Not a Bestseller

Sticks and Stones May Break My Bones, but Words Will Always Hurt Me

Climax. I said I didn't want one. My life shouldn't be that interesting. They asked me what happened. It comes in little splashes of red paint. Every day another part clicks, snaps, and falls into place again, like an unsolved Rubik's cube with its stickers missing.

My joints were frozen leftovers. 

My brother. 

Here. 

If you forgot what Kyle looks like, sucks to be you. With my hair chopped off, I looked a lot more like him.

His eyes were axes. When they found me, the blades sharpened.

My head thumped.

"Ben," Mom's pumps clunked on the hard-wood floor. "Close the door or you're going to let all the bugaaaaaa-iiiiiiiit's yooooour brotherrr...hi Kyle..."

He let the door close on the hinge.

"Kyle?" Dad was getting up to speed. He paused several feet away, safe from firing range. "What are you-"

"Nice to see you too, Dad."

His words cut into the air like a dull chainsaw. I really felt it too. I was still glued frozen over by the door.

"Ben?" He spoke over his shoulder. "Pack up your stuff. We're leaving."

Everything about him was so disheveled, like he'd been possessed. His breaths came as a pant, his muscles bulged out of his arms... Had he signed as a ninja warrior?

Mom rested her hand on his shoulder. "Kyle, what are you-"

He shoved her off. 

"What is this about?" Dad said.

"Years of neglect. Look, Ben does school online. I've been talking to our...dean. He said Ben can stay with me in the dorm. He's not staying here anymore. You guys obviously don't care about him."

Gravity yanked my knees to the floor. The scene played out too fast to grab and stop.

Mom: Kyle-

Kyle (pulling at hair): SUE ME! I don't care. But I'm not going to stand by anymore and let the kid be miserable.

Dad: Son, he's improved. He's happy now. Ben-

Scoffing Kyle: Right. Happy.

Mom (mascara running): He is, though. You haven't been here. You have no idea how much he's changed. We can actually talk to him and I feel like...we have him back. I only wish he'd been this happy sooner.

The screenplay flew at mega speed. There were shouts. Kyle. Then Dad. Kyle knew what was best. Dad knew Kyle and he knew me. Mom snatched a tissue box. It was like the Olympics if they hadn't been canceled during the world wars.

Kyle: You're just controlling him. That doesn't make him better and it doesn't make him happy! It didn't work for me, and it's not going to work for him.

Dad: But it is working. You were in a completely different situation.

Kyle: It's not like you've changed. Let's face it. We were never good enough for you. Now we can both just be out of your way. He would be happier with me. It's what he's always wanted.

"YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT I WANT!" 

I clenched my hands over my mouth. I should've come out of my spot in front of the door, but I couldn't move. My knees were drilled into the floor. The gunfire had come from my trench, and I was shell-shocked.

It was amazing how easy it was for them to forget I was here.

Dad peered towards the door. "Ben? Would you care to join us?"