Blown by the Wind -Fairytales, Book 1 [ON HOLD]

Chapter Five- Dustin

Chapter 5- Dustin

Nate''s POV

"Dustin! I'm home! C'mon tell me where you are!" I called down the hallway; it gave Dustin a chance to have stimulation, what his doctor said would help him, plus it was fun playing games with my brother.

I searched his usual hiding places, his room, mine, our parents, the dining room, the bathroom, out of pretence, but I knew he was in the kitchen, I heard him shuffling around from behind the counter when I came into the dining room. I walked I into the kitchen, seemingly oblivious.

"Dustiiiiin, where are you? I can't find you anywhere!" with him giggling behind the counter; I scooped him up, squirming. 

He looked at me smiling, trying to form words.

"N-n-nath." He looked so frustrated and all I wanted to do was take away his pain.

"It's okay. Hey, when's your next appointment?, shall we go check?" I offered as a distraction. He nodded, his preferred form of communication. His next appointment was on Friday, two more days.

"Are you alright, buddy?" I asked. He nodded again.

"Well we should probably do some of those exercises the physio gave you, shouldn't we?" he sighed, resigned. We had to these even though it got him so frustrated, I so dearly wanted to help him.

-

When Mum came home she promptly called Dad and us over to the couch.

"Now, Dustin, I know this is hard to take but your doctor and I have be talking, and we believe it's best if you go under operation in another 6 months." She started with no sympathy. Dustin held it in, mulling it over, until the wave of emotions broke and his eyes started leaking, his breath became erratic and uneven. I pulled him to me, offering silent comfort.

"You've just gotten to the point where there's nothing we can do to help you." He cried harder.

"I have no sympathy for you, Dustin, you know that. It's called self-help. I've told you again and again to do exercise and such, but you ignored me. I can't help you, Dad can't help you and even Nate can't help you. You have to do this on your own." She started, her words cutting my little brother hard. I don't know if you understand it, but when your mother talks to you like this, it makes you feel like you are worthless, almost. Like you are weak and broken. Like when it comes down to it, no one will love you if they are not forced. It these types of situations and lives, like Dustin that makes you have to work harder- be better. If the amount of effort he put in life was used in an able-bodied and able-minded person, they would be smarter, fitter, better than everyone else. And I know no one appreciates this, its what makes this so hard. They don't recognize the sacrifice, but instead mock him, and it hurts me. It hurts him, I know, I've heard him cry himself to sleep some nights. I think he craves relief.  Maybe it's the base of his beliefs. He once told me, on paper, that once he was listening to OneRepublic, and a particular phrase caught his attention that had a ring of truth to it. I think it was along the lines of "One man dies, another is born." He thinks, or rather, hopes, that reincarnation is what comes after. His line of reasoning is; if there's another life, maybe in the next one he will be normal, whole. And I sincerely hope for him that this is true. He deserves another chance.

After Mum was finished, Dustin quietly ran to his room, slamming the door. Dad got up, returned to his study after a caress on the check for Mum. I left to keep an eye on Dustin from my room. And Mum went to the kitchen to start preparing dinner.

-

Sometime later Dustin crept into my room.

"I-i'm sc-a-ared." He stuttered out.

"I know buddy, I know." I said.

"If I could take away your pain, I would, I would." I opened my arms for a hug. He crawled on to my bed.

"I'll take care of you." I whispered to him just before he fell asleep, exhausted from crying til there were no tears left to shed.