I Would Kill For You

37. Mehr Licht

❝ inside each of us, there is the seed of both good and evil. it's a constant struggle as to which one will win. and one cannot exist without the other.❞

eric burdon

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WARNING: The following chapter contains graphic content. Reader discretion is advised.

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I dashed to the kitchen. A rather gruesome scenery was unravelling before my eyes: the window was cracked, looking like it was going to shatter any second, with a single bullet hole in the upper part; a teacup had fallen from the table and smashed into tiny shards on the floor. The right wall was punctured by another bullet, the hole surrounded by small little splits. 

Damian was trying to snatch the gun from his twin's hands, which he must have picked up again. He managed to wring his brother's arm into an unnatural position with an agile movement, the sound of his shoulder dislocating scraping my ears. Joseph yelped in pain and dropped the gun for the second time. Damian pushed it to the side with his foot, making it skim on the floor until it reached the opposite wall.

"No more fighting." Damian breathed out heavily. Blood was coming out of his nose in streams, drizzling down his chin and falling onto the linoleum in thick droplets. "You need to pay for your crimes. Take responsibility for the awful things you've done." 

"Fine." the other uttered defeatedly, his chiselled features twisting into a grimace. 

He let go of his arm gradually and stepped back warily as his brother straightened his body. Joseph's right shoulder bone was prominent, protruding from underneath his shirt.

"I'd apologize for that," Damian sneered, wiping the blood from his chin with the back of his hand, "...but given the fact that you just tried to shoot me, twice, I'm actually considering breaking your other arm too. You know, because I have anger issues. And because you fucking deserve it."

I flinched at the acidity in his tone, but didn't comment. He had all the right to be furious; in fact, his brother deserved even worse, after all the distress he had caused. 

I just wanted it all to be over. 

Joseph let his injured arm hang loosely by his side and shifted his gaze to the floor with a guilt-ridden expression.

"I'm...oh God, I didn't me-mean to, I..." he stuttered, taking us both by surprise. "I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry, and I know that doesn't fix things, but..." he gulped, and when he raised his head, I could see that his eyes glimmered with tears. "I think I'm losing my mind. I need help. Please help me." 

Damian and I exchanged a nonplussed look as Joseph cried silently, muttering under his breath like a mantra: Help me, please help me.

"Joe..." I started hesitantly, feeling my heart break for him. "It's going to be all right." was all I could say to soothe him, although I didn't sound convincing at all. 

His lithe shoulders began to heave with sobs and he covered his face with his palms. I bit my lower lip hard, trying not to cry myself, until I realized that his sobs had transitioned into something else. Into sinister, mad, uproarious laughter, that sent glacial shivers down my spine. He exhaled loudly and scrutinized us with condescension.

"You're both so stupidly gullible." he derided. "No wonder I fooled you that easily." 

"You're insane." Damian remarked appalled.