Justin loved sports and he loved his family, but he felt like his family was torn apart. His dad was on drugs, his bipolar brother was in the military and his mom was dead. The only thing Justin really had in his life was his girlfriend Julia. Justin and Julia did everything together they were best friends. Two days after Justin turned 18 his life took a turn for the worst. His brother came home driving drunk and hit Julia with his car. Julia was paralyzed from the waist down. A week later, Justin found Julia dead with a suicide note next to her. For more than a year Justin was very depressed and was never the same loving kid that everybody loved. A few years later Justin was 23 his brother was 32 and fighting in Syria. His dad was in jail for selling drugs. As a young man Justin went through more pain and suffering than many people do in their whole lives. He tried to get back out into the dating world, he went on a few dates with a girl named Alex they even had a baby together but she ended up leaving Justin and taking the baby. Nobody even knows where Alex went with Justin’s baby. Justin went through so much in his life he just plays video games to keep his mind off of everything that happened in his life.

Justin was at home by himself;. He was playing the PlayStation when the power went out. He looked outside where it was pitch black. The only thing Justin could see was a man standing at his window staring at him. Why his lights on Justin are are wondered but immediately there was a more important question who was the masked man standing across the hall and why does he have that huge knife. Justin turned for his phone to call the police but when he looked back the man was gone. He walked back to where the man was standing and in that spot was a note it read it’s time for my revenge. Questions ran through Justin’s head faster than Usain Bolt runs in the Olympics. Who is this man? Why does he want me dead? More importantly, where did he go? Justin had three choices call the police, get out of that house and run as far away as he could or fight with the scary man he just saw. He turned on his phone but he couldn’t make a call he had no signal. He didn’t want to fight the man so he tried to run out of the house but he couldn’t open the doors the doors were nailed shut he had no escape. Justin was scared for his life but he noticed being scraed wasn’t going to fix anything. He knew what he had to do he had to fight the man. There was one thing the man had that Justin didn’t weapons. He ran to the kitchen to find a weapon but all the knives were gone that’s when he heard a voice.

“You aren’t going to find any weapons I hid them all.” said the captor

“what do you want from me?” asked Justin

“I want you dead that are the only thing that I want. All of this could have been avoided but no everything I do everywhere I look I see your face, every time I turn on music I hear your annoying laugh, I can’t get you out of my head. The only way I can live in peace is if you don’t live at all!” exclaimed the captor.

“Where are you we can fix this?

“Turn around” said the captor.

There he was right behind Justin with the sharp blade in his hand as he approached, Justin began to back away not knowing what was going to happen. That’s when it hit him he knew exactly who it was.
“Ronald is that you?” Justin asked.

Yes it’s me why does that matter what you did to me was terrible. I will never forgive you now you must die!” exclaimed Ronald.

“You’re my big brother what did I ever do to you? We were so happy before you left for the military.” said Justin

“You killed our sister.” Said Ronald

“What are you talking about we never had a sister?” asked Justin.

“Yes we did her name was Brianna.”

“Then why did I never hear about this girl if she is my own sister?” asked Justin

“Nobody ever told you about her because they didn’t want you to feel like you killed your own sister but every single time I see you it’s like im watching you kill her I’m the only one that acted like they remembered who she was that remembered the death of our sister.” said Ronald

“Why don’t I remember her I think I would remember having a sister?”

Justin was so confused he kept asking questions he didn’t believe anything his brother was saying until Ronald explained to him what happened to his older sister.

“You were only a few months old you don’t remember anything when you were that young. Our
Sister’s name was Brianna she was my twin sister. Dad was in the front yard barbecuing mom was putting on her bathing suit and we were in the backyard with Brianna. I was trying to show Brianna a magic trick but next thing I noticed you got out of the patio and in to the pool. I didn’t know how to swim so Brianna jumped in to save you. While she tried to save you Brianna drowned. Mom came running out to save you and Brianna she pulled you both out of the water but Brianna didn’t make it but you survived.” Said Ronald

“I never knew about this I couldn’t control myself I was so young I didn’t know what was going on sure that was not a good thing that happened but I do not deserve to die because of it. Look I know that was probably not easy for you to watch your sister die but killing me will not fix anything instead of having nightmares about her dying you will have them about both of us dying please this is unnecessary you will only regret doing it.” Said Justin.

