Avery P. O. V.
Staring at my brother. Face to face. I can’t believe it. I can’t believe he is alive and here.
“Eddy? I said crying with happy tears. I can still feel his arms wrapped around my waist. I have my face deep into his shoulder.
Thank God, I am not dreaming. I lifted my face, and I was staring into my brother’s eyes.
Edward, I can’t believe you’re here?” I told him with a tear in my eyes.
“Little One, I have been here the whole time. I have been watching over you and mom and dad,” he tells me, and I know my parents heard him say.
“So, if you were here the whole time?
“So, why did you hide from us?” I ask him. But he didn’t say anything. But instead, he drops my waist and walk back, and took a couple of feet back from me. So basically, he moved away from me.
He didn’t want to tell me and tell our parents. But when he opens up his mouth that is when he told us what happen that day after he went back under the water back on that awful and dreadful day.
“Avery, when I saw you having trouble staying out of the water. I knew I had to get you out of there. I knew it was going to be someone who wasn’t going to make it. And I decided it was going to be me. I wasn’t going to come out alive” I heard my brother tell me.
So, when I saw the guys with you, I knew you’re going to be safe and okay.” So, I did the only thing I could think of. That was going under.” I heard my brother say.
Why would he do that? I don’t understand. I thought to myself.
“But if you knew I was safe and onshore, why wouldn’t you try to get out?” I ask my brother in a confused and demanding voice.
“You just did something so selfish!” I cried at my brother.
Why did you do that to me?”
“Do you have any idea what I with through?
“I thought I killed my brother. I thought you were dead!” I tell him.
“Little One, look it’s just- ”
“No, you don’t get to talk,” I tell him with tears falling down my cheeks.
“You listen to what I have to say,” I tell my brother.
“When I saw you going under the water and didn’t come back up. I waited for you for hours waiting to see my big brother pop out with his smile and telling me that you’re okay.” But no, I waited for something to happen. But you didn’t come up.” I tell him with so many emotions and hurt in my voice.
I didn’t want to show my brother the broken and hurt in my eyes. But it was too late he had already seen it.
“Hey little one, he pulls out his hands and wraps them around my waist again and he kissed on top of my head.
“It’s okay, I am here.” I should not have hidden from you and mom and dad.” He told me inside my hair.
“I am so sorry little one,” Can you forgive me,” he asks me with so much emotion and kindness in his voice.
I should let my brother speak more, but I just want to leave and get away from the past was a nightmare when I lost my brother. But now I should be happy but right now. I just want to get away from here.
Little one? I hear my brother say. But I pulled away from his holds. I look away from my brother and ran out the door.
Don’t! You have no idea what I went through since you were dead!” I had to deal with people looking at me I like someone is under their shoes all my life.” I had to deal with people pushing me around and telling me I am nothing!” I told him crying.
Why could you be here threatening the people that hurt me? You tell them to leave me alone or you pop a good one or hold my hand walking into the school because I was scared and nervous.” But no, you weren’t here!” Because I killed you!”
I knew it and everyone around the packhouse knew it too.
That I was the girl that killed her brother!” I cried out my emotions about how I felt when someone thought I was a monster and had nothing to care about. But I could not stand here I had to get away and that’s what I did.
By the time I climb down the stairs and run toward the front door. I ripe it open and I run past the yard and into the woods. There is only one place I am thinking about.
Where it happens.
The Lake…
Once I got to the shore and I am watching the water move back and forth. I am trying not to think about that awful and dreadful day I saw my brother Edward die in front of my eyes.
I am so glad he’s alive but why did he let me think he died. And the guilty every day I had because of my stupidly that day I didn’t listen to him about not staying home. I should have listened to him. I wish I listen to him.
I close my eyes trying not to think about that day I regret since that day I lost my brother.
Now he’s back out of all these years. Why couldn’t he show up years ago? Why now! I need answers but I don’t want to be around him or my parents right now.
Why didn’t our parents didn’t say anything?
Why didn’t tell me he was alive. Or they didn’t know either. But when I saw dad and him walking inside the room. My dad knew it was him. But I look over at my mom she knew that was Edward right beside dad. When I was thinking about what happened just an hour ago. That was when I didn’t hear the leaves and rocks crushed under someone’s feet.
I didn’t need to look behind me to know who it was…