Decadent

Chapter Twenty-Three: Snake

    Once everyone wakes up, Dante and I go downstairs while Mom and Dad eat before getting ready for work. Octavius gets ready for school. And Uncle Cain is snoring away on the couch. Each time he snores, I can't help but shiver.
    “Abel, I need a ride to the hospital...apparently my mom had a heart attack,” Dante tells him with a frown.
    This catches Octavius's attention.
    “Uh...I'd be more than happy to take you,” Dad tells her.
    “Can I go to school today?” I ask Dad. “Please, Dad.”
    He looks at me as he sits at the round dining room table. “No, Rem. I want you to focus on getting better. You're not well. Monday you'll go back to school...but it depends on how you feel.”
    “I feel good right now,” I say with a forced smile. I even try to jog in place to show that I'm strong enough to go to school, but my body betrays me when I suddenly feel dizzy. I stop and lean on Dante for support.
    “See? I want you to stay here. Don't push yourself too hard,” Dad tells me.
    “Stop acting like a baby,” Mom snaps.
    “Can Octavius stay with me then?” I ask Dad desperately. I cannot be left alone here with Cain.    
    Mom stands up when I ask that. “So you can choke the life out of him again? Hell no.” Mom looks over at Octavius and her eyes soften. “It'll be okay, Octavius. Rem is just being stupid.”
    I look down at Octavius with pleading eyes. Please...I'd do the same for you...
    Octavius looks away from me with heavy guilt in his eyes. “Mom...I'd like to skip school today. Please.”
    Mom's eyes widen as she looks at Octavius. “Excuse me?”
    Octavius winces. “Please...let me stay here.”
    Mom's face contorts in all sorts of mixed emotions. Anger, sadness, confusion... I don't think she knows what to think. “I don't know. I don't trust you being here alone with Rem.”
    “Uncle Cain is here,” I speak up. The words taste like venom in my mouth when I say it. “He'll...” I trail off. “He'll...keep...us...in line...if we...” I trail off as I look down. Dante pats my back gently.
    “He'll keep us in line if we start fighting,” Octavius says without emotion. In his eyes, though, there's turmoil...I can tell he hated saying the words, too.
    Mom frowns deeply as she looks from me to Octavius. “Well, I guess...if that's what you want, honey.”
    Of course...the spoiled brat get what he wants...as usual.
    But this time...I'm grateful.
    Octavius looks at me with hard eyes. “I need to speak with you alone.”
    I nod in agreement as he stands from the table. We both walk upstairs into my room. He shuts my door as I stand by my bed.
    “What is it?” I ask him.
    His eyes narrow. “Just us two in the house might make Uncle Cain even more...” he trails off. “Happy...than just having one of us at a time.”
    “I'll help you,” I tell him.
    Octavius snorts. “You can't even jog in place without falling over. You're harmless. Just you know...I'm only staying here because you helped me in the hospital. That's it.”
    Mom, Dad, and Dante leave Octavius and I alone in the house with our Uncle Cain. We go upstairs into my room...but Octavius is being really stubborn about it. He sits on my floor in front of my dresser while I sit on the edge of my bed, facing him.
    “How...how long?” I ask him quietly.
    Octavius looks away from me. “I don't know what you're talking about,” he mutter sharply.
    My eyes narrow as the rage builds. “How long has Cain been doing this to you?” I demand.
    Octavius laughs bitterly as he looks up at me. “And what are you going to do about it, big brother? Protect me? With your bony arms? Are you going to give him a speech about family morals and what an uncle is supposed to do? God, you make me sick.”
    “Answer me, Octavius,” I growl. “I need to know.”
    “I'll answer if you tell me one thing...” he snaps.
    “What?”
    His eyes narrow. “How long has he been doing it to you?”
    “Just once he touched me. In the hospital,” I tell him honestly.
    Octavius laughs till tears roll down his cheeks. “Oh, you're so lucky. You have no idea how lucky you are, you bastard,” he cries through his bitter laughter. “This has been happening for as long as I can remember. The earliest I can remember...was when I was about five or six. The last time...was when I was twelve.”
    My eyes widen slightly. “So that's why you always went to go to a friend's house when he visited...”
    “Duh,” Octavius growls as his eyes roll. “Don't think we're gonna be all buddy-buddies now. I've dealt with this for years now by myself, and I can deal with it a little bit longer.”
    “And when you can't take it anymore?” I ask him with a frown. “What will you do then? Will you look for help?”
    Octavius glowers at me murderously. “If you're implying that I should ask you for help, you're sadly mistaken. Go suck a dick, Remiel.”
    I wince at his harsh tone. “I'm not the one to blame here.”
    “Yes, you are,” he growls. “I told you. I told you what Uncle Cain was doing to me when you were in eighth grade. You want to know what you did? Oh, wait!” Octavius snaps angrily. “You were drunk because Kent gave you beer. You didn't listen to me. And when you were hanging over the next morning and I tried to explain it to you again...you punched me. I was twelve, Rem. That's when I decided that I didn't need anyone.”
    My eyes close as I try to remember...I might have remembered punching Octavius...but I don't remember him telling me...
