Several hours passed before I actually got around to all of them. You'd think, in a small town like this, there wouldn't be that many places to get a drink in but you'd be wrong. And my brother doesn't exactly have a favourite.
The last one, near the edge of town, was empty. Mostly. Not a lot of people, not even drunkards, come here if they can help it. Only creeps and landlords. Sometimes both.
I searched the whole room and no sign of Kevin.
I stuck around for a minute and then decided to leave. Maybe try my luck home again. For all I know, he brought her back from...wherever they'd been.
But something stopped me.
"HEY! Stop that ya little bitch-!"
I have never felt a sense of dread like I did in that moment.
Like...the really overwhelming wave of nausea that hits you out of nowhere and the feeling you get in the pit of your stomach that just tells you something is wrong.
I followed the noise (they weren't being quiet but in this deserted part of town, they didn't need to be) and that's how I found them.
Five kids, around Kevin's age and not that much bigger than me, were clearly struggling against this one girl who was kicking and biting hard enough to cause permanent damage.
"...Karen...?"
It was really stupid of me. What I should have done is run forward and maybe jump onto one of their backs...??? Like, attack them from behind. What I should NOT have done is say something to alert my presence. But I guess my astonishment and surprise took over reason.
Everyone's attention was on me now. Karen, who was being held up by this other kid, widened her eyes when she realised it was me and there was a little pause. As if no one knew what to say.
"Fuck are you?" One of them, beady eyes and a shitty moustache, slurred at me. They were pretty far gone but not drunk enough to trip over their own two feet. Which is a shame. Would've saved me a lot of time.
I should have responded. Maybe to say something really cool and badass. In retrospect, I definitely should have.
But my heart was racing and my eyes stung and my fingers had gone numb and the only thing I could think was that they were still holding onto Karen. Their filthy hands were digging into her shoulder and she looked terrified.
They were scaring my sister when they didn't even have the right to be within a 3 mile radius of her.
I had one distinct thought running through my head at that moment: to get Karen out of there as quickly and as efficiently as possible. But that one thought ended up being muddled by a thousand of other ones-mostly violent and impulsive thoughts regarding the thugs before me-and I felt torn. I could've done something really bad that day. Really bad.
I had a little more self restraint than that but I couldn't hold myself back entirely.
Before even I was aware of what was happening, I had punched one of them in the gut and he was keeled over at my feet, coughing and spluttering.
Everything escalated quickly after that. There were fists flying in all directions and I couldn't keep track of where they were all coming from. It was all a big blur.
I dodged a punch.
I got kicked in the back of the leg.
My nose started bleeding.
I briefly remember smashing someone's face against the brick wall of the bar repeatedly, although it didn't take long for two other guys to rip me off.
I could hear Karen too. I thought she'd been crying, (she is a sensitive kid, never liked being yelled at or anything and cried easily) but she wasn't doing too bad on her own. I think she managed to climb onto someone's back and they couldn't seem to shake her off no matter how hard they tried.
I was too busy getting the shit beaten out of me to feel a little more relieved at this.
"You...pathetic...son of a...bitch." I was completely spent out. I'm not a bad fighter nor am I slow but I was low on energy not long after the struggle started. Even when I had this guy pinned down underneath me and I was punching him hard enough to rearrange his face, I could feel my arms shaking and my attacks sloppy.
There was something terrifying about what happened in that alley. I wasn't myself that day at all. Something in me, despite being tired, could've kept going and going.
Until nothing else could.
"KENNY NO!"
I had barely registered her words before I blacked out immediately, something blunt hitting the side of my face.
***
I woke up to the sounds of yells.
"LEAVE THEM THE FUCK ALONE ASSHOLES OR I WILL FIND OUT WHERE YOU LIVE AND I WILL SUFFOCATE YOU WITH MY OWN FUCKING HANDS!"
"Jesus-calm down Kyle. They left."
