The Wheel

33. Michael

I found the strength to talk to my brother.

"Jasper! Jasper, listen!" I asked him pleadingly once again. "Do you hear the mirror being knocked on from the other side?"

He finally stopped beating me. I try to breathe very quietly so that he could hear the knocking.

"Yeah, I noticed."

Thank God! Now he will understand everything!

"Listen, Jasper, my group mates and I, we were kidnapped. Now we are trapped in a cubical black room. This mirror was lowered before you came in: you are also in this room! Long story short, my group mates and I are being forced to reveal our darkest secrets. The guys are looking at you at this very moment! They see you hitting me! From this side we can only see our own reflections! But on the other side they can see us, Jasper!"

My gaze falls on the table with the wheel. Damn! Why the hell I'm so slow?!

"Look!" I pointed my finger at the device. "There is a wheel on the table! Look and you will understand everything!" I shouted. "This wheel decides everything!"

Jasper got up and, leaning on his cane, began to walk next to the mirror that was lowered. Then he finally looked at the wheel.

"How did you get here, Jasper? Have you been kidnapped, too? Why do you behave this way? Did they make you hit me?"

My younger brother gave me a cunning look of his and started laughing.

"Oh, brother, do you really think I will believe this crap? It's just raining outside! That's it! You were talking something about the wheel? It's just an ordinary wheel for decision making. What a nonsense you made up! Trapped in a room just like in 'Saw'? Sharing your secrets like you've been invited to a pajama party? Stop! You mean someone can see us from out there? Like we are in a police precinct? So you could install there a camera, right?"

Why did he say that the wheel was ordinary? I got up, not without an effort, and looked at the rotating piece of iron, but I couldn't tell what was written on it. I need to get closer to the table.

"Wanna dig up some dirt on me? Do you have a hidden camera in there?" he continued to laugh.

Jasper stopped laughed angrily and started to behave like a godly creature.

"Oh, Mike," he began squirting out tears, "you... you're...making me do this again! You think I enjoy pretending? You think I enjoy beating up my dearest and beloved brother? I dream about stop doing it!!!" he yelled. "Do you know the pain I endure, hitting you with that cane?! Believe me it's way stronger than yours! Because all you feel is pleasure! You're making me do it!!!"
For the past years Jasper's acting talent has significantly improved. There was a time when I believed that I had an alter ego inside of me, like Mr. Hyde, that asked Jasper to hit me. My sadistic sociopathic brother should have become an actor, because he manages to imitate lameness: his leg has been fine for a long time.

Having got to the table, I started inspecting the wheel. When I deciphered what was written on it, the time stopped for me! I heard Jasper's muffled voice, but the shock didn't let me understand what he was talking about. It's impossible! It's not real! There is no inscription 'My biggest' on the central part and there words on the sectors are: 'Yes', 'No', 'Today', 'Tomorrow', 'Maybe', 'Call your friend', 'Think again', and 'Go!' – it's really just an ordinary decision making wheel you can buy in every souvenir shop!

Shock knocks me down on my knees. It can't be! When did Ayama replace the wheel? Maybe I have schizophrenia?

"...you chose boxing only because you love pain..." continued Jasper, playing the victim card.

What if there is really a Mr. Hyde inside of me? What if he really makes me hit Jasper?

"Okay, let's move on," my little brother changed his tone to his usual one.

"Get up, please, Mikey!"

I can't resist him so I get on my hands and knees and then I try to get up on my feet.

"What are you doing? Only on all fours!" he exclaimed. "You're just a brat!"

I can only submit to him again.

"Good boy," he continued, coming closer to me.

He touched my back and started stroking it.

"You know, I remembered how you were on all fours after 'accidently' pushing me down the stairs."

'It was really an accident!" I yelled. It's was an accident!!! I swear to you for a hundredth time!"

"Of course, Mikey," he laughed. "Of course! Who loved to laugh at my leanness? Or at the fact that I'm so shut-down?! Who loved to tease me? Just for fun, for no reason."

"I was simply playing with you! I was playing with my little brother! I thought you were having fun, too! I just wanted us to do sport and spend time together like brothers do!"
"When I fell I saw fear in your eyes for the first time and I can see it again today," he said, stroking me. "Do you remember what happened next?"

"Yes! Yes, I do! I remember everything!"

"Tell me what happened next," he whispered to my ear.

For a moment anger started burning inside of me, but I found the strength to say what I really want.

"You stabbed yourself in the leg, you sick bastard!!!" I howled and pushed him away.

Fury reflected in Jasper's eyes. Oh, no! What have I done?

"What did you say?" he screamed ferociously. "What the hell did you say? Am I a sick bastard?"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, Jasper!"

"What did you say, you piece of shit?!" he screamed at the top of his lungs, hitting me in the face with his cane.

Aaaaah! It hurts so much! Damn! Why did I say it? Why?

"Yes, I'm a piece of shit, yes, I'm sick bastard, it's me who stabbed you in the leg!"

Jasper calmed down a little and looked in my pathetic eyes.

"And why did you do that?" he whispered again in my ear.

"So that my parents would hate me, so that my family would be ashamed of me," I said with difficulty, "I wanted that, because I'm a psycho!"

I saw a gloating smile on his face.

"That's right, good boy," he said contentedly, stroking me. "I will always remember the moment when after I fell down the stairs and the terrible thing you did, you brought me a cup of tea when I got back from the hospital. You couldn't apologize enough. You then thought that I would lie to my parents that I stabbed myself. Did you think I was nuts? Well, I forgave you for that long ago."

While I was lying on my back I could only think about one thing: to be left alone. Jasper got closer to me, lay on my chest and started stroking it.

"Hug me, Mikey," he asked nicely.

There was nothing I could do, but as he said.

"I love you," said this devil in disguise in his angelic voice, "you are the best brother in the world! I appreciate everything you do for me. I feel really bad, doing all of this, but it's for you sake. For you to be happy, despite the fact you hurt me when you stabbed me in the leg. But we are brothers! I understand. It's so great that our parents allowed us to study in the same university and be close to each other, although I thought about using my scholarship for disabled to get into New York University. But what would I do without my dear brother?"

"I love you too, Jasper," I said quietly.

"We'll always be together and you will do everything I say," he laughed childishly. "Well, I have to go; I have a date with Jennifer. Take care, my dear brother!"
"Bye, Jasper," I said and closed my eyes.

My brother went away and the large piece of glass started going back up.

"You are free, Mr. High," said that damn Ayama.