"It had been a normal day. It shouldn't have happened. It – it just…I'm not explaining!" Matthias stood up racking a hand through his long spiked hair. He was not only witness but family to the man killed in the crash. He knew the boy that had ran out and the man driving the truck, yet he couldn't explain what he saw. The police probably wouldn't be so calm and understanding if he couldn't tell them what was going on.
"Sir, how about we start from the beginning? What about before the crash, what had happened then?" The officer asked calmly though the possibility he was going to become irritated was mounting with each time Matthias tried to start and then just didn't keep going. Sitting back down he took a deep breath and tried again.
"It was August 14th…" He replied, as if it wasn't still "About 12:30 noon, it was snowing out. Me and Hana –our dog- were playing in the living room but, she's an energetic little pup so it wasn't really occupying her enough. Next thing I know Lukas and Emil came down, arguing as usual. I didn't want to hear it, I never do, so I took Hana out for a walk. They'd fought like this so many times before, I may be the oldest but Lukas is much better at dealing with Emil anyway…So I left them to it. Figured they'd calm down if I took long enough, even called my buddy Gilbert, got him to come meet me at a small park where we could let Hana run about. We just sat and talked watching Hana. Sometimes we'd through a snowball for her to try and catch…" He said looking down and finding his shoes particularly interesting. 'Last time I was in a police station it was cause I'd got pished and caused problems at that bar…' He mused to himself.
"Sir?"
"Right, right. Sorry" Matthias steered his thoughts back to the incident once more "We heard Hana barking, a lot, we saw her run off and we both got up to chase her, she could get hurt after all. When we caught he she'd ran to the roadside and was barking at someone on the other side…It was Luka and Emmie -" The officer looked at the Dane, catching his eye, but it wasn't critical but rather…Gentle. As if he was understanding Matthias and his labyrinth of a mind "Sorry. Lukas and Emil. There wasn't really any cars on the road at all and you couldn't see any too nearby. Emil saw us and ran across the road he didn't even notice the truck…And neither did we…" Matthias had to supress a sob at this, wiping his eyes and pinching his nose he took a long breath before letting it almost fall out of him in a great shudder. The officer before him radiated sympathy as he gave the man time to try and compose himself and finish his sentence. "Lukas saw it though, Lukas see's everything…He pushed Emil out of the way, pushed him to us while he got hit…I swear he was smiling when he saw Emil was safe!" Matthias sobbed as quietly as he could trying to stop but he just couldn't. Not the officer minded, he'd seen much worse from much better circumstances.
"You said you know the driver, who is he?"
"Just an old family friend. Eduard Von Bock from Tallinn, Estonia. Anyway that's what happened. That's all I got so can I please go see my little brother now?" He was pleading for the 3rd time that day to go see Emil
"Actually sir, we have still yet to question the boy so until then…" Matthias just nodded and walked back out to wait where he saw Emil, his eyes still wide with shock and red from crying. For once he was allowing Tino, the 2nd youngest of the five brothers and Eduard's best friend. 'Well for now…'
"Hey Tino. Emmie? They need to talk to you now, OK?"
"D-don't call me Emmie." He stuttered out wiping his eyes and sniffling, the scene was pitiful and the usual irritation and defiance of the boy was all but gone as he followed the officer into the room Matthias had just come out of.
"So, Emil. Can you tell me what happened to your brother?" The officer started off hoping the boy would be as co-operative as his eldest brother, Matthias. But his defiance and calm façade had returned to him, protecting his emotions as he looked away.
"Which one? Remember I have 4 older brothers. There's Matthias – who you just questioned. Tino –who's out there trying not to cry even though he really wants to. Berwald – who's at work and doesn't know about any of this yet since he turns off his phone, and then there's Lukas. Currently checking in to 'Thor's Domain'!" After the confused look he received at 'Thor's Domain' he sighed before whispering "He's dead. Got it?"
"Erm, what happened before the incident, we were told there was a fight. What about?" The officer regained his composure sitting forward in his chair.
"Stupid stuff. He was being annoying. Trying get me to call him 'big brother' like I was a little kid" Emil sighed, hating himself, knowing that this was why he left, this was why he lost Lukas?! But he was always so strong, there was no way that this little quirk of his was his undoing right? 'But that wasn't what got him knocked down…' a small voice in the back of Emil's head whispered as he tried to ignore it.
"But umm…How old are you again? About 9? So you still are just a little…" He trailed off not finishing his sentence.