Immediately after I seemed to regain consciousness, I felt a sharp pain at my temple and my ears seemed to be ringing. Either because I was going deaf from listening to music too loudly on my headphones or because I was about to have a seizure or something, I don't know.
I raised my head to see two of my best friends after those guys. Kyle was shaking his fist like an old man and everything.
It kinda made me feel more appreciated.
Oh wow. I have really low standards.
Stan noticed I was awake and had rushed over, Kyle following a couple of minutes later. I'm assuming he must've chased those guys down the street a bit before he came back here since he looked a bit out of breath.
He put his extremely fragile muscle tissues, immune system and cardiovascular system at high risk for me? Awwww-that ginger son of a bitch actually cares about me.
"Oh God...dude, you...don't look...you don't great."
Thanks Stan, for that insightful comment. I can feel all of my injuries magically healing just because of your amazing observational skills. I am simply agog that you managed to notice my face was all fucked up based entirely on all the cuts and bruises that must be adorning my beautiful skin. How did it take him this long to realise he likes Kyle when he's clearly this knowledgeable.
Does anyone else hear Taylor Swift playing in the background?
"No shit. Someone whacked me across the head hard enough to make me forget I'm piss poor."
Then I remembered why I was there to begin with.
"KAREN!"
My sister was sitting down in the corner of the alley, her eyes glazed but otherwise, seemed to be fine. Scared and shaken to her core but not injured. Not many cuts or bruises. Definitely not as many as me.
I was overwhelmed by a sudden wave of guilt so powerful I thought I was going to throw up. I was her big brother. I was supposed to be there for her during critical moments like these-for support and to protect her as well. But I almost came too late.
What would I have done if something had happened? Rip my own hair out? Drop out of school? Lose all motivation for everything? I'd probably end up in jail.
I ran over to her and almost squished her to death in my relief.
"I'm so glad you're..." My whispers trailed off and I just kept on hugging her, patting her head the way I used to when she was younger and used to let me do her hair for her, "I'm sorry."
Her voice was wobbly but at least she wasn't crying. I don't think I would've been able to handle it. Maybe she knew too and that's why she worked hard to keep it together. She looked out for me too, in her own way, "Are you OK? You're...you're bleeding."
I shook my head, "I'm fine. Tell me, what happened?"
She shrugged, "I don't...." She sighed, "Well, this morning, when mom and dad were out, these guys showed up at our front door. I had seen them around with Kevin before so I assumed they were fine," She coughed, her voice all watery, "They told me Kevin was supposed to be bringing me to school today but he was being held up and had asked them to take me instead. I almost wanted to argue because school is not too far away but I don't know why I didn't."
"Karen...what did they...?"
"Want?" She shrugged again, "I didn't know at first. They were nice for a bit, even when it was clear they were not taking me to school. At first, I guessed they wanted to...you know but apparently not. At least not straight away. They were sort of interested in...uh, I don't even get it really, involving me with drugs in some way? Something about me running errands for them. They said Kevin was involved. They ended up taking me here for a couple of hours because they said they' refer to get something sorted' and they started pushing me again for an answer again."
I scrunched my nose in disgust. What? Recruiting twelve year olds to become drug traffickers? Not exactly what I expected but it's not too far fetched. You see it on the news all the time, "Oh." I hugged her again.
"And I said no, and I guess that irritated them a bit because," her voice (and my heart) broke, "They were getting really pushy and I kicked one of them and that's when you found us. So...I'm sorry."
"What? Sorry? Don't be sorry. What are you sorry for? You have nothing to be sorry for. You did nothing wrong. I'll teach those assholes to be sorry-wait 'till I get my hands on them-"
"Ken, I think we need to call an ambulance." Kyle called out, pointing at my perfectly fine head that was definitely not bleeding out like roadkill on the streets.
"Does it look like I can afford an ambulance, Kyle? We live in America and I am not exactly part of the bourgeoisie." I sighed, taking a moment to soften my tone before standing up. Karen was attached to my hip but I had nothing against this, "I'll be fine. But the important thing is I need to thank you guys. I don't know what would've happened if you hadn't shown up in time. You scared all of them away."