    When I realize trying to remember is futile, I open my eyes. “I'm sorry, Octavius...but I'm listening now. I'm sorry that I...didn't listen before.”
    “You're several years late, bastard. You're only listening because you finally got molested by our sweet uncle. If it never happened...you wouldn't be talking to me with so much compassion in your voice. Honestly, it makes me sick. I'd prefer it if you kept slapping me around like you always do.”
    “Look, I apologized-”
    Octavius lets out another bitter laugh. “You apologized? Praise Jesus. All is well because Remiel apologized. I should forgive Uncle Cain for myself so I can move on with my life so I won't be such a prick to people. Maybe I should pull down my pants and let people fuck me over. Apparently, I enjoy that.”
    I remain silent as I look away from Octavius. Honestly, I want to slap the shit out of him...but hasn't he been through enough? I mean, I have slapped and pushed Octavius around a lot. I choked the hell out of him...
    “But...don't you have a girlfriend?” I ask him with a frown.
    He rolls his eyes. “Hell no. The girl I have now doesn't care about me. I hate looking at that girl you have now.”
    “Dante? Why?” I ask him with a frown.
    “Honestly...I'm jealous. At the same time, I don't know...I just don't like Dante. She just...came out of nowhere.”
    “Well, I love her,” I say quietly.
    “Ha. You think you do. Maybe you're in love with the idea of love. You've been single nearly your whole life...then this girl shows up? I just think it's too good to be true. There's plenty other guys to choose from besides your pitiful ass,” Octavius mutters. “I know one thing...there's more than what meets the eyes. How much do you really know about this girl?”
    “It's none of your business anyways,” I say angrily as I look away from him.
    “You're right...it is none of my business.”
    I don't know if...he's saying that out of spite...or if this is his weird way of showing that he cares about me.
    Our heads immediately snap up when we hear my bedroom door open slowly. Uncle Cain stands at the doorway in just his boxers with his hand down his underwear scratching his junk.
    Octavius looks over at me with worry as I stand up and walk towards him slowly.
    “Where is Abel and that stupid bitch he married at?” Cain asks in a groggy voice.
    “They're...” I trail off.
    “They're gone, aren't they?” Cain asks.
    Octavius and I send each other looks before looking back at Uncle Cain. My heart pounds in my chest as he steps into my bedroom. He takes a step towards us, but his eyes are locked on Octavius.
    “Come on, boy, let's go,” Cain orders Octavius. Instinctively, I step in front of Octavius protectively. Cain arches his brow as he looks at me. “Just what the hell are you doing?”
    “You're not touching him,” I growl.
    “What are you gonna do? Hit me? Come on. Let's go. Let's fight,” Cain says with a cocky smile as he spreads his arms wide leaving his protruding, hairy stomach wide open.
    “Stop it, Rem,” Octavius says angrily as he grabs my pajama leg.
    I look down at him in surprise. “Why?”
    He looks down sadly. “There's no reason for both of us to be screwed up. I appreciate you standing up for me...but it won't change anything.”
    “But...” I mumble. When I raise my head to look back up at Cain, he sharply backhands me across the face so hard that I fall on the floor. My mouth tastes like iron as I watch Cain drag Octavius by his hair.
    “I prefer Octavius better anyways. Not heart feelings, Remiel...but you're for someone else. Besides, you not my cup of tea,” Cain says bitterly as I push myself off the floor. When I stand, I stagger a few steps back before regaining my balance.
    Then when my vision clears, I charge after Cain.
    I reach down and wrap my arms around Octavius's waist and pull as hard as I can.
    “OW!” Octavius booms when Cain yanks his blonde hair. Cain uses his other hand to grab my hair.
    “What did I tell you? You're for someone else,” he growls as he pulls on my hair harder.
    “I'll...tell Dad,” I threaten as I look up at him. “I'll tell him,” I whisper as my eyes water.
    “Oh no you won't,” Cain growls.
    “Yes, I will,” I promise him. “Take me instead. Take me instead, and I promise...I won't tell a soul. No one.”
    Not even Dante. I'll pretend nothing ever happened.
    Cain's eyes narrow as he looks between Octavius and I. “You stupid piece of shit,” Cain growls as he lets go of Octavius.
    “Rem!” Octavius cries as he hugs me from behind.
    “Let go!” I snarl as I push him off me. I look back at him while Cain keeps his hold on my hair. “Don't you dare cry, you fucking pussy.”
    “Ah, he's gonna kill me,” Cain mutters as he drags me out of my bedroom by my hair.
    Trying to play it brave, I laugh bitterly. “Who's gonna kill you?” I ask him. When he doesn't say anything, I continue to laugh as he drags me to the bathroom. “They were right about pedophiles...they're nothing but cunts.”
    Cain shuts the bathroom door and locks it before turning around to look down at me. “You're for someone else. I don't really like you anyways...but if this will keep your mouth shut...” Cain smiles. “I'm willing to make a few changes so I won't get caught.”
    My smile disappears. I'm for someone else?
    Is he talking about my stalker?
    “I'm sure you will,” I say with no humor. I'm beginning to regret my self-sacrifice when Cain reaches down and pulls my pajama pants down. Then he shoves his fingers down my throat...