My Sweet Freedom

Ten- Meliodas's Backstory Pt. 2

I sat at the edge of the staircase in my knee high boots, waiting for Zeldris to get home. He's been gone for hour with Estarossa. It's beginning to worry me a bit. The two never have been the athletic type to begin with.

"Meliodas, it's getting late. You need to go to bed. I'm sure they'll be back in the morning." I heard mother say. I shook my head, standing up.

"What if they are lost and need my help mother? I don't want them getting hurt by an animal trying to get back. I'm going out after them." I declared, walking over to the silver coat rack. I plucked off my short maroon coat, slipping it on. Mother came up from behind me with a lit lantern and a box of matches.

"Be careful son. Return home safe." I nodded, stepping outside of the door.

The chilly wind blew threw my thick hair, freezing my ears. Treehouse, middle of the woods. I nodded at my own thought, walking down the side of the porch and down a long dirt path. It lead straight into a clearing in the woods, right in the middle. Right where they might be.

I kept walking, halfway to reaching the trees. I heard things all around me, the grass blowing in the breeze, my quiet footsteps against the crunchy autumn leaves. Zeldris's favorite season.

I finally reached the trees, picking up my pace. The lantern lit my way as I jogged through the dark forest, knowing about how far the clearing was just up ahead. A squirrel ran in front of me, causing me to jump back in fear.

I had never been the scared type. It just wasn't me, since I had been the oldest for so long, I figured that I had to be the braver one. That's why when Mother decided to move in with our step-dad, Estarossa becoming the older step-brother, it felt like someone was stomping on my role and throwing me out. I hated that feeling. That's why I always held this resentment towards Estarossa, but it's not the only reason. He was always being mean to Zeldris, calling him crude names like 'pussy' and 'bitch'. Zeldris wasn't like that. I fact, he was a strong willed fellow with a hard head.

But that was the least that infuriated me. You see, Zeldris's actual name was 'Zeldoris'. He hated it, from the way it sounds to the way father called him inside the house. That's why I called him Zeldris, Zel, or Zelly instead. When Estarossa found out that was his real name, Zeldoris, he tormented him.

"Oh Zeldoris!"

"Zeldoris, you'd better listen to me, I'm your older brother now!"

I gritted my teeth at the memory. Why do I want to help Estarossa? He can make it back perfectly fine on his own. It's Zeldris I'm worried about. He's to fragile for this cruel world.

I finally reached the clearing, out of breath, luckily, I spotted a figure about 506 meters away. Estarossa. I ran towards him, slowing down as I got closer. I realized that he had something like a stick or rusty pipe in his hands. It looked like it was stained with blood, still fresh and dripping down onto the dirt.

My head was spinning in circles. What was going on? Why is he holding a bloody object?

My vision veered all around, looking for Zeldris. I finally found him, laying down in the dirt. My heart stopped at the crude sight..