Brothers

Nothing can repair their severed bond...or can it?

“Is that all you’ve got?” Jack challenged. He wiped the blood from his mouth and smiled wickedly. Adam came at him full speed and slammed him into the wall. His head cracked against the concrete and his breath fled his body. Adam laid his forearm against Jack’s throat and pushed. Jack’s face turned deep red and his eyes exploded out of their sockets. But still he smiled, dark eyes boring into Adam’s soul. “Harder,” he sputtered.

Vengeance clouded Adam’s vision and for a moment he pressed so hard he though Jack’s neck would snap. That his arm would continue to sink until it reached the concrete. He could end it all. Right here, right now. And wasn’t Jack asking for it? 

With a snarl, Adam yanked his arm back. Jack slid to the floor and rubbed at his throat. “Get up,” he spat. 

“Why, so you can knock me down again? No thank you.” 

Adam clenched his hand into a fist and fought the urge to send it through Jack’s skull. “Don’t be a coward.” 

“I’m not the coward, you are.” 

“Oh, and how is that?”

“Don’t play dumb, Adam. You made your choice and I made mine. You’re just bitter because you know I was right.” 

“Jealous? Of you?" he said with a smile. He narrowed his eyes and curled his lip into a snarl. "It will consume you, Jack. You may think you have control, but you don’t. You can’t. No one can. I’m not jealous of you, I pity you.” 

“F**k you and your pity.” 

Adam let out an exasperated breath. “You can’t win here. Why can’t you see that?” 

“I’m not the one that’s blind, brother. I embraced the darkness and it has opened my eyes, not shut them. You block it out and try to deny what you are but you can’t hide for forever. You don’t deny it, it lives within you. It’s the blood that runs through your veins, the air you breathe. The more you fight it, the harder it will be.” 

“I’m not ready to give up yet,” Adam said, unyielding. “This�"this thing is going to destroy you. It will eat you from the inside out. You may not see the changes, but I do. You’re not the same anymore. You’re not my brother.” The last part came out as a pained whisper. 

“And whose fault is that?” Jack said accusingly. 

Adam whirled on him, furious. “You’re the one who�"“ 

“I needed you!” Jack shouted, interrupting Adam’s rant. Adam gaped at him, dumbfounded. “How was I supposed to know what I was doing? Jesus, I was only ten years old. I needed my big brother and you weren’t there for me.” He swallowed past the lump in his throat, refusing to cry. 

“I didn’t know�"“ 

“No, of course you didn’t. You weren’t there,” Jack said venomously. “You were never there. So when the big bad monster climbed through my window, whispering lies into my little boy ears, I did what any kid would have.” Adam expected him to say he accepted, because that is what happened, but that isn’t the version he got. “I called for my big brother to help me.”

Adam stood there, aghast. “All this time I thought you chose to be like this.” 

“Where you not listening? I did!”

“I know, but…it could have been different.” 

“Hell yeah, it could have been different. I wouldn’t be dying.” 

“You might not die,” Adam offered weakly. 

“Yes, I will." he said shortly, confidently, stating it as a matter of fact. "Because you’re going to kill me.” 

Adam chuckled and shook his head. “Yeah, okay.” 

“Adam, I’m serious. You said I didn’t see the changes, but I do. I live them. What’s happening to me…I won’t be able to survive it. I need you this time, Adam. I need my big brother.” 

A pained expression crossed Adam’s face. He couldn’t abandon Jack again. Not like this. He let out an agitated breath. “What do I have to do?” 

Relief flooded Jack’s eyes and he fixed Adam with a lopsided half smile. His hand disappeared in his jacket. Moonlight far overhead glinted off something in his pocket before he produced a long, silver dagger. He passed it to Adam, hilt first. 

The blade was intricately carved with Celtic knots chasing themselves down the handle. It was inlaid with blood red crescent moons made of glittering garnets. The dagger felt heavy in his hands, the blade and hilt perfectly balanced. It seemed to radiate and old, foreboding energy. 

Adam swallowed. “So…”

Jack nodded tersely. “When I begin to change I won’t be able to control myself. I won’t see you as my brother, or even human for that matter. I don’t want to hurt anybody, you know? So just…” He mimed slamming the dagger into his chest. “It’s pure silver so it should do the trick.” 

“And if it doesn’t?” 

“Run.” 

“Jack, I�"“Jack cut him off with a strangled cry as he dropped to his knees. He grabbed his head in his hands and rocked himself back and forth on the floor. His fingers began to elongate and taper off into deadly claws, tearing more screams from his throat. Deep brown hair sprouted from every inch of his body, quickly covering him in thick fur. “Now,” he growled between mangled teeth before arching his back and howling. And instant later he was silent. 

Adam stood in shocked horror, dagger gripped tightly in his hand. “J�"Jack…” he said slowly, creeping his way towards the body. He knelt to the ground next to Jack and hovered the blade above his chest. He sighed, closing his eyes. 

Jack caught his wrist and flung it away from him, forcing the dagger form Adam’s fingers. It skid across the floor, just out of reach. He launched himself at Adam, both boys crashing into the floor. His talons wrapped themselves around Adam’s throat, gouging deep into the skin. He reached out his hand, desperately clawing for the dagger, but his fingers slipped numbly over dust. 

His vision clouding, he jammed his foot up and into Jack’s groin. Jack released his grip with a savage howl. Adam scrambled to his feet and frantically seized the knife from where it lay just a few feet away. Stumbling, he lurched forward and toppled over onto Jack. The knife sunk into Jack’s flesh like it was parting water. Jack’s bright yellow eyes widened in surprise as he slowly began to morph back into a human. He yanked the knife from his back and stared at it in confusion, looking from it to Adam and back again. 

“Oh, god…” Adam breathed. He took the dagger from Jack’s hand and tossed it away from them. He pulled Jack’s head onto his lap and brushed light blonde hair away from his deathly pale face. Jack blinked his bright blue eyes slowly, seeming to stare straight through Adam as if he weren’t really there. 

“I’m so sorry, Jack,” Adam choked out, a sob wrenching its way from his mouth. Jack shook his head slowly and smiled, blood coating his lips. “Brothers,” he rasped. He closed his eyes and his head fell back. 

“No! Jack, don’t leave me! You can’t leave me! I need you now, do you hear me?  I need you…I need you…I…” His breath hitched and cut off his words. Barely able to speak, he curled into a ball and willed himself into nonexistence. This was all his fault. He should have been there. Why wasn’t he there? 

He cast his eyes to the dagger that seemed to be calling his name. Whispering in his ear. Do it, you coward. He reached out his hand and closed it around the hilt. It scraped across the concrete as he pulled it towards him. 

They came into this world brothers and they would leave that way. This is for you, little brother. I won’t leave you this time.