Shattered memories

Chapter 9 Sibling Estrangement

I stared into the hateful eyes of my brother. I was at loss for words. A week ago he looked like a completely different person. The work of the mist, I thought I was attacking Jack Cordeen, a rogue murderer demigod. Not my little brother, but the rain healing him made me reconsider.

I explained it to him as I slowly grew closer my hands raised in peace.

"Your good with the mist, you've always been good with it. Mom tried to put you in a sailors outfit when you were three and you turned it into fish." I chuckled, but he didn't say anything he didn't even make a sound.

I looked through my mask as it hid my tears. By the gods he still looked so small. Tired, he looked so tired the bags under his eyes pronounced his clothes dirty, I could smell his stench from where I was. It didn't stop me from growing closer.

"I just wanted to give you a normal life. It's what mom and dad wanted."

"Mom and dad are long gone Zoe, what about what I wanted. No don't answer that you already showed you don't give two shits about that."

"That's not true I tried to protect you." I argued "I'm trying to protect everyone, you have to calm down before you cause another flood."

His face twisted in more anger. The tides crashing so hard again the shore I could swear I heard stone shatter.

"Is that why you abandoned me. Erased the little happiness I had because I lost control. IS THAT IT! Is that all I am to you people an object to control!"

Angry tears spilled down his cheeks. I wanted to hug him tell him he was mistaken. I just didn't want his life to be a tragedy, but the words were stuck in my throat.

He paced around a bit giving me an opening to grow closer. He bent over a bit clutching at his heart as he braced himself with his knee. Still crying freely as he released a shuttering breath.

He straightened "don't take another step." His voice was so cold it was like charmspeak freezing me in place.

"You take one more step towards me and I swear to whatever deity you pray too for mercy, I am going to kill you."

I felt my heart crack at his claim. I looked into his eyes trying to find the sweet little boy who snuck me his dessert everytime I felt down.

"You don't mean that." I said more trying to convince myself than him. Nonetheless I didn't take a single step closer.

"Do you really think leaving me improved my life?!" He asked me his voice breaking.

"Believe me it's better than whatever the gods had in store for you. Rome would have imprisoned you for the rest of your life they—."

He started laughing, it was somewhere between genuine laughter and maniacal.

"Nine years, nine long years. Alone, lonely with only my own dark thoughts trying to bring me down as company. How many people could have helped me? Thalia, Grover, Zhang, you and what did I get. Pain, more loneliness, more people to convince me I was nothing more than an unloved freak. You know what could have helped, knowing someone somewhere at some point gave a damn if I lived or not!"

"I know your angry."

"YOU DONT KNOW A DAMN THING! NINE YEARS ALONE, NINE YEARS ABUSED THINKING NO ONE EVER LOVED ME! ALL BECAUSE OF YOU!"

His words cut deeper than a knife, but was he wrong? I thought it was for the best. Clearly I was mistaken.

"You had to have been happy at lest once." I protested weakly.

His expression grew tired and disdainful.

"If I have ever been happy, I sure don't remember it."

"So where's your winged friend? I doubt you'd come here alone." He added looking away, most likely so he didn't have to look at me.