Something about Us

Drunkards and Love Letters

--Arthur--
•Wednesday•

"MELANIE! GOD DAMN IT ALLISTOR!" I screamed. The family sheep, Melanie, had gotten into my room and pulled me from my sleep by bleating loudly in my ears. The animal wasn't even supposed to be in the house during the night time, yet Allistor insisted on sneaking her In. Said she deserved to sleep inside just like the rest of us. Idiot.
"ALLISTOR COME GET THIS GOD DAMN SHEEP OUT OF THE HOUSE,"
He yelled back to me from his room. "STOP FRIGGIN YELLING YA IDJIT ITS FIVE IN THE MORNING,"
"I WOULDN'T HAVE TO YELL IF YOU WOULD KEEP YOUR SHEEP UNDER CONTROL,"
I heard the front door open and crash shut, then a faint groaning that sounded almost pained. It wasn't from Allistor. The sound was one I recognized instantly, and it sent a wave through me.
Shit.
Shit shit shit.
He's back.
Shit.
I raced up and closed Melanie in my room, praying that she wouldn't eat anything. As quietly as I possibly could, I slipped into Allistor's room.
He saw me come in and sat up in his bed, running an annoyed hand through his hair.
"What the fuck are you-"
"Allistor be quiet. he's home,"
His eyes widened, and then he threw his blanket off of himself. "Stay here,"
"Stay here? What are you-"
He stood up and walked to the door before turning to me. "I'm taking care of it. Just... Go make sure Peter is still asleep and stay in his room,"
"Allistor I'm not a child-"
He walked back to me and grabbed my shoulders, staring at me intensely. "Arthur, please, do as I say. I'm making him leave, and I want you to stay safe. You know how he gets. Please. Go make sure Peter is asleep. Stay there. Stay quiet."
Something in his tone made me freeze. He was serious. Very much so. His eyes were full of concern and... And there was anger there too. Anger at our brother.
I sighed. "Don't get hurt," I finally said.
"I can handle Patrick, don't worry. I just need to get him to leave,"
Patrick was our other brother, he had moved out several months ago. Well, we kicked him out. He had a string dependency on alcohol. We tolerated him for awhile, but as his alcoholism progressed, he got violent. He would say cruel things to mother, going out of his way to make her feel horrible. However it was the day that he hit her that we finally said enough.

Patrick had come home late for dinner, drunk off his ass, and got angry at mother for letting us eat without him there. There was a slight argument and then Patrick reached his hand up and slapped mum. In front of Peter and the rest of us. Allistor stood up and tackled him immediately, and they fought. Allistor ended up with a black eye, but Patrick was way worse. Two black eyes and several bruises on his cheeks and neck. Watching the two of them fight in the middle of our kitchen, our mother screaming and crying, Peter's head buried into my shirt as he sobbed, it was hard to forget. Allistor eventually pinned Patrick to the ground, and when he spoke, I didn't recognize his voice. He was some other person. His voice was a low growl, cruel, dark and malicious, his spat his words at the other.
"Get out of my house. Don't come back until you've gotten a grip on yourself and you aren't such a fucking ass. If I see you back here drunk, I'm going to break your neck,"
Patrick laughed. He slurred out his words. "Ya sure about that, brother?"
What Allistor did next scared me. He wrapped his hands around Patrick's neck, and gave it a small squeeze.
"Do you doubt me?"
I could hear Patrick's choked cough from the kitchen and I held Peters head into my chest, not wanting him to see Allistor like this. Our mother hadn't moved since she was struck, and I had no idea what to do.
Allistor's hands tightened around his neck, his eyes glossing over. Patrick's hands found their way to Allistor's wrists and pulled feebly. I could see the color of Pat's face fade from red to slightly blue.
"A-Allistor,"
No response.
"Allistor please you're killing him,"
Just as I said that, Peter poked his head up from chest and looked at Allistor.
"A-Alli?"
At the sound of Peter's voice, Allistor's hands loosened, causing Patrick to erupt with coughs and inhale sharply.
"Patrick, don't come back,"