“You don’t understand I had a dream where I killed you that’s when I knew that it was Brianna telling me it’s your fault she had to die and if she wants you dead that’s what has to be done. We can do this the easy way or the hard way but either way it has to end up with you dad that’s the only way I can deal with myself watching my sister die.” Said Ronald

“You can’t get mad at me are you out of your mind I was young didn’t know what I was doing. I didn’t mean to kill her I didn’t mean to jump in the pool. None of the things I ever did were on purpose. Just like mom you didn’t know somebody was going to hit a drive by you couldn’t control it.” Declared Justin

“You can’t talk about that day!” yelled Ronald.

“But you can kill me over something that happened 23 years ago when I didn’t even know what I was doing?” argued Justin

“It’s different you can live with yourself I can’t I have been through too much.” said Ronald

“And I haven’t my mom is dead my dad is in jail I’m struggling to survive just like you but do you see me trying to kill somebody NO this si where you have to man up and don’t do something that will put you in prison for your whole life there are many better options.” Said Justin

“I had to watch my sister die you didn’t don’t come at me like you have been through more than me don’t act like my life is so perfect when it’s not.” said Ronald

“What about Julia you decided to go get drunk and decided to get behind the wheel when you knew it was not only illegal but dangerous not only for you but everybody near you. You are the one that decided to come home driving drunk and hit Julia with your car maybe you didn’t kill her on contact but she was paralyzed from the waist down. You are loucky we didn’t tell the police that you were driving drunk. I loved Julia and you know that I am sure you loved Brianna but ever sense you hit Julia I could tell something was different she couldn’t play sports we couldn’t go to prom none of that no wonder why she was so depressed no wonder why my first love killed herself it was all because of you but do you see me at your house with a knife ready to kill you no you do not. I would never even consider killing my own brother even after what you did to Julia. I recommend you unlock all of the doors leave get your stuff together then come back when you are ready to apologize because this right here is not how it goes down!” screamed livid Justin.

Ronald dropped the knife. Justin began to breathe a sigh of relief as he believed he was safe.

“There you go Ronald just calm down.” Said Justin

“I didn’t drop the knife because I believed you I dropped it because; in the dream I killed you with my two hands. I am going to warn you right now if you try anything it will be the end of you. I have more than knives I have guns, I am stronger than you and I have a grenade I took straight from the military.” Said Ronald

At that point Justin gave up on trying to convince his psychopath of a brother to make the correct choice. If Ronald wanted a fight Justin was going to give him one. Boom! That’s when they heard the door fall and footsteps running everywhere.

“Police get down put your hands behind your back!” yelled the policemen. 

The police ran into the kitchen where they found Ronald and Justin. Ronald pulled out a gun. The police kept demanding Ronald to put down the gun but he didn’t listen. That’s when they heard something fall. Everybody looked down and Ronald pushed Justin and ran away from the cops. BOOM! A grenade exploded. Every cop died but Justin and Ronald survived. Ronald knew more police would come later due to the explosion so they hurried up and hid the bodies Justin helped as the 50 caliber pistol was at the back of his head. Justin did not want to help Ronald do anything illegal but he rather do that than die. Ronald knew what he had to do. He had to get away from the cops but he really wanted to finish the job with Justin he wanted Justin dead. They hid the last body and then Ronald thought about something. He heard a voice in his head it sounded just like his mother. He felt like his mother was telling him leave your brother alone it’s not his fault it’s not his fault. When Ronald heard his mother’s voice he just started to go really crazy.

“You’re right it is my fault. It’s all been my fault. I can’t kill you.” Ronald said.

Ronald ran up to wrestle the gun out of his brother’s hand but Ronald was much stronger than Justin and pulled the trigger. At the same time a police shot a bullet at Ronald but Justin got hit with the bullet from Ronald’s gun. Justin was shot in his leg as Ronald got shot in the arm.

