My Brother's Keeper Read online

  Bobby did his best to look frightened, as the officer considered is story.

  "What happened to him?" Sgt. Hankins asked, pointing to Simon.

  That was a tricky part.

  "Um, I guess as we ran away, we ran through some thorn bushes and thick trees. He's little and has autism, so I had to drag him along. He didn't understand what was happening. I guess the bushes scratched him all up."

  "You guys been in those bushes since last night?"

  Bobby nodded.

  "All right. You guys come with me. We need to call your parents."

  Crap, no way out of this one. The officer asked for their names, and Bobby gave them. It wasn't long before he figured out they'd been reported missing. Bobby explained they were only supposed to be gone for an hour then this happened, forcing them to hide and they were too scared to leave. So far, they were buying everything. I guess they didn't expect a twelve-year-old to be a triple murderer.

  A few hours later, they were in the lobby of the police station when their mom showed up. She ran up and hugged both of them. Bobby wasn't sure what to think. If she was putting on an act for the cops, she was sure putting on a good show. The officer told them Bobby's story on what happened. He wasn't sure if she believed it or not. After she had signed some papers, they were in the car and headed home. The ride home had Bobby worried as everyone was quiet. Too quiet.

  Chapter 23

  Bobby was waiting for all hell to break loose when they got home. They walked inside and all their mom said was, "Each of you go to your rooms."

  They did as they were told, but Simon came into Bobby's room with him and sat on the bed.

  "Bobby?" Simon asked. "Will mommy start being nice to us now?"

  "I don't know buddy. I hope so."

  "Me too. She's scary when she is mean."

  Sometimes Simon's innocence stunned Bobby. This woman gave him boiling baths and kept him locked in a footlocker for so long, and he still loved her and wanted her to love him. Bobby wasn't sure if he envied Simon's innocence or not. At twelve years old, Bobby was so cynical he didn't trust or care for anyone except for Simon because of his innocence.

  Before long, he had fallen asleep with his head on Bobby's lap. They were both exhausted and starving. Bobby doubted they even had food in the house. Within a few minutes, Bobby had dozed off himself. He hadn't even realized how tired he was. Next thing he knew, his mom was shaking him gently.

  "Bobby, wake up. Dinner is ready," she said. He looked up, wiping his eyes. Simon was standing next to her holding her hand. He'd been bathed and was now wearing clean pajamas. Bobby wasn't sure what had gotten into their mom, but it was weird. He stood and followed them downstairs where she had the kitchen table set.

  There was a plate of spaghetti and meatballs and a can of soda next to it. The boys sat, and everyone ate quietly. Simon scarfed his food down, and their mom scooped some more for him out of the big bowl. As Simon went to work on his second helping, their mom finally spoke.

  "So did you know those boys who were killed?" she asked.

  So, that's what this was about. Maybe she was actually worried about them.

  "No. I mean…not really. I've seen them around school but never talked much to them." Bobby didn't want to mention they were the ones he got sent to juvie over.

  "That's pretty awful what happened. Police said you watched it happen."

  "Yeah. It was pretty scary."

  "Their names sounded familiar, though. I'm not sure why that is. You sure you didn't know them?" she said. Bobby wasn't sure where this was going, but he didn't like it.

  "I'm sure. Like I said, I've seen them around school but never really spoke to them."

  She sat looking up to the side as if she were thinking, tapping the handle of her fork on her chin.

  "Wait a minute. I know why I've heard of them. Those were the boys you got into the fight with. The ones you said attacked Simon."

  "Oh," he wasn't sure what to say.

  "So these same boys just happened to get attacked by some random guy when you and Simon are walking through the woods after you decided to run away from home? Is that it?" Her voice was rising as she spoke. Her anger was starting to show through.

  "They…they attacked us. The boys. One shot Simon in the face with the paintball gun." Bobby said.

  "He did! Right in the face!" Simon spoke up. "It hurt bad!"

  "Yeah, they were going to really hurt him. I just wanted to stop them. I didn't mean to hurt anyone."

  "So you lied to the cops. You killed those boys?"

  "I wasn't trying to. I just got so angry, and they just keep trying to hurt us, to hurt Simon. I thought they might kill him."

  "Jesus Bobby. Are you fucking psycho? I knew something wasn't right. When they found you near where they were killed, I fucking knew it. It wasn't bad enough for you to go around getting into fights all the time. Now you've gone and killed three people. My God." She put her head in her hands. "What did I bring into this world?"

  Bobby sat there looking down.

  "He didn't mean to hurt them mommy. He was trying to save me. They were gonna hurt me."

  "Just be quiet please," their mom said. "I think I need to do what I should have done years ago." She stood from her chair and held up a meat cleaver. "You have done nothing but brought pain and suffering since you've been in this world. Mainly to me, now you're a murderer. I can't do it anymore. I can't handle raising a killer." She walked toward Bobby holding the cleaver up to her side. Bobby stood and backed away toward the door, but it was locked. The latch wouldn't move as he tried to unlock it. She had somehow locked it from the outside.

  "Don't worry, I took care of the doors. Just hold still. It will only hurt for a second, and then you'll be in peace. Then I'll be in peace." She took a few more steps toward him. Bobby slid to his side before running past her. He plowed right into her knocking her back into the counter. He bounced off her and ran toward the laundry room. Once in the back of the house, he tried that door but it was also locked.

  "Bobby! Don't run away again! You'll just end up back here! You should know that by now!" She called out. "Don't fight me on this. We'll all be better off!"

  He ran out of the laundry room and up the stairs. He didn't want to jump out his window again but was going to have no choice by the looks of it. He got up to his room and slid the window open once again. He began climbing through when he heard his mother's voice.