"I'm 11 sir" He said glaring, hoping to convey one simple message: WHAT THE HELL? THAT'S NOT THE POINT DUMBASS! "Whatever, anyway, he was getting really annoying so I started yelling at him. I can't even remember what I said anymore, it was like, a couple hours ago maybe huh?" He mused to himself before continuing "Then I ran outside. I didn't know where, and I'm not even sure I know why anymore. Guess I must've wanted to get away from him or something… Find somewhere to calm down… He followed me, probably just trying to keep… To keep…" He took in a sharp breath, guilt and nausea flowing over him as he finished the sentence "To keep me safe…Like he always…Just being a good…" He kept trailing off before he finished his sentences. Not wanting to realise how much he was crying, or that he had begun to. Not wanting to think that the brother that always was there for him, never once leaving him behind ever was gone because of his foolishness. Attempting to wipe the tears away he continued on with his version of events. "I saw Matthias and Gilbert and Hana over the road and I never saw any c-cars or anything so I-I ran over…Then Mr. Von Bock's truck came out of nowhere I just froze. All that time yelling at the TV when someone just stops rather than run and I did it myself" He laughed mirthlessly "I felt myself fall, onto the cold snow, thought I was done for…But I was fine, that is 'till I smelt the blood…Never knew how overpowering it was. Gilbert helped me up but he- he wouldn't let me look, kept his hands over my eyes and told me there was just some things that didn't need to be seen…" H took a deep breath as he revived the scene in his head and watched it play out again. "I knew what had happened when I heard Matt crying and yelling at Mr. Bock, well…I already kinda knew I guess." Emil dropped his cool exterior and started to openly weep, he knew he wasn't tricking the officer in front of him 'Heh. After all, I'm not Luka'.
"That's enough, you can go now." The officer smiled down sadly at the boy, giving him a consoling pat on the shoulder as they stood. Emil just nodded and took yet another shuddering breath before composing himself and walking back out to Matthias and hugging him – for once not caring if he seemed childish curled up and being rocked like that.
"Hey, Emmie? I know you probably want to just go home but Tino just called Berwald and he's coming to meet us here." Matthias whispered as he rocked the youngest brother patting his back as someone behind him chuckled.
"You look like Vater und son, not bruders" Gilbert mused bringing them all coffee, smiling sadly.
"You don't have to wait around y'know, you've given your version of events." Tino said, delicately taking the coffee from the albino.
"Nein, you guys were there for me und mein bruder when Vati died. You guys are like family!"
"Thanks…And yeah, we are." Matthias found it within himself to deliver a reassuring grin at his childhood friend.
"You don't even know…Why would they talk to you…All you saw was a crash…" Emil piped up, sniffling.
"Ja exactly, I'm a witness. Ha, here's that saukerl now" Gilbert growled out as he saw Eduard Von Bock, the driver, go into an interrogation room.
"So, Mr. Bock. You are here because you ran over and killed Mr-"
"Oh god he's dead?!" Eduard exclaimed, previously unaware and now even more hysterical than before.
"Um…Yes, I'm afraid so…The family aren't pressing any charges and have asked we be as lenient as possible on your sentence. However neither party has nothing to fear as we have gathered from all eyewitness accounts – as well as a traffic camera – that Mr. Bondevick jumped into the road. However. There will be a fine for breaking the speed limit moments before as well as our camera catching your left headlight being broken prior to the crash." The officer reported firmly while Eduard shrunk under his intense gaze.
"Tino, 'm here." Berwald stated coming into the station and striding over to them confused and slightly angry. "What happened? Where's Lukas?" The Swede questioned as he'd been called out from work to go there, when he asked what was happening Tino just said 'I'll Explain when you get here' and hung up. Now he was here, looking between the remaining brothers – and Gilbert – before Gilbert spoke seeing as none of the other seemed to want to.
"You're bruder, Lukas. He was in a crash und…Und he died on impact, ripped through his neck. Bock was the driver, Lukas jumped in front of him to push Emil out the way…Me and Matt. We couldn't…I'm sorry." Gilbert whispered the last part, his calm yet angered attitude faltering. Berwald seemed dead, just staring at Gilbert. Tense. Enraged. Wishing to stride over the Eduard and beat him till he bled and worse, such violence would seem uncharacteristic of the Swede as he was usually calm regardless of situation. Though he had been known on occasion to snap and unleash a maelstrom of deadly strength and fury, he was tall and built with a stoic face that scared all those who didn't know him well enough to see his kindness. This rage was something Matthias, as the oldest, had been not only the only one to see but experience his malevolent episodes. Berwald sat on the chair next to Tino, gaze now on the ground. "Emil. Come. Here." He practically growled in authority.
