Burn by By Morgan (story read aloud .txt) 📖

"She's dead"

The words hung in the air, wrapping around like papers falling, my brother's face dropped, his smile gone, his blue eye's that shone were as deep and angry like the sea's. He dropped his head and then looked back at me, i hadn't seen that look all to much in my life, i told him about mum when she died when i was only 19 and he 16, it was a look i wished not to see again.

"How?" he whispered, i walked towards him extending my arm out to rest my hand on his shoulder, but he flinched away and sunk into the armchair behind him, it was a good armchair considering how tacty the outside of the hotel looked.
I sat down in the armchair opposite of his, the light from the window hit his dusty blonde hair perfectly, his clothes looked like he hadn't washed them for days, how long had he been staying here?

"She was murdered, James i know this is a bad time but-" he stopped me with a dirty look, i wasn't use to that, it was usually me doing it to him, now i understood why he hated it, i felt like spirming away, but wouldn't give him the satisfaction of thinking i was weak at this time.

"Bad timing-" he spat out "hell it's bad timing but i rather know now then find out when i am feeling great, crap Sam i mean she was our only cousin, we were like brother and sister and her with you, but you sit here not shedding a tear?"

I stood up, i wasn't going to cry infront of him i did it to much when i was younger always relying on my little brother well not anymore, i am 26, and he 23, this was stupid i would mourn in my own time. I started to walk out when James grabbed my arm and turned me around and inbraced me with a bear hug.

"James-" i said trying to breathe as he was sqeazing harder and harder. "I.need.to.breathe" he let me go and i slumped down on my feet, i didnt realise he grabbed me off the floor, mind you he was so tall, but i got dad's height, just normal height.
I release my breathe that i was holding and straightened out my clothes my blazer was crumpled but the boss wouldnt care, hell i didnt even care if did.

"I'm sorry it just, Lucy, i can't believe it, i guess you found out at work aye" he said while moving over to the small kitchen space next to his bed.

"Yes, Bill tould me this morning but i had files to fill and i had to confirm the body since Aunt Susan and Uncle Bryon are away" i watched him hoping he wouldnt get mad at me that he did get to see Lucy again.

"Good, i couldnt have seen her if it's true how she died" He consontrated hard on making just a tea, he looked up at me with big blue eys under his eye lashes, 'such a feminen thing' i thought but hell he could pull it off without looking homosexual.

"Tea? Its Twinnings" he said, his voice back to normal.

"No, thanks Im more a coffee girl" my voice soft, had it really been that long since i had seen my little brother? As if reading my mind he said,

"Wow, its been that long since i've seen you i cant even remember what you like to drink, what next, you say you a love Vodka?" i grinned so he stilled rememebered my first drunk experience when i swam in a pool of Vodka and was saying goodbye to it the next day, i can still remember the burning tatse when it came up, yuck!

"No, just with work i guess, i rely on coffee to keep me up and alert, i mean detectives got do what their told to do right?" James gave me a small smile, the kettle whistled and clicked, James replied while shakely pooring the hot water into the cheap looking mug,

"So, my sister the undercover detective does what she's told, well thats a laugh" he laughed a little which made the boiling water not fall the into the mug but onto his bare hand, i knew it before i saw it coming, he was always a cluts.

"Shit!" he shouted and quicky ran to the sink in the bathroom, i followed close behind tell him to quiten down, if anyone knows he is here then were both screwed.
"It was freaking hot, Samatha, what and i going to do, giggle and skip to the sink?" he said.
"Well, you could have just went to the kitchen sink you idiot, here let me help, you'll probably find a way to make the tap to break off and then i would have to fix it" i said as i grabbed his arm carefully to but in under the water, he let out a sigh as the coolnees of the water made the pain more bearable. He said to me,
"The kitchen sink water isnt as cold you'll always find that everywhere, and i didnt think being a cluts was that bad Mrs.Plumer" i smiled, which made his smile, then he said,
"Hey when you put my hand under the water, did steam come off like it does in the old movies we watch?"

"Haha James, always a bad comedian at the weirdest of times" i said, his reply was,

"Well, it wasn't as painful as it would have been for Lucy, i can't believe someone would burn her hands and feet, what a creep" he started to get angry again, i hated James angry he would say what ever would roll onto his tongue. But he did say he rather have bad news at a bad time then have it at a good time, so a grasped the oppotunity.

"James" i said while turning off the tap, and looking at him.

"They didn't just burn her feet and hands" his face was replaced my comfussion.

"What are you saying the burnt her legs and arms too?" i didnt know how i was going to tell him, so i did was James would do, i let it roll of my tongue and i his reaction was different not angry but shock.

"Tell me again, i-i need to here that again" he said so i said it again.

"They used a knife of some sort to carve a cross out on the middle of her chest, then they took half of her heart"

Silence hung in the air, it felt like eternity till James spoke, but is words were more chilling then mine. James stared at me and repeated it to me just as i did it to him.

"I know who did it" and with that he grabbed a small towel wrapped it around his hand, i quickly followed right on his heel, where i saw his take a hand gun and storm out of the apartment, while saying.

"What ever you do, Sam, don't call the cops, where dealing with something worse then a serial killer, were dealign with some one we know"

I froze to my spot, my skin tingles, adrenaline was pushing me. Wanting to shove me out that door to run screaming for help, that my brother was going to kill some arse who killed my cousin, but my heart, well, my heart was beating to quick and my head, my head that was usually so clear and clean, like my filing cabniet, it was telling me to follow my brother, so thats what i did, stupid me though, fogot my gun and stun gun sitting on my bedside table at home. The one day i needed it the most and the one day i got shot, twice.

As I got into the car i felt the first blow on my leg, warm and powerful it knocked me down. The second hit my other leg. But this time i could feel the surge of pain, i looked down at my legs as to see the blood that oozed out running it way into the lawn, i had no foot on my right leg that was totally gone.

Then as if it was all a dream i woke up.

Text: Morgan Cook
Publication Date: 12-27-2012

All Rights Reserved