House of Glass

Chapter 1: Were Fine, Were Safe, Were Okay

The light had long since drained away leaving barely enough for even the shadows that followed them throughout the day. Instead the darkness came and under it, everything in the snow-covered forest is hidden. Even the stars and the moon cower behind a dense layer of cloud, invisible in the night sky.

'It's so dark. He could be anywhere. I wouldn't even see him- No stop that.

It's not like he can catch up with a car.

Were fine. Were safe. Were okay.'

Bradley felt his ears sharpen and mind become paranoid, every twig snapped, every sound made was a predator- was him. Each moment his body prepares, as if that was it. His life was over and all he could do was wait. Wait for his father to drive a knife into his chest and make him watch as he does the same to his little brother.

'Were fine. Were safe. Were okay.'

His heart could beat all it wants, but his body won't move from his position, not until he and his little brother had reached a point of certain safety. He just needed to continue driving.

'Everything has gone wrong, it's terrible, no way back, disaster, ruin... Your brother is scarred for life. Your dad killed a man. A man is dead. He's dead. You're fault. You let your brother watch. He's dead. You're going to get killed. Killed. Killed.'

Bradley wrapped his fingers tightly around the wheel as his anxious thoughts bounced off of each other creating a storm of chaos. An inner voice continued to shout in Bradley's mind but he just pretended to brush it off.

'There it goes again, my own personal inner dialogue.'

It was harder to breathe. The air felt thick and unnaturally still. Silent, sucking up the rapid beating of Bradley's heart. God, Bradley hated silence.

'He killed a man.'

A glossy sheen began to coat Bradley's eyes as his thoughts began to scatter. The emotions caused a feeling of weight on his ribs and a dull achiness to his eyes.

'Shut up. Were fine. Were safe. Were okay.'

A small whimper became audible. Bradley looked over at his brother in worry. To console his brother Bradley tried to smile but found an unwillingness for his mouth to lift past its neutral state.

'God you're such a fuck up. You knew your father was a piece of shit yet you allowed this to happen. You didn't even complain about staying with your father for a bit. Having your brother stay with your father. You just let him take the two of you. You saw he had a gun. You saw it and you allow a trip into the middle of nowhere. You let your brother watch that guy die. You scarred your brother. You ruined everything. You ruin everything. Your such a fuck up and now you can't even smile at him. You can't even fucking smile!?! What happened to cheering up your brother after all you put him through? Huh? What happened to-'

'Shut up. Were fine, were safe, were okay,' Bradley thought putting a consoling hand on his brother's shoulder. His brother looked up at him, face teary-eyed.

'You did this.'

"We'll be okay right?"

Bradley remained silent.

'Were fine, were safe, were okay.'