  "I wouldn't do that if I were you," she said. "One of you boys is going to die tonight. You get to decide which one."

  He looked toward the doorway and there she was standing with Simon in front of her. One hand was on his shoulder. The other was holding the meat cleaver about a foot over his head.

  Chapter 24

  Bobby stood still as he looked into Simon's eyes. Simon looked both confused and terrified. He couldn't imagine how much more Simon could take. Part of him wondered if letting her kill them both wouldn't just be doing them all a favor.

  "So who is it gonna be Bobby? You? Or Simon? Make your choice! I didn't get a choice when your father died. I'd have chosen him over the two of you any day of the week! Instead, he made the choice for me since you two drove him crazy!"

  "Mom, we don't mean to make you miserable. You're our mom. We love you," Bobby said. "Simon really can't help it. I don't know why I get so mad and lose control. I don't try to. It just happens. I can do better, I promise."

  "Do better? Do better? Ha! You're a fucking murderer! If I kill you now, I'll just be saving someone else's life. Time's up!" She raised the cleaver and started to bring it down, but Bobby screamed.

  "No!" he yelled as he ran toward her. "Ok! Just don't hurt Simon! Ok? Just kill me. I don't even care anymore."

  She stopped the cleaver just inches from Simon's head and smiled.

  "Good. Simon, go to your room. You don't need to see this. This is grown-up business."

  "Mommy. Are you gonna kill Bobby?"

  "I'm afraid so, Simon.
If I don't kill him, then I have to kill you."

  "No mommy! I don't want Bobby to die!" Simon screamed as he ran towards Bobby.

  "Let go of him!" She shrieked as Simon began hugging Bobby around the waist.

  "Simon, it's ok. Just let go." Bobby said.

  "No! No! No!" Simon screamed as Bobby finally pulled him away and stepped into the hall. Simon fell to the ground and began kicking and screaming on the floor. The sound broke Bobby's heart. All he wanted to do was pick Simon up and run away with him this time for good, but Bobby knew he was out of chances. Every time he tried to go for help, the very authorities in place to protect them handed him right back to their tormentor. It was better this way.

  "Let's go, into the bathroom by the tub. That way we won't get blood all over the carpet," she said. Bobby marched to the bathroom and flipped on the light. His mom's cigarettes and lighter were sitting on the tub ledge, next to the toilet. He slid them out of the way as he went to his knees.

  "Put your head down, make sure it's in the tub." Bobby held on to the ledge as he leaned over the tub. She grabbed a handful of his hair and pulled his head back. She pressed the blade of the meat cleaver against his throat.

  "Got any last words?" she asked.

  "I'm sorry mom," Bobby said as he noticed the can of hairspray just on the opposite side of the tub.

  "Sorry for what?"

  "This!" he yelled as he grabbed the hairspray and lighter before dropping to his stomach, breaking her grip on his hair. He pushed her to the ground and stood over her as she tried to get back to her feet. Before she could stand, he pressed the nozzle on the hairspray while holding the lighter in front of it. He wasn't sure if it would work, but he'd seen it in a Jackie Chan movie so figured it was worth a shot.

  It worked. An eighteen-inch flame shot out of the bottle, consuming his mom's face and hair. Her hair ignited along with her blouse as she dropped the cleaver and began running around banging into things. Bobby ducked out of the way letting her run out of the bathroom. He looked down the hallway as Simon stopped his fit to watch the screaming fireball run past him.

  Their mom tried to run down the stairs, but she was too frantic and lost her footing before she tumbled head first flopping and screaming as she toppled down the stairway. Bobby ran down the stairs to find her once she came to a halt. She wasn't moving at all as the fire was now consuming her whole body. Some of the fire had caught onto the carpet and spread to the couch. Simon ran downstairs and stopped behind Bobby.

  "Is mommy dead?" he asked.

  "Bobby grabbed Simon and ran out of the house just as the fire caught onto the drapes and spread throughout the house.

  * * * *

  Within the hour, fire trucks ambulances and police cars were lined up and down the street. Bobby told them what happened to their mother, but left out his involvement with killing the boys earlier. Although, they were already asking him more questions about the boys in the park. Some things in his earlier story weren't adding up. Plus, they weren't buying the self-defense story with his mom, even though it was true. All they saw was a repeat offender had finally killed his mother and burned the house down.

  Simon screamed when he saw them placing Bobby in handcuffs.

  "Bobby! No! I wanna see Bobby!" Simon screamed.

  Before Bobby could say anything, they shoved him into the squad car and closed the door. The social worker Bobby had talked to a few days ago ran up and grabbed Simon, picking him up as Simon banged on the car window. Bobby could only look at him as the social worker carried him away while he kicked and screamed. A tear ran down Bobby's face as the squad car began moving away. He looked back to see the social worker placing him into her car. His tear dried up as he began to smile. At least now, Simon was free.

  The End

  About the Author

  Tim began writing at a very young age. Even in grade school he'd sit around with his notebook, writing stories for himself and his friends.

  As an adult, Tim's writings have evolved into darker realms. He released his first horror novel, "The Hand of God" in 2011. Since then his books have become progressively more violent and gory. With the release of "Family Night" in 2013, Tim had moved into the world of extreme horror where he continues to push the boundaries of human suffering.

  Tim is now an international best seller as well. His book, "Hell, Texas" has recently ranked high on Amazon sales charges since its release in Germany under German publisher, Festa-Verlag.

  Tim is very active on social media and loves interacting with his readers. You can find him at his website at http://timmiller.org.

  Also follow Tim Miller's Amazon Author Page and get notified of each new release!