Alive Or Just Breathing?
chapter five.
I didn't move. I didn't speak. I just stared at him. I don't know how long it was before I finally opened my mouth.
"Who?" My voice was barely audible.
Ethan played with his thoughts for a moment before replying "I-I don't think it's best yo-"
"Tell me." I spoke louder this time. Ethan opted for keeping his mouth shut this time. I waited for him to say something before realizing he wasn't going to tell me. How dare he have the cheek to turn up un-invited and drop a bombshell like that, then think he has the right not to tell me?
"Fucking tell me! Tell me right now! You turn up here 18 months after my brother - my best fucking friend - was killed and you announce that they found out who it was, yet you won't tell me who? I have a right to know Ethan! He was my brother!" I shouted this time, furious at him.
"It was your uncle! Your fucking uncle! Your own family!" He shouted back, sounding equally as angry. The news was like a slap in the face and I stood there in silence, in shock.
Ethan took this at his cue to leave and let himself out of the door. I didn't know what to do, so I just stood there in the middle of the room, trying to comprehend what I'd just been told. How? How could he do that? His own nephew? I ran out of the house, not really sure of where I was going. Before I knew it I found myself knocking on Alex's front door.
He answered and, seeing the look on my face, immediately wrapped me up in a hug. It felt like we were stood there for hours on his doorstep, when in reality it was only a few minutes. I didn't even realise I was crying until Alex wiped the tears from my cheeks and led me inside. He took me into the lounge and sat me down, not saying anything. The look on his face let me know he wasn't going to push me, that I could tell him when I was ready.
I sat there for a while, debating on how to say it, before speaking. "They- they found him. The- the one that k-killed my brother. It... it was my u-uncle. My uncle."
Alex just hugged me for what felt like years. It must have taken a long time to calm me down, but eventually he took me upstairs and insisted I stayed the night.
I lay awake for most of the night, trying to gather my thoughts and to understand what I'd found out. I couldn't think anymore and, eventually, sleep took over.
"Who?" My voice was barely audible.
Ethan played with his thoughts for a moment before replying "I-I don't think it's best yo-"
"Tell me." I spoke louder this time. Ethan opted for keeping his mouth shut this time. I waited for him to say something before realizing he wasn't going to tell me. How dare he have the cheek to turn up un-invited and drop a bombshell like that, then think he has the right not to tell me?
"Fucking tell me! Tell me right now! You turn up here 18 months after my brother - my best fucking friend - was killed and you announce that they found out who it was, yet you won't tell me who? I have a right to know Ethan! He was my brother!" I shouted this time, furious at him.
"It was your uncle! Your fucking uncle! Your own family!" He shouted back, sounding equally as angry. The news was like a slap in the face and I stood there in silence, in shock.
Ethan took this at his cue to leave and let himself out of the door. I didn't know what to do, so I just stood there in the middle of the room, trying to comprehend what I'd just been told. How? How could he do that? His own nephew? I ran out of the house, not really sure of where I was going. Before I knew it I found myself knocking on Alex's front door.
He answered and, seeing the look on my face, immediately wrapped me up in a hug. It felt like we were stood there for hours on his doorstep, when in reality it was only a few minutes. I didn't even realise I was crying until Alex wiped the tears from my cheeks and led me inside. He took me into the lounge and sat me down, not saying anything. The look on his face let me know he wasn't going to push me, that I could tell him when I was ready.
I sat there for a while, debating on how to say it, before speaking. "They- they found him. The- the one that k-killed my brother. It... it was my u-uncle. My uncle."
Alex just hugged me for what felt like years. It must have taken a long time to calm me down, but eventually he took me upstairs and insisted I stayed the night.
I lay awake for most of the night, trying to gather my thoughts and to understand what I'd found out. I couldn't think anymore and, eventually, sleep took over.