The Skeletøn Bøy

SEVENTEEN

"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." — Franklin D. Roosevelt

++ C H A P T E R | S E V E N T E E N ++           

Adrian knocked hard on the bathroom door. Water was leaking from the door, and had been since Adrian had woken up for school. He didn't want to think of how long the water had been leaking, either.

In all honesty, Adrian was convinced that Elliott had killed himself. Why else would he be missing with the bathroom door locked and the water running?

It made his body pulse with fear. And Anna had yet to wake up to this. Adrian didn't want Anna to wake up to this.

When there was no sign of life beyond the door, Adrian got desperate. What about Mat? Little Mat, who never knew his father and was forced to leave his mother. How would he take losing his oldest brother?

Adrian began to shove his shoulder against the bathroom door in hopes of breaking it down. He'd grown up over the years, so his body was much more suitable for this. He was much taller than Adrian, and more stockier. This allowed him to, after about a dozen good shoves, break down the door.

Adrian stumbled in, tears in his eyes. The water, though it had been leaking, was up to his calfs. It was pouring over the edge of the bathtub where Elliott laid, his head fully above the water, and a sharp knife laying in his hand.

Adrian splashed through the water, and turned it off. He realized the water was cold, and came to the conclusion that Elliott had been running the water for so long there was no hot water left.

Adrian didn't know what to do about the water clogging up the bathroom. He unplugged the tub, then hauled Elliott out. He seemed fine. Unharmed. There seemed to be no blood.

The water had rushed from the room by now, leaving a mess in the hallway. Adrian knew he had to tend to that before Anna or Mat woke up, which Adrian knew would be soon. Anna had work, and Mat had school.

Adrian laid Elliott on the floor and slapped him hard across the face. That woke Elliott, who sat up and just looked at Adrian with fear in his eyes.

"I'm alive?"

Adrian gave Elliott a hard look, and was tempted to slap him again. "Yes! What were you thinking, Elliott? What do you think would happen when we all woke up to your dead body? How would Mat feel? That would have been so selfish of you!"

Elliott hadn't thought of that. He hadn't thought of anything but escaping mother. He leaned into Adrian and began to cry. He took fist fulls of his brother's shirt and pressed his face into Adrian's neck, sobbing.

Adrian hugged Elliott closer. He knew his brother had been having a hard time, but enough was enough. Elliott was dying on the inside, that was clear. This was supposed to be their second chance, their fresh start, but Elliott had refused those options. He was living in the past still. And who could blame him?

Elliott was damaged.

"Adrian, the dream was so real. I really thought I had killed myself. And, god, I saw myself die, Adrian. But as a toddler. It was supposed to be me instead of Elle -"

"No." Adrian said, harshly. "You and I both know the truth, and it's about time you came forward. For your own good."

Elliott pulled away so fast. "That's what he said, Adrian. What Baba said."