Sane

Chapter Twelve | No Choice

Forrest shoves Oakley off of himself, and he goes tumbling to the ground. I almost want to say 'no, be careful', but I know Forrest is doing the right thing. I stand there, not being able to move. My thoughts can barely process what is happening.

"Willow." Forrest reaches for me, but gets distracted when Oakley launches himself again. Forrest struggles to keep my brother down. "Willow, we have to do it. We have to. He's not going to stop. He's not going to stop until we're both dead." Forrest tells me, looking back in forth between me and the gun on the ground.

I shake my head viscously. "NO!" I shout, tears just falling like a waterfall down my face. He's my little brother. He's the only family I've got.

"There has to be another way. There has to." I say quietly, still not moving. Forrest keeps shoving Oakley down to the ground, and Oakley just gets angrier, becoming more viscous.

My hands shake violently as I bend down to grab the gun. He's not going to stop until we're both dead.

"I know it's hard, Willow. I know. But we're both going to die. He's getting stronger and I can't keep holding him off." Forrest shouts back at me.

"No. I can't!" I scream.

"It's not him. It's not Oakley anymore." Forrest says, as he falls to the ground, Oakley jumping on his stomach, throwing punches.

Forrest tosses Oakley across the ground, getting up fast and running to me. He grabs the gun out of my hand, and closes his eyes.

"NO!" I cry, as a gunshot runs through the air.

My legs give out, and I fall to the ground. Tears stream down my cheeks, not tearing my eyes away from him. My little brother. I crawl on my hands and knees slowly and shakily. "Oak?" I cry.

I pull myself towards him, his body laying on the dirt. His eyes are weak, but still open. Blood pours out of his chest, and I pull him close, cradling him in my arms.

"Will-ow." He stutters, looking into my wet eyes. I shake my head, closing my eyes. "You're not going anywhere, Oak. Stay with me." I say, kissing his dirty little cheek. A tear rolls down it, and he opens his mouth to continue.

"I- love you." He tries smiling, but it's a painful smile. He slowly moves his hand over to his other wrist, attempting to pull my mother's bracelet off. "Home." He whispers, resting the bracelet in my shaky hand. He closes his eyes, and his chest stops rising.

"No!" I scream, running my hand down the side of his lifeless face.

His body shakes in my arms, and I pull him against my chest. "I love you too." I cry, closing my weary eyes. I've lost him. I kiss his forehead letting his body fall out of my arms. I cry over him, pulling the hair off of his face.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." I weep.