OSTRACIZE | GILBERT BLYTHE

79

Ellis had finally arrived home from running out of the school. She still had tear stained cheeks and red eyes, but she didn't care. She just wanted to crawl in bed and stare at her wall for a while, until she felt well enough to make her, James and Carter dinner.

However, that plan changed once she swung her door open and walked into the kitchen to be greeted by all her brothers. She couldn't help but smile and run into Reuben's arms.

She didn't normally hug her brothers, but today she needed it.

Her arms wrapped around his neck and he lifted her off the ground slightly.

"I missed you Ellie." He whispered into her ear. He knew that she'd need to hear it, espcially with the news that she'd be recieving soon.

"I missed you too Ruby." She whispered back.

She pushed past, James to get to Franklin, his strong arms wrapped around her small frame and pulled her tightly into his chest. He tried his hardest not to cry and break down in front of his siblings. He promised his brothers that they'd all stay strong and tell Ellis together.

She pulled away from Frank with a smile and turned on her heel to face Patrick. She noticed that like the rest of his brothers, he wasn't wearing his army uniform. But Patrick wasn't wearing his smart clothes either, just a simple trousers and top that wasn't tucked in.

Ellis wasn't sure what was wrong with him, so she wrapped her arms around her older brother and placed her hand on the back of his head.

"Everything's okay Patty." She assumed he saw something while in the army that had traumatised him, just like Reuben.

She pulled away and pushed past them to only be met with Carter. She furrowed her brows, expecting to see Ernest too. She knew that he went back to the army a few days ago, but she assumed that her brothers were all home for a reason.

"Where is Ernest?" She questioned, looking at all her brothers.

"Take a seat Ellis." Carter said calmly, although she could hear the crack in his voice when he spoke. Ellis did as she was told and took a seat, as did the rest of her brothers around the family table. Reuben sat next to her, and grabbed her hand.

"Something's happened." Franklin started.

"Maybe we should wait for Ernie." Ellis mumbled, she didn't want him to get angry for starting without him. She looked at the four empty seats at the table. Ernest's, her fathers, her mothers and Pops.

"It's about Ernest, Ellis." Patrick explained. Ellis furrowed her brows and looked between her brothers. She looked down at her hand that Reuben had a hold of.

"Is he okay? Is he hurt?" All her brothers shared a look. The five all had tears forming in there eyes. "SOMEONE TELL ME WHERE MY BROTHER IS!" Ellis shouted.

James couldn't bare to look anyone in the eyes, this was his fault. If he left instead of Enrie, like he was supposed to then maybe-

-maybe it'd be him instead.

"He's dead Ellis." Reuben mumbled, not letting go of her hand. Ellis looked at her brothers, to see if they were pulling some sort of sick joke and really Ernest was in his bedroom. But they weren't. Her brothers loved to trick and tease her, but they'd never take it this far.

"D-d-dea-d?" She stuttered. Hot tears streaming down her cheeks. "W-wha-at?" She cleared her throat. "What do you mean?" She looked at her older brothers, who all had tears rolling down their cheeks. "I want to see my brother. Where is he? Please. Jam-es?"

"I'm so sorry Ellis." James mumbled, standing up and leaving to go to his room.

He couldn't cope with the remorse. This was his fault. If he was just a good soldier, like he had been trained to be all his life, then it wouldn't have happened. He let down his big brother and now he was dead. And he had no one to blame but himself.

"Ellis-" Carter tried to help calm his sister down, but she felt like her head was spinning, she felt like she was drowning in all these emotions.

Pain. Greif. Anger. Love. Heart break. Lonliness.

"He's dead." She whispered, realisation, finally hitting her. "Ernest Bennett is dead."