Therapy
Preface
The crisp winter air flew in from the north that night. The end of November always brought the coldest days in the little town. The street lights were shining brightly, casting shadows of anything in their paths. Small circles of a dark yellow shone on the freshly fallen snow. The first snow of winter. Snowmen sat lazily, lifeless on yards of families. Scarves surrounded their necks, and the cliche carrots stuck out from their supposed faces. Buttons as eyes and mock sweaters. And twigs as arms. Icicles hung from porch ceilings and bottoms of automobiles. It was pitch dark outside, and midnight had just fallen over the town of Lutherville Timonium, Maryland.
Happy families would have never known about what was about to happen in one particular household. They would continue sleeping peacefully, but this family wouldn't.
Alex Gaskarth woke in a start as his nightmare came to an end. Beads of sweat trickled down his forehead. He replayed the night's events in his head. From the beginning of the fight, to the very end. Not a word was said, and he was about to fully regret it. Troubled, he slowly emerged from his warm nest of sheets. He pulled his simple black hoodie over his head and walked towards his brother's room. When he opened Peter's door slowly, Alex's breath caught in his throat. What would he say? What would he do? Should he apologize? Peter was nowhere to be seen. He walked further in and towards his brother's bathroom. The sheets lay in a mess on Peter's bed, indicating he had recently been in it. His clothes he had worn from the previous day sat in a small pile on the floor next to his computer desk. The television was still on, playing a repeat of Boy Meets World and Alex chuckled. His brother had always loved that show. Alex's instincts took over him and he became worried again. All he wanted to do was apologize; then they could go back to being the best brothers ever. So Alex slowly opened the bathroom door.
Almost instantly, Alex wanted to puke. Lying on the floor in front of him, in a pool of blood was Peter, eyes open and to the ceiling. A gun lay next to him, still touching his hand.
The gun shot was what had woken him up so suddenly.
All Alex could think was the fact that it was his fault. Alex Gaskarth had been the cause of his own brother's suicide. There was no note, nothing to warn his family. On a spur of the moment, Peter James Gaskarth had killed himself.
Alex had himself to blame.
Happy families would have never known about what was about to happen in one particular household. They would continue sleeping peacefully, but this family wouldn't.
Alex Gaskarth woke in a start as his nightmare came to an end. Beads of sweat trickled down his forehead. He replayed the night's events in his head. From the beginning of the fight, to the very end. Not a word was said, and he was about to fully regret it. Troubled, he slowly emerged from his warm nest of sheets. He pulled his simple black hoodie over his head and walked towards his brother's room. When he opened Peter's door slowly, Alex's breath caught in his throat. What would he say? What would he do? Should he apologize? Peter was nowhere to be seen. He walked further in and towards his brother's bathroom. The sheets lay in a mess on Peter's bed, indicating he had recently been in it. His clothes he had worn from the previous day sat in a small pile on the floor next to his computer desk. The television was still on, playing a repeat of Boy Meets World and Alex chuckled. His brother had always loved that show. Alex's instincts took over him and he became worried again. All he wanted to do was apologize; then they could go back to being the best brothers ever. So Alex slowly opened the bathroom door.
Almost instantly, Alex wanted to puke. Lying on the floor in front of him, in a pool of blood was Peter, eyes open and to the ceiling. A gun lay next to him, still touching his hand.
The gun shot was what had woken him up so suddenly.
All Alex could think was the fact that it was his fault. Alex Gaskarth had been the cause of his own brother's suicide. There was no note, nothing to warn his family. On a spur of the moment, Peter James Gaskarth had killed himself.
Alex had himself to blame.