Brotherly Bonds

Matt stared out the cave, keeping watch for anyone walking through so he could warn the others people were coming. He glanced back at them, mainly focusing on Zack and Jimmy.

Deep down he knew they hadn’t really abandoned them or anyone else. They were just doing what they felt was right at the time, which is what he did also. He couldn’t blame them for taking a deal that looked as if it would help them survive the ordeal. Matt himself had been tempted by the offer, but once he realized Jimmy and Zack had taken the deal, he realize Johnny and Brian would be on their own, and he couldn’t do that to them. Brian was treated worse than even Johnny because of his heritage.

Jimmy stirring brought Matt from his thoughts. He watched as Jimmy’s eyes opened and he looked around, spotting Matt at the front of the cave.

“Hey dude,” Jimmy said, sitting next to him and looking into the sunlit woods surrounding them.

“Hey man,” Matt muttered. “Hey, I never fully apologized. Deep down I guess I knew the truth, I just…I don’t know what I was thinking.”

“Nothing to forgive,” Jimmy replied, watching a bird fly across the sky. “It’s not like Zack and I gave you any reason to trust us anyway. We let you believe that we betrayed you all for so long, we almost started to believe it ourselves. Until you told us Johnny was sick and dying on us. When did Brent die?”

“The morning after you guys got Johnny out of here. Since Johnny was in our cabin they questioned us about the three of you disappearing. Brian went first, then Brent. Brian and I were working when the bastard opened the window, threw Brent’s body, and told us to consider it a warning.”

“Don’t worry, we’re going to get them for everything they’ve done to everyone since this started.” Jimmy said, an intensity Matt hadn’t seen in years taking over his friend. For a brief moment, it was as if nothing had happened. Like Johnny was just at home while the four of them were just hanging out. The state wasn’t taken over, and they weren’t in danger of death if they were found.

“Something needs to be done,” Matt agreed. “And I think we’re the ones who have to start it.”

“We already have by escaping,” a voice behind them muttered. They turned to see that Brian and Zack were both awake, walking toward them. Brian was limping slightly, so Jimmy stood up and helped him sit down.

“Where are we heading anyway?” Brian asked, wincing at the pain shooting through his ribs. He knew he had a couple that were broken, but he wasn’t letting it on toward them.

“LA,” Was all Zack replied with. He looked out and saw that it was actually nearing sunset, so they would have to start moving soon. With a sigh, he relayed the information to the others, who all started standing up and stretching out their sore and beaten muscles. Zack noticed Brian’s wince and shared a quick glance with Jimmy, who had noticed it as well.

“Let’s get moving,” Matt said, walking out of the cave and looking back toward Zack. Zack started walking in a direction, remembering the exact path he and Jimmy took to get Johnny to safety. Matt and Brian, however, heard something they didn’t expect.

“Is that a river?” Brian asked, looking back to Jimmy. Zack nodded grimly as they walked up to they walked up to the bank, stopping just on the edge.

“Remember the rules of the Underground Railroad?” Jimmy asked Matt and Brian. “Go through any kind of water? We don’t have to go through the river exactly, but it’s still dangerous as hell to cross.”

“How do we get across?” Matt asked, looking around. He spotted stones a couple feet away from where they were standing, and it made a make shift path to the other side of the river. “The stones?”

“It’s the only way,” Zack said, walking toward the stones.

“Look, I’m just concerned for Brian. Don’t act like that beating didn’t do anything to you Bri,” Matt snapped at Brian’s confused gaze. “You know you have to have a couple broken ribs after it.”

“Okay fine, I have pains going through me that feels like my ribs were broken, but I’ll be fine crossing.” Brian growled. He took the first step on a rock, and quickly stepped on the next one, following the crooked path to get to the other side of the river. Matt glanced toward Jimmy and Zack and followed after Brian, who was a pretty good distance ahead by now.

Just as Zack, the last person, stepped on the third or fourth stone, he froze when he heard Matt’s voice yell out “Brian!”

“I’m fine,” Brian called out breathlessly. Jimmy glanced back at Zack, knowing full and well that Brian was in a lot of pain.

“He’s half way there,” Matt told Jimmy as he watched Brian step on the next stone. When he stepped on the one after that, they all watched with horror as Brian slipped and fell into the water.

“Fuck!” Jimmy shouted, looking around for any sign of Brian. “Brian!”

“Bri!” Matt called out as well, scanning the raging river. He saw something bob above the surface a few feet from where Brian had fallen.

“Brian!” Zack shouted, seeing his best friend being washed away.

“Can we get to him?” Matt asked, looking back at the other two.