“NOOOOO!” Justin screamed.

He was in very bad pain but he was focused in his big brother. He didn’t know if he was dead or not. The police picked up Justin and Ronald and put them in the back of a police car while they waited for an ambulance to take them to a hospital before they are questioned about what was going on at the house. It was a very quiet ride to the hospital but every now and then a tear would run down Justin’s eye. Justin believed Ronald was dead. When they finally arriv4ed at the hospital they rushed Justin and Ronald into the emergency room and had to go into immediate surgery on them both. Neither of the brothers knew anything about the other they were both worried and in a lot of pain. A few days later they both were released to go. Justin walked into the waiting area first with tears running down his eyes. He hadn’t seen Ronald.

“He is dead isn’t he?” Justin said.

“Your friend is not dead he should be on his way out”

\

Justin didn’t bother to tell the doctor he was his brother he was just relieved that his brother wasn’t dead no matter what happened between Justin and his brother he felt like he could fix things and make the family better. Maybe even make his own life better. Ronald came out a few minutes after Justin and they both were escorted to the police station where they would be questioned. Justin was still worried about going to jail but Ronald seemed calm and soon Justin would know why.  Ronald smiled at one of the escorts and the other one went and shook Ronald’s hand. When they got to the car the police man started talking to Ronald.

“So this is your little brother you were trying to kill right.” The policemen said

“Yeah this is the one but we don’t need to talk about that anymore I just want to go home.”  Ronald said

“Wait you know each other?” Justin asked.

“This man was in the army with me all the things we’ve been through together he would never take me to prison.” Ronald replied.

The boys arrived at Justin’s house and went to the kitchen where everything happened just a few days ago. When Ronald got back into the kitchen a familiar vouice popped up in his head it was his moms voice once again the same voice that almost ended his life the same voice that made him shoot his own brother and get shot. The voice just kept saying it’s your fault. The voice repeated its self so many times Ronald started to cry.

“Ronald what is wrong?” Justin asked

“Nothing happened, I’m just happy to be home.” Ronald replied

Before Justin could say another word Ronald got up and went to the bathroom. Justin just sat in the kitchen reflecting on the past few days. Justin fell asleep and woke up about an hour later. He got up and tried to go find his brother but he was still in the bathroom. Justin was worried. Who stays in the bathroom for over an hour Justin wondered. He ran to the bathroom and knocked on the door. Nobody responded, Justin was scared so he kicked down the door. His brother was in the bathroom crying his eyes out with a gun pointed at his head.Justin was startled when he saw his brother with the gun at his head.

“WOAH Ronald calm down do not do anything stupid we are okay we are safe and away from the police we are okay put the gun down!” exclaimed Justin.

“This is my entire fault what is wrong with me? I killed Julia and mom and it’s my fault Brianna died I’m just going to be just like dad behind bars. I can’t live like that but that’s my destiny I’d rather not live at all. It’s my fault I made mom help me with baseball, and it’s my fault I came home driving drunk, and it’s my fault I made you be envolved in my crime, and it’s my fault Brianna died if I would have taken up wthose swimming lessons like mom wanted me to I could have saved you and Brianna.” Ronald said.

Ronald didn’t hesitate any longer he shot his self in the head. Justin was so scared he was in shock he called the ambulance who came to pick Ronald up. A few hours later, came out of the hospital room and told Justin,

“Your brother will be okay he damaged his brain badly but he will live. But the down side is he will now have Alzheimer’s and doesn’t remember much of the past weeks.”

Justin was sad but relieved that his brother would live but Ronald would have to live in his brother’s house under 24 hour supervision.

The first day back home Justin explained to Ronald what happened and gave him some house rules. Ronald was so confused he didn’t know what was happening Justin decided to take Ronald to his room and start over from scratch like Ronald was his kid. It kind of felt like Ronald was the son Justin lost.

Days went by faster and faster and things started to work out with Justin and his brother Justin and Ronald began to live a life an actual life with an actual family. They adopted a young Indian kid a few years later They don’t live a perfect life but they are happy with their own lives.