kindred

Chapter 32 : Blanket of death

The video attached is the tune for the lullaby

As soon as the blast died down Addie scrambled to her brother's side, taking in the devastation such a weapon could cause. 

His right leg was severed below the knee, bone exposed. It was there and then it just ended in a jagged heap of nerves. 

The whole of his left leg distorted. Blood gushed out, leaving flesh, bone and muscle exposed. 

Addie's brother's never showed pain, but this was too much for him. His voice was raw as he sobbed, a few tears trickled down his matted cheeks, stinging the fleshy wounds that littered his handsome face. 

The whole right side of his body was exposed, the flesh peeled back as the fire had nipped at his skin. His clothes had melted into the open blisters and burns no doubt adding to his agony. 

His skin hissed as it cooled down, leaving a charring behind. The noise made her want to cover her ears and run, but she couldn't. This was her brother. Hers. 

"Joe, Joe. I'll get help, okay?" Addie reassured him. She had no idea what to do in any situation like this, it was always her brothers who took charge. 

She stood up from her crouched position to run down the road, desperate to find anyone that could help her brother. But she felt an arm weakly grip her ankle. It held no constraint, for his body was too weakened. 

"No Addie" He barely croaked out, his voice not much above a tiny whisper and her ears strained to catch it. 

"How bad is it?" Addie couldn't answer, she looked down at her brother's lack of limbs, she had no clue what to do. Just looking at it made bile rise into her throat, making her gag. 

"Its fine Joe, it's not too bad, eh?" She comforted, running a hand through his matted hair. 

"Someone will be here soon, they'll fix you up like new" Addie wasn't sure who she was lying too the most "and once they have we can all s-"

Addie's ramble was cut off by her brother, both she and James rambled when anxious, a trait the twins shared. 

"Take this for me baby" His shaking hands grasped the gold ring that Addie was certain was always on his finger, he slid it over the scorched flesh, wincing as it bubbled. He placed the gold band from his shuddering hands to her soot-covered ones, Addie closing her hand around it in a fist. 

Addie felt helpless as she watched her brothers chest twitching, she could imagine each breathe, so hard to catch. His legs were twitching, almost like he could sense the lack of bone. 

A faint smell of cooking meat wafted into Addie's scent, she almost thought about what could be cooking before she realised it was coming from her brother. This time she really did empty the contents of her stomach. 

"You should have got out first" She told him, holding his hand "You shouldn't have pushed me out"

His finger ran over the gold band on her finger, the Christmas present he had given her. The engraved leaves on the outside became smeared with blood as his finger ran over it. 

"You wanted to know what it means" He told her, his words distorted. "Some people are worth dying for" 

"I'm not" She insisted, gripping his hand tighter. He was dying because of her.

"You need to get out of here, your brothers can't lose another sister" Another? She didn't have time to process it before he spoke again. 

"I love you baby, so much. I love all of you, tell all the boys I loved them"