BROTHERHOOD||Countryhumans

CHAPTER I

A silent terror swept through the room. The three saw their lives, everything they've known thrown into what seemed to be jeopardy. No word was uttered; it was a fragile situation, a moment shattered at last by a faint whisper.

"He's not."

A child, no more than 9 or 10 crept forward, hoisting himself up and pushing aside his two brothers, whom moments before held him. He gingerly touched the corpse in front of him; fear gripping every part of him as he laid his hand on the body's chest.

"But he has to be." A voice said gently from the other end of the room, standing up, but still clutching the youngest child's hand. He seemed to be 12, 13, even, and the youngest of all looked around 5 or 6. There was the faint sound of footsteps from the halls; evidently it was someone who had heard the noise. There wasn't much of it, yet sharp ears could find what many fail to even notice. A pair of boots cluttering.

"Oh my god." Someone said softly, a whisper in the screaming words, left unspoken for the best.

"Ogygia." The second child stood up, stumbling towards the figure.

"Ogygia, I'm so sorry." Another voice said, this one from the oldest of the three. He gestured at the body, laying slain on the floor, as he clutched the youngest in his arm, protecting him from whatever imaginary danger still existed after.. he left.

It didn't take too long for Ogygia to understand the situation, the dim faces of the children, the trembling of their hands, the blood- of course, the blood. It was smeared everywhere, the windows, the curtains, the floor, as she rushed to examine the poor souls. Their father she never quite liked, they had plenty of disputes. But they were, of course, sister and brother. And no matter how much she despised him, this was something she could not step away from, or something she didn't have the heart to. Glancing swiftly around, Ogygia spotted a dismembered arm laying on the ground, and her stomach heaved perilously, taking a step backwards, momentarily stunned. A flash of anger after disgust followed suit.

"He did this? What a bloody bastard." She said, voice tinted with rage. Not just for the children, but for her own daughter. A brief second of worry and madness in her eyes, seeing their conditions. Please, please let Ireland be alright.

"He came to invade. I.. I don't know what happened next." The oldest said.

"He killed him." The youngest whispered from the arms of his brothers.

"I don't believe it! He can't- I won't- he couldn't-" The middle child's voice broke into tears, everything about him turning to disbelief at the obvious, clutching his father's hands, sobbing violently at his corpse.

The oldest came running to their side, putting his arm around him; doing their best to console their brother, to little success. "I'm so sorry." He kept saying, to nobody in particular. "I failed."

Ogygia came forward, slowly to the youngest, who was sitting silently, his eyes dimmer than she's ever seen. "I should have been here. I should have-" but even she knew, it would be no use. She could do little.

The second child put both his arms around his elder brother, screams muffled as he buried his head in their clothes.

"I failed to serve my purpose as family."