Heart shaped Skulls

Thicker Than Blood

I rushed towards Grey leaving the Chainsaw to crash against the dry grass. He was here, not in my head as I previously heard but in flesh and blood. Standing, mere feet from me.
Happy, it was overflowing my stained goblet the coagulated blood dripping down the rusted steel. My thin fingers wrapped in his coarse, dirty coat as I inhaled deeply. His scent changed over those long years. Before, it was a  faint musk of puberty now heavy cologne lingered strongly in his cotton clothes. Tears streamed down my dirty grimy cheeks "you came! You c-" my voice cut out as saliva coated my throat making it hard to form words without choking. "Shhh, sis I'm here now. Your fine now" his voice turned sinister almost as if his attention wasn't necessarily on me. "Huh?" I lifted my red tangled head up staring into his wandering cold orbs. He was lingering onto someone behind me. "What are you-?" He shoved me behind him trying to cover my form with his frail toned body. "Grey?" He hushed me with a small gesture leaving me with furrowed eyebrows and a unnerving aura. Through the holes of his arms holding me back was Thomas staggering forward slowly grasping the chainsaw in his bloody hands. I lurched forward to only be held back by Grey " WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING! GREY LET ME GO!" I yanked on his arm giving him a animalistic snarl. He shook his head those black locks swaying back and forth "No, don't you see they held you captive. Just come with me and I'll wipe your record." I tugged again trying to wiggle my hand from his as I saw Thomas struggle with standing. It hurt, so much. The pain he was feeling, was so disgusting. I need to help. I tugged harder just in time to have a bullet whiz by my head. Grazing my cheek, sending a river of crimson liquid down my cheek bone. I glared in the direction of the accuser. Nubbin. "Go! We don't need you here anyway you dumb tramp!" Fists clenched and unclenched. I was in a trench. Digging to be free, but which way to dig? Out, or in? "Come on Rowena! Let's just go!" He was pulling me now as stray bullets pinged off the ground around us. Yelling, Drayton was pissed. Groaning, hurt moans. I froze, Thomas. Tears prickled my eyes once again. He was so hurt, head busted open, cuts and various wounds layered his tanned skin. His perfectly inperfect destroyed skin, rough but comforting. "No!" It was a boom of voices, deep and high pitched all at once sending silence over the battlefield. "No, Grey. I won't go" I slipped my hand from his stunned fingers as he stared in awe. "I'm not the Rowena you wanted, so just...go" I whispered the last part as I approached a kneeling Thomas as he sniffled between bitter cries. "Shh, I'm not going anywhere you hear me?" I cupped Thomas's face in my frail hands as I dropped to my knees becoming level with his hight. Thomas's eyes closed at my contact as nuzzled his way into the comforting gesture. "Rowena?" A voice hurt and sinister started behind me. "Please, I've been looking for so long just-" he stopped himself letting a lingering quietness hang over us. Like a dreary cloud casting a shadow over the Gallows, the people standing in a straight line. Heads bowed down in shame and sorrow, hands bound by rough rope. The emotion, rank of horror swirled around any and all that stood out in the early Texas heat. Smothering us, hand over mouth in a disturbing attempt to choke the air from our convulsing lungs. Then, soft but demanding a hand cold compared to the blistering heat landed on my shoulder. I ignored it and drew Thomas closer to my body trying to forget about my past, about my wrongs I committed, about my brother who was as determined as me. Thomas held tightly to my waist almost wrapping his arms twice around my hips smothering me in his musky sweet scent. Another tug followed with a plead. In the distance a faint yell and harsh sound of a fist connecting with flesh entered my brain. Drayton was pissed, and Nubbin was right there, easy pickings. None the less I held tight to my comfort, my anchor. As hard as I held Thomas he gripped tighter. Holding me like a Teddy Bear about to be ripped from his shaking grip. "Thomas, Thomas?" I pleaded him with a shaky voice silently asking for him to raise his face from my bosoms.

