Why won't you save me? (Book 2 of the Misguided Killer Series)

Chapter Nine: Brothers

"Jeff we need to talk." Jeff looked up, half shoving Jack's hands away from his wounds as he caught his brother's eyes. Jack turned, baring his fangs. "Alone preferably."

"I'm not going anywhere," Jack snarled. He looked ready to pounce but Jeff placed a hand on his arm.

"Go," he said, "I've got this." Jack frowned but stood. He headed for the door, snarling at Liu as he passed. The elder Woods brother only glanced at him before the door shut more violently than necessary.

"Well he's a bit...unstable," Liu commented. Jeff's state was frigid.

"Funny. I always imagined you'd say the same about me." Liu looked at Jeff carefully, green and black catching one another. Eventually Liu sighed, closing his eyes gently and leaning against the wall beside the door.

"You are unstable," Liu stated plainly. There was silence for a long moment. Eerily so. Liu opened his eyes, jumping when he noticed his brother mere inches from him. His head cracked off the wall, though he barely noticed. The look in his brother's eyes wasn't like the one he'd seen the night of Jeff's initial murder. This one was burning, more anger than bloodlust. Liu's gaze trailed down to the tears in his shirt, revealing the marred skin beneath.

"Do you think I chose to be this way?" He asked, drawing Liu's gaze up again. He frowned before his gaze softened.

"You don't have to be," he said. Jeff rolled his eyes, stepping away.

"Oh don't get me wrong," he said, "I don't ever want to go back to being normal now. But I do wonder what would have happened if I'd been normal to start with."

"Why would you choose to be this way?" Liu asked. He knew it was a bad question to ask, but the words were out before he could even think of stopping them. Jeff only laughed, the sound sending a chill through the elder brother's body.

"Oh sure," Jeff said sarcastically, "why wouldn't I want to go back to a life where I was always the outlier. Cause I just loved being alone so fucking much Liu!" A knock sounded on the door.

"Everything alright in there?" Came Hoodie's voice.

"Everything's fine," Jeff dead panned, glare daring Liu to say something. Hoodie sighed.

"If you say so man," the other replied. Footsteps sounded his retreat, and Jeff let out a huff of air.

"They get me," Jeff said, "you don't. Sometimes I don't think you ever did." Liu frowned.

"I thought I did," Liu said, "at one point. You used to be my baby brother Jeff. Now you're just-"

"A target?" Liu's eyes widened as Jeff stared him down. "Jack heard from here and told me. So what? You plan to kill me and erase some regret from your mind?" Something stirred in him, dark and foreboding. He pushed it down, shaking his head.

"Of course not," he protested. Jeff turned away, grabbing something from his bedside table and tossing it to him. Liu caught it easily, making a slightly choked sound when he realized his brother had tossed him a knife. "Jeff I-"

"Go ahead." Green eyes stared into black, shock meeting an emotionless gaze. "Just a warning though. It'll probably take a lot to actually kill me, given what I am."

"I'm not going to kill you," Liu said.

"Why not?" Jeff asked, challenging him.

"You're my brother," Liu said shakily. Jeff took a step closer and Liu pressed further against the door.

"Then just pretend I'm just some kind of psychotic killer you don't know," Jeff commented.

"Jeff stop," Liu said. His brother came closer, and a surge of actual fear ran through him. Not fear for himself, but fear that he'd harm his brother.