The Spark

The Mask

I felt heat on my face, it was almost tingly in the sense of the word. I didn't want to open my eyes knowing there would be the bright burning sun that's beating down on my pale face so I settled for keeping my eyes closed for the moment enjoying the sweet warmth dancing on my skin. My mind traveled far and wide thinking about lush green grass and flowers, the blue skies with clouds soaring above me and the birds, singing their beautiful songs to each other. This was a dream for me to see that type of land to walk barefoot in the softest grass this world could offer, but for me I lived in the cold state of Washington where it rains most of the year and snows the rest. It's not an awful sort of life just cold and wet. I guess things could be worse, it could be with the penguins. The small smile that played on my lips was soon ripped away.

A large crash from inside of my house send me jolting up out of the patio chair I had taken refuge in for the moment. My eyes were open now and the sun had invaded causing me to squint and put my hand up to cover them. Soon I was in the house calling out for my brother in hopes he hadn't hurt himself to badly.

"Brody!? Are you okay??" The fear trembled in my voice as I made my way to a groaning man on the floor holding his head.  Looking around, assessing the situation I see a cast iron pan next to Brody and an empty hook on the pan rack above us. Doofus brother, I had to stifle a laugh because his head was bleeding, how insensitive would that be?

        After a quick search I finally pull the drawer with rags and pot holders open, snatching a rag out and ran to my whining brother on the floor.

         "What happened here dude?" I ask pressing the rag to his temple, his eyes winced in pain. Wiping away the blood, his gash wasn't as serious as it could have been, which gave me some relief.

          "I was trying to get a pan down to cook some breakfast, but now I think I'll pass. If I can't even get the pan off of the hook I probably shouldn't be around an open flame on the stove" Brody says. He was beating himself up.

          "Well technically you did get it off the hook" I laughed as he shoved me gently in a playful way. My hand reached up and checked the wound to see that it had already started clotting. "Hold this right here for a second I'll get a bandage and some ice" I told him. He grabbed the rag and kept it firmly on his forehead.

             I turned around and headed out of the kitchen to the bathroom. Inside I went straight for the cupboard above the toilet seat and opened a door. Seeing head ache medicine I grab it quickly along with the bandage. When I walked back into the kitchen Brody was sitting up on one of the stools dutifully pressing the rag against his bruising skin.

            "Here take that off and I'll put this on" I started opening the package and peeling the flaps off. Reaching up to him I place the bandaid on and go to grab a bag of ice. Setting the cool plastic bag in his hand I say "why don't you just make a sandwich or something that's alittle less dangerous?" Brody returned a dirty look and shrugged out of the room. I felt bad for him, he had already been having a hard week, getting kicked out of his girl friends house for cheating, and not being able to get a job, as undeserving as it might be, he needed a night out to have a bit of fun something as simple as going to the bar, maybe some dinner.

"Brody! We're going out tonight!" I called out to my miserable little brother.

"I don't want to go I have a huge ass bruise on my forehead and a killer head ache now" he yelled back but I wasn't taking his shit today.

"Be ready by eight!" I said and didn't receive a response. I'll drag him out by his ankles if I have to. I dwelled on the image of a kicking, screaming Brody and giggled to myself.