After hearing his name the second time he raised his head. Her voice was so scared, shaking in terror. Was it him? Did he do this? No, it wasn't him. It was the man behind her who she called her brother. Rowena's face glowed in the blinding sun her sweat beading in a crown on her forehead making her all the more gorgeous, heavenly. Her eyes shivered in fear as her brother's arm tugged at her shoulder slightly getting stronger with each desperate tug. She didn't want to leave, it was evident. The droop in her lips, the tears beging to spill, the trembling shoulders. She was like a doll, frail and beautiful but had the personality of the devil's bride. Her fingers twitched against my face as she stared open eyes at me begging for something anything for her to lunge. I held her face in my rough calloused hands cupping them with great care. Her orbs green as the brightest Emerald and with great luster softened at my touch. I leaned forward resting my forehead against hers our sweat mingling as I muttered, barley audible to anyone but her "love you" It was broken, horrible, and tasted sour on my tongue.

My heart raced, thundered in my chest. Sure, the words were slurred and slipped clumsily past his chapped lips but my features did not cringe, did not move. I could see the flames of embarrassment in his whiskey eyes. Those gorgeous whiskey eyes, I could drink them. A bottle with a crystal clear glass next to it full with square ice shaped perfectly, brown poison full with to the brim swirling with the melting ice. Hypnotizing. I smiled pulling the corners of my lips to stretch across my features. "I love you most" I choked out my throat collapsing with the growing lump. Thomas's eyes shimmered with acceptance and loyalty. A man's best friend, a bouncing happy hound. But so much more than that. A push sent my shoulder folding forward being accompanied by a unpleasantly jarring voice "MOVE! JUST LISTEN FOR FUCKS SAKE!" My bones ached screamed for rest. But I pushed them, for Thomas, for Jekyll, for the FAMILY. I sweeped around my arm flying out to strike him in the jaw, my full weight behind the upper cut. Blood, thick and deep red drizzled down his chin. Fear and hurt? Danced around those icy waves of his, too bad I didn't care. I steadied myself with my feet firmly planted into the dark soil as I glared dangerous daggers at him as soft but heavy feet came from behind us. "Don't be messin' with our girl now you hear! I don't care if your her family!" Drayton drew threateningly close to Grey, noses almost touching as their chests puffed in anger. "Drayton, I can handle this mys-" he sent a glare to his side where I stood with Thomas holding my hand with a grip of a constructive snake. "I'm quite aware of that girly but this here boy must now his place" a sickening grin spread across his wrinkled face before his attention was back on my dazed brother. "Now, listen here Boy.
We have a saying, my wife used to say 'The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb' do you know what that means BOY!" Drayton's voice rose unexpectedly sending a shudder to everyone in his immediate surroundings. Grey shook his head his eyes now staring wide at the brown grass and deep dark soil. "Well, let me inlighten you, you ignorant piece of shit" Drayton gripped Grey's expensive shirt laying under the white coat dragging him from the ground. "The family you choose" his face drew closer emphasizing his psychotic speech "is stronger than the one your born to" Drayton dropped him like a sack of potatoes letting him plop onto the ground with no care. "Your going to be our guest for tonight but listen close" Drayton paused as he kneeled down towards my trembling brother " YOU LISTENING!" I jumped in Thomas's arms at the sharp yell making the snakes wrap around my legs and shoulders in a comforting gesture to calm me. Grey nodded his head furiously in reply to Drayton. "While you eat let me tell you, the meat your eating is human. The same flesh as you and I, but remember this. You either become part of the family or" he paused tilting his head to the side studying my brother's form from top to bottom. "Your going to be the next meal set onto the table, so think long and hard about that boy" Drayton stood slowly as my brother in shock didn't move or twitch his eye. The last thing Drayton did before he retreated back into the comforts of the cool ranch house was kneeling down next to me and Thomas. A unnatural smile surprisingly sane lingering on his lips as he spoke "you okay girly?" I nodded unwrapping myself from Thomas's tight hold. "Good, because we're family now. And family, will do anything, for family." He smiled and walked towards the house.

~Her heart was heavy, yet she held her own. Broken, she found her strength in pain. I rarely saw her cry, I think her frown hid her tears. PERFECTLY IMPERFECT. She was everything, treated like nothing. left to feel nothing but she survived. She always survived.~