“Only by jumping in ourselves,” Jimmy answered. He stared at the river for a second longer before turning to Zack. “Get there,” he said simply before jumping into the river.

“Jim!’ Zack and Matt called at the same time. Zack growled and tapped Matt’s shoulder. “Go, we need to get to the bank.” Matt nodded and made his way to the bank of the river, stumbling a couple times in the process. When he felt the dirt under his feet, he gave a sigh of relief as he watched Zack join him.

“Come on,” Zack said, running along the river, scanning it for any sign of Brian or Jimmy.

“Brian! Jimmy!” Zack called out, looking around.

“Right here!” Jimmy’s voice shouted from a couple feet down stream. “I got Brian but he’s unconscious.”

“We’re coming!” Matt shouted, looking around at Zack. “How do we get them out?”

“I brought a few supplies,” Zack answered, pulling a backpack off his shoulders Matt had never paid any attention to. “There’s rope in here. If we can get it to Jimmy, we can pull Brian up, and then get Jimmy up as well.”

“Let’s do it,” Matt said as Zack started to pull out the rope.

“Jim, we’re sending a rope down, try to get it around Brian so we can pull him up!” Zack shouted to Jimmy as he tossed the rope. Jimmy grabbed it and, with much difficulty, got it tied around Brian’s chest.

“Okay!” he shouted up to them. Matt and Zack both tightened their grips, and pulled as hard as they could.

“He’s coming up!” Zack shouted to Matt, who was behind him. Matt just grunted as he pulled harder one last time before Brian was brought up out of the water.

“Okay Jimmy, we’re tossing you the rope!” Matt shouted, coiling the rope and getting ready to toss it out again. When there was no answer, he called again. “Jimmy!”

“Jim?” Zack called out as well, laying on his stomach to search the river. Matt watched him for a few minutes before Zack drew himself back up, clinging to a mud caked jacket.

“Jimmy,” Matt muttered, grabbing the jacket from Zack, who had tears streaming down his face. They heard a cough and looked behind them to see that Brian was awake now.

“What the fuck happened?” Brian whispered, looking around.

“We’re off track,” Zack replied.

“Where’s Jimmy?”

“We don’t know,” Matt answered this time, kneeling next to Brian. “He jumped into the river after you, but when we went to pull him out, he was gone.”

“We have to go find him!” Brian shouted.

“We need to get you the fuck out of here to LA,” Zack snapped, turning to face Brian. “I’m hoping like hell Jimmy’s alive. If he is, he knows how to handle himself. We’re getting you to Los Angeles Brian, so no arguments.”

“He fucking sacrificed his life for mine Zack, I can’t just walk away!” Brian shouted at Zack’s back as Zack started to walk away.

“You want to die trying to find him, making it in vain? Be my fucking guest Brian!” Zack shouted back. “I lost my family Brian. We all lost our families. We barely avoided losing Johnny, and now we just fucking lost Jimmy.” Zack collapsed to the ground, sobs tearing through his chest as he stared at the ground. “I can’t loose you too, Brian. Neither of you. You two and Johnny is all I have left.”

“Then let’s go get him,” Matt said, holding his hand out to Brian. “He’s gone Bri,” Matt whispered. “He’s not coming back here. If we ever do see him again, it’ll either be in LA, or in the afterlife.” Brian just nodded and accepted the offered hand. He limped toward Zack with Matt’s help, and held out his own.

“You’re not helping me up dude,” Zack said with a smirk. “You might cripple yourself even more.”

“Fuck off,” Brian chuckled, gasping slightly at the pain that shot through his sides. He knew if Jimmy was okay, they would see him when they arrived in LA.



“About fucking time you guys make it!” Johnny shouted when he watched Matt and Zack help Brian into the room. “Did you get beat?” he asked as Matt and Zack lowered Brian into a chair.

“And he fell into the river,” a voice behind them said. The three looked up into the blue eyes of James Sullivan, and their hearts immediately soared with relief.

“You survived?” Matt asked, walking up to the man.

“He showed up here yesterday, completely exhausted and covered in mud,” Johnny said. Brian stood up from the chair, turning to face Jimmy face to face.

“You saved my life,” Brian stated.

“Don’t go getting all lovey dovey on me right now dude, we have a revolt coming up.

“I don’t give a fuck, we’re away from there, we’re safe. Sure I want to kill those bastards, but I need to heal first.” Brian stated.

“Then let’s get you a nurse to help you out,” Zack said, forcing Brian back into the chair.

“We’re going to survive this,” Matt said before Zack could leave the room. “We’re back together now. Nothing can stop us.”

“That’s what happens when you have a brotherly bond the way we do.” Jimmy smiled. “Love conquers all as they say. This time, I have a feeling it truly will.”