"Bear. I swear…" Matthias left the rest of the threat up to their imaginations as he watched Emil slowly creep towards his brother. Glaring at Matthias Berwald drew the youngest into a hug allowing him to his face in the elders shoulder.
"It's ok…This…Isn't your fault." He kept his tone more level and less frightening this time. Being very slow and deliberate in his movements as he stroked the boy's hair. Panic and threat removed Tino leant against Berwald's arm.
"Gilbert. Will you go see if we can leave now?" Tino sighed depressed and tired. The complete opposite to his usual bubbly personality.
"Ja sure. Gimme a minute." Gilbert nodded wandering off to some kind of information desk he saw directive signs for.
Arriving at said desk he coughed to get the woman's attention. "Uh, 'xcuse me but, um, can those connected to the Bondevick case leave now? We've all given our statements and such."
"Oh, yes of course I'm so sorry for your loss. If you need anything call me – I mean um us. The police. Yes…" The girl smiled and fluttered her eyelids at him while he fet sick to his stomach 'Is she actually flirting with me at a time like this?!' He mumbled out a small 'of course' of acknowledgment before leaving even more irritated than with the station than he was before.
"Guys! We can go!" He called out to them from just down the hallway as they caught up and Matthias reached for his keys Gilbert nudged his arm "Nein. I'll drive, its late y'know." Nodding they followed into the large BMW, Hana in the back. Driving silently Gilbert glanced around the car. Berwald in the middle with Emil and Tino asleep either side of him, Matthias glaring at any form of happiness or lingering beauty he saw in the snow and the insane little puppy barking every now and again so that someone would call back to her. "We're here" Gilbert announced pulling into the dark drive. It was about 12:30 now, the drive had taken 2 hours due to the houses remote location compared to the rest of the small town. As the others got out and wandered up to the house Tino stopped and turned to Gilbert.
"Hey Gil? Why don't you spend the night? It's a long way back to town."
"Ja, sure. I'd like that, just let me call Luddie ok? I'll be in in a minute." H smiled picking up the phone watching the door close.
It had been a few weeks and the funeral had finally come. All the family friends had gathered around the coffin while a priest yammered on about something that even Lukas would've mocked! But it was just how things worked. It was how they'd buried their father. So it was how they'd all be buried. And even after the proceedings, when everything went back to the Bondevick residence for food and the light in the sky was fading casting a summer-like haze over everything despite the snow, bathig it all in orange Emil and Matthias were still there. Standing next to the grave and as Emil looked towards the nearby forest on the edge of graveyard he could've swore that for a minute the animals were gathered and a large lupine beast –greater in size and majesty than any living being- stood next to a man shrouded in a tattered black cloak. "St-stóri bróðir?!" He whispered in shock and hope staring at the now empty tree line, the figure and animals missing save for a solitary stag.
"Yeah Emmie? Ready to go now huh? Let's head back" Matthias said from just behind him having not seen the magical sight. As they left the wind picked up but Emil found himself feeling the most warmth he had since that hazy day.
"He…He called me big brother! I'm so glad. Huh? Yeah Fenrir, we should go too...They'll be ok now." The figure said from the tree line as he clambered upon the magnificent wulven beast, looking back once more as the wind began to rise "I'll wait…So until next time little brother!" With that they faded into the breeze, never to be seen again.
TRANSLATIONS:
Vater/Vati: Dad -German
Bruder/s: Brother/s - German
Mein: My - German
Saukerl: Bastard - German
Ja: Yes - German/Swedish/Danish/Norwegian etc.
Stóri bróðir: Big Brother - Icelandic
A/N
As seen in the summary I wrote this for my English folio in school but it shattered the word cap. Though I'm still trying to use it as is my teacher wants to hack away at it for about 100 and something words...NO! But here is the raw stuffs cause that was good England right here...Just like how wulven is now a word cause I can't describe big fuck off wolf gods other than 'lupine beast' which I'd already said. And do we want to see Gilbert's Interview? He was there so it makes sense, Tino is only there cause he was called and Ice explains to the officer that Sve turns his phone off while he's working but as neither were there they wouldn't be questioned.
Killing Norway is fun.
-Neko