Well...neither of them are that scary-looking but Kyle could scare a gang of tough motorcyclists with his voice alone if he wanted to. And Stan is a quarterback so that's that, I guess.
"No problem dude." They both said in unison. Just like synchronised swimmers. Wow.
"Wait... how'd you find us?"
When I said this place was right by the edge of town, I mean right by the edge of town. Not many people come here. And it's not exactly my kind of scenery, let alone my friends'.
"Butters." Kyle shrugged, as if it was a no-brained, "He seemed kind of pissed you made him go home but thank God he had more to say about it otherwise he wouldn't have called us. He must've been really worried about Karen. And you too."
"Yeah, your boyfriend saved your ass dude-not us."
I decided to pointedly and gracefully ignore the 'boyfriend' remark before I gave either of them a complex. They might start playing matchmaker and, no offence to either of them, they are not exactly suited for that type of thing.
Me on the other hand? I come dressed up as Cupid at every costume party-I might as well be the symbol of love.
Still, I couldn't really stop myself from smiling at the fact Butters had made good on his promise to help me. Even if I didn't accept that help at first. I don't know-not a lot of people would've even done this much for my sister, let alone me. It felt good to be able to trust someone had my back.
"C'mon Karen, let's go home."
"What about Kevin?"
I genuinely forgot about Kevin until now.
I mean, now that I think about it, I was looking for him just as much as I was looking for Karen. I kinda expected him to be wherever she was but I didn't actually find any trace of him out here.
I was tempted to leave. Part of me blamed him for all this. Obviously it was mostly my fault but Karen did say these guys were in good terms with him. Whether he caused this on purpose or not is irrelevant because it happened and he had every opportunity to stop it but he didn't.
Even as I thought that, my stomach churned. Maybe I was being too harsh again. I didn't actually know where he was. Or whether he was OK. Or whether I should worry. I decided to worry. And then I worried silently some more, until Kyle, Stan and Karen were looking at me as if I've gone mad.
And then I was struck by an idea. I wish I had a lightbulb to reflect my enlightenment but I can't afford food so where would I afford a working lightbulb?
I turned to Kyle and Stan, "Could you give me a minute and look after Karen until I come back? I have to use the restroom inside real quick."
As I said, my brother doesn't frequent this bar often. Or at all, in my experience. However, on the off chance he was here, there was one place I didn't check my first time inside.
The bathroom, obviously.
It's like VIP heaven for alcoholics. Where do you go when you're in public and you drink an entire box of beer all by yourself?
Well, the hospital. Or a newly dug grave, potentially.
But considering we cannot afford those types of luxuries, where else do you go?
You go resuscitate everything you've consumed in the past 24 hours in the grimy toilet of the shady ass bar you were happening to be drinking at.
And that's exactly where I found him. Unconscious on the floor, as white as a sheet of paper and a bottle of whiskey in his hand.
OK, so a bit worse than a box of beer as Kevin rarely only drinks one bottle of whiskey.
I know-I wouldn't choose him to be my liver donor either.
Oh also, he definitely pissed himself by the looks of it. I couldn't tell at first because the whole room stunk of piss but yeah, it happened.
I went to pick him up. I was just going to carry him but thank God he seemed to come back, at least slightly, as soon as I touched him. I could've definitely carried him but my back is already not in good shape.
I can't afford to get scoliosis.
"Wh-here the fuck am I?" He slurred, swinging his hand around, the one gripping the bottle, whilst he leaned his head against my shoulder.
"I'll tell you when we get home Kev. Now, shush."
I just hoped our parents weren't home because this would've been really fucking complicated to explain.
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Whoo done.
And average chapter and I know I said this on my A/N yesterday but I wanted to thank you again for everything really.
Next chapter is Tuesday and I'll try to make it a long one.
Bye you